Mark Lutz, a partner in a health-care related software company, says he is deeply concerned about the nation's direction, concerned enough to run for office for the first time.
Lutz, 45, announced he will enter the GOP field for the 1st District Congressional seat, becoming the eighth candidate in the field so far.
Lutz's entrance into the race comes the same day as Teabagger Independence Party candidate Jimmy Wood of Summerville also announced his bid.
Looks like Bauer is trying to buy some much-needed positive PR for his campaign. From the Charleston Post & Courier:
South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer said Wednesday he expects to air his first television ads this week in his campaign to become the state's next governor.
Bauer, a Republican, said the ads will begin airing Friday, but he doesn't yet know how much campaign and personal cash would go into them or how long they will run.
Bauer said the ads are "message-oriented," but not a direct appeal to vote for him in the June 8 primary. And they're not an effort to change the message that put him in the national spotlight last month when he drew a comparison between feeding stray animals and caring for people dependent on state aid.
According to The State, Columbia Mayor Bob Coble will have a new job at his law firm after he leaves office in June. Coble will co-chair Nexsen Pruet’s new government relations practice.
S.C. representatives will have to hustle if they hope to push through their pet projects this session.
Members of the House agreed Thursday to forgo next week's session, the first of three furloughs scheduled this year to help save taxpayers save $150,000. The House also will take off the weeks before and after Easter, March 30 through April 8.
The S.C. Senate has not scheduled any furloughs so far.
Republican Stan Spears, who's served as South Carolina's Adjutant General for 18 years, announced Tuesday that he will not run for re-election.
Spears' exit from the race now sets up a showdown between Major Gen. Robert Livingston Jr and Dean "Machine Gun" Allen for the GOP nomination this June.
No Democrats have jumped into the Adjutant General's race yet.
"I am Quinn's father. I will do everything in my power to provide her with the love and support she deserves. I have been able to spend time with her during the past year and trust that future efforts to show her the love and affection she deserves can be done privately and in peace."
"It was wrong for me ever to deny she was my daughter and hopefully one day, when she understands, she will forgive me. I have been providing financial support for Quinn and have reached an agreement with her mother to continue providing support in the future."
"To all those I have disappointed and hurt, these words will never be enough, but I am truly sorry."
From the unveiling of the MLK historical marker to the march at the State House, The State has several galleries of poignant pictures from King Day at the Dome in Columbia.
The South Carolina Republican Party on Monday announced that Mika Brzezinski, co-host of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," will join Scarborough to moderate the debate on Jan. 28.
US Senate: Dems Dodd and Dorgan to retire
(Jennifer Read)
Talking Points Memo on the impact the Dodd and Dorgan retirements will likely have for Dems in '10:
Even though his odds seemed very long. This one is still kind of a stunner. And I must confess that while I know the stuff about Countrywide and the larger political climate, I never completely understood just how Dodd -- a seemingly untouchable figure in the Connecticut political firmament for decades -- sort of out of the blue became unelectable. But there it is.
Here's the thing though. In seat counting terms, this is the mirror image of the Dorgan retirement. Dorgan's seat was probably safe until he retired. Now it's a probable Republican pick up. On the other hand, Dodd's being on the ticket took a really blue state and made it a very possible Republican pick up. It's still a bad climate for Dems. But Richard Blumenthal, who I assume will step in and get the Dem nomination, will be in a much stronger position to hold the seat. So this is the one retirement Democratic seat counters were probably hoping for.
McGowan calls on DeMint to stop blocking a vote on TSA Director
(Jennifer Read)
Columbia, SC - Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Chad McGowan today called on Senator Jim DeMint to stop blocking the confirmation of a proven counter-terrorism expert for Director of the Transportation Security Administration.
"Jim DeMint is putting his partisan agenda ahead of our safety," McGowan said. "This is not the time to have nobody in charge of America's air security. Terrorists don't care if we're republicans or democrats-they only care that we're Americans. Senator Demint needs to understand that."
Erroll Southers was nominated for the TSA directorship in September, four months ago. In spite of massive bi-partisan support, Southers' nomination has been held up since then due to a procedural hold by Senator DeMint.
"DeMint needs to stop playing Washington politics and let this nomination come to a vote, now, today. We should never place a political agenda over our families' safety. That's just irresponsible-and dangerous. " McGowan said.
Southers is a former FBI special agent and is currently assistant chief for homeland security and intelligence at the Los Angeles Airport. He also is the associate director of the University of Southern California's Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events, and he served as a deputy director of homeland security for California's Republican Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Beautiful op-ed in The State honoring longtime State Treasurer Grady Patterson, who passed away Monday at the age of 85:
Grady Patterson was the hero we tell our children and grandchildren about. He is the role model people ask for and don't realize they've had all along until he's gone. He always was true to his principles and he never let us down. He was a good man - a great man - who rose to the top of the military and state government without ever compromising his character....
