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UNITED STATES SENATE
Lindsey Graham (R)(Incumbent - I): Elected as U.S. Senator for South Carolina in 2002, previously an attorney with the armed forces. Bob Conley (D): American pilot and engineer. Former member of the Horry County Republican Committee.
EDUCATION: Lindsey Graham (LG): Improve Adequate Yearly Progress requirements to more accurately reflect school proficiency; create requirements that define “highly qualified teachers;” accommodate special needs students. Bob Conley (BC): Increase teacher pay, decrease classroom size.
HEALTHCARE: LG: Opposes expansion of government-run healthcare; against negotiated Rx prices for Medicare Part D. BC: Redirect patients away from large corporate hospitals into small, community-run facilities. “Any other federal solution will be driven by profits instead of patient care.”
ENERGY: LG: Helped draft New Energy Reform Act of 2008, which has new provisions on offshore drilling, encourages the use of new technologies for energy conservation, and requires oil companies to pay fair market prices for oil lease and drilling rights. Believes global climate change is real. BC: Increase use of alternative energy sources. Lower gas prices through responsible Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) drilling to bolster economy and enable more tourism, which will ultimately generate more revenue to our coastal state.
IRAQ AND MILITARY: LG: Supporter of Surge and its success, supports Bush’s Time Horizon for withdrawal. BC: End occupation, bring troops home. Believes overseas deployments of occupation are breaking military. Said deployments in recent years have left 80 percent of our National Guard units without the necessary equipment for training and believes the missions they should be prepared to serve are here at home; rebuild National Guard.
IMMIGRATION, BUSINESS AND LABOR: LG: Supports comprehensive immigration reform. Terminate legal challenges within English-Only job rules. Against restricting employer interference in union organizing. Reauthorize E-Verify, which is set to expire in November. BC: Secure borders, provide residents of South Carolina with the first choice of jobs in the state. No trade agreements that encourage outsourcing jobs overseas.
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE SENATE – DISTRICT 46:
Beaufort County
Tom Davis (R) (I): Former chief of staff for Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC). He is a 23-year resident of Beaufort County. Contributed to the development of the SC Charter School Reform Bill. Served on Beaufort County Planning Board, Lowcountry Council of Governments, Historic Beaufort Foundation, and Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority. Kent Fletcher (D): Among his accomplishments, he formerly worked on the Obama campaign during primaries, and is a former Department of Defense Spanish interpreter for the Marines. Served in Iraq as a commander, and served in Mexico teaching English; currently works in enrollment at the Technical College of the Lowcountry.
EDUCATION: Tom Davis (TD): As part of his plan, he advocates to improve state funding structure so that schools will benefit. Kent Fletcher (KF): Among his initiatives, he would fight to remove “minimally adequate education” clause in South Carolina constitution and insert “high quality education.”
ECONOMICS: TD: Advance policies that attract private capital. Alter tax incentive structure to cut net tax increases; reform government spending; cut unnecessary costs such as funding the Pigs on the Ridge festival. KF: Protect local businesses and attract new businesses to area. Enhance tourism.
ENVIRONMENT/TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE:
TD: Preserve space, protect rivers, and provide government with tools to accommodate growth. Against cutting funds for law enforcement, education and roads. For offshore drilling for gas with stipulations. KF: Fight for reasonable fares and develop alternative means of transportation, including on the water. Improve roadways, sewers and bridges.
US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF SC:
Central and Southern coasts, Hilton Head Island and the capital, Columbia.
Joe Wilson (R)(I): Elected Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, serves on House Armed Service Committee, Committee on Education and Labor, Committee on Foreign Affairs. Elected in 2001 to the House of Representatives, served in South Carolina State Senate for 17 years. Robert Miller (D): Former US Marine Corps officer, Iraq-war veteran, served in Mosul, Haditha, Fallujah. Previously Company Commander at Parris Island.
HEALTHCARE: Joe Wilson (JW): Supports health savings accounts, open up health insurance market to greater competition through borderless insurance policies. Ta x credits for families and individuals. Robert Miller (RM): Health insurance for all children under 18, offer employers incentives to cover their employees.
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT: JW: Supports ANWR drilling to create jobs in US and end reliance on foreign oil. Use renewable and clean energy technology to build a strong foundation for future energy needs. RM: “Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet for an immediate solution to the crushing grip of the energy crisis that is rapidly slashing the buying power of our paychecks and forcing unexpected changes in the quality of life of many American families.”
IRAQ AND MILITARY: JW: Improve national security; ensure troops have ample equipment, continue to fight war on terror overseas; military general, not congress, should lead in combat. RM: Bring troops in Iraq home in a “sensible exit plan.” Iraqis should take more responsibility for improvements.
IMMIGRATION: JW: Secure borders now, crack down on employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants, streamline policies on temporary guest workers. “We must fully fund and implement the construction of a fence long our southern border, as well as give our border patrol agents the tools and technology they need to do their jobs effectively.” RM: Position N/A.
EDUCATION: JW: State to provide quality education programs and funding to residents; supports federal review of state-run education programs. RM: Advocate for state funding, eradicate No Child Left Behind.
VOTER REGISTRATION, ABSENTEE BALLOTS, AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Obtain forms at Hilton Head Island Town Hall, Hilton Head Library, Bluffton Town Hall, Beaufort County Voter Registration Office in Beaufort, and on the Internet at bcgov.net, and scvotes.org. For additional questions, call the Hilton Head Island Voter Registration Office at (843) 341-4625 or (843) 341-4604. You can also register to vote, obtain an absentee ballot, find polls and lobby lawmakers online at statedemocracy.org.
LOCAL CLUBS
A variety of groups in the community are rallying for the 2008 elections: Beaufort County South Carolina Republican Party - several Lowcountry locations, meets regularly, beaufortrepublicans.com; Democrat Club of Beaufort County - several locations, beaufortcountydemocrats.org, meets regularly; The non-partisan League of Women Voters on Hilton Head Island will meet Oct. 18 to discuss state-related issues such as constitutional amendments and finances, as well as local land acquisition initiatives. For more information, call Joan Kinne-Shulman at (843) 842-9246.
