Let the (election) season begin

By Anna Mitchell  

MARCH 31, 2010 10:24 a.m. (0)

The year 2010 is huge for politics in South Carolina, with every statewide seat, every state and U.S. House seat and 21 Greenville County positions (not including nonpartisan school board and water commission seats) up for grabs.

But while the competition is proving fierce for the open governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, education superintendent and two U.S. House seats, unchallenged incumbents make up the majority of candidates locally.

Filing for the June 8 primary in South Carolina wrapped up at noon Tuesday, with candidates filing their intent to run with local parties. Out of 21 partisan positions in Greenville, 19 incumbents are running for reelection and only four of them face competition either in the primary or from someone in an opposing party in November. Those wishing to run in nonpartisan races will file between July 15 and August 16th.

The man facing the fiercest partisan competition is Rep. Harry Cato of Greenville, one of the longest serving and highest ranking House members from the area. Two staunch conservatives will face Cato in the Republican primary – Nathan Earle and Tom Corbin – and the winner will then face Democrat Stephen Salter in November.

The county’s only two female House members – Chandra Dillard and Wendy Nanney – also face competition in the General Election, the former from Republican Thomas Kolarik and the latter from Democrat Joe Waters.

Finally, County Councilman Fred Payne also faces a challenge from fellow Republican Harry Kibler, whose campaign is pressing for a return to true conservatism.

Meanwhile, three lower political seats have opened up as candidates jostle to fill the open governor’s seat – soon to be left vacant by term limited Mark Sanford – and other seats are left open in its wake.

Rep. Rex Rice in pursuit of the U.S. District 3 House seat (emptied when Gresham Barrett decided to run for governor) has left his old S.C. House District 26 seat up for grabs. County Councilwoman Jill Gilstrap is running to replace Rex in the state House, but she faces competition for his seat from GOP political newcomer Joe Mills.

At the bottom of the political pecking order, Dan Rawls (R) and Buck Johnson (D) are fighting to take over Gilstrap’s soon-to-be-vacated County Council 26 seat.

Gilstrap said she is leaving County Council because she wasn’t sure the state House seat would open up again in her lifetime. She said South Carolina’s complex problems – including record unemployment and the public disgrace of its governor -- require someone with a lot political experience in Columbia.

The lifelong Democrat said she votes her conscience and isn’t afraid to cross the aisle to negotiate and fight for her constituents.

“We don’t need to see a novice in Columbia,” she said.

One of Greenville County’s longest serving politicians, Joe Dill, said he wants a seventh term on County Council to follow through with historic preservation and park projects he’s helped get started in his district, which stretches across the northern third of the county. These include the preservation of the Campbell Covered Bridge and development of the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

Dill, a mechanic who served on the school board for 12 years before joining the council 12 years ago, faces no challenges in June or November.

With his next term, he said he hopes to find a permanent home for the Slater library, revive a small business committee and carry out development of the historic Highway 11 corridor.

“We need a good quality of life, and we are moving in that direction,” he said.

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