Eager S.C. Beavers File For Office

By FITSNews || Filing season officially began on Tuesday for statewide, State House and federal offices in South Carolina, a two-week period during which every elected official in the Palmetto State will be looking over his or her shoulder to see if anybody is running against them.

Obviously that’s a good thing … it’s only right that these glad-handing, habitual raiders of the public treasury (and violators of the public trust) feel an ounce of fear every once in awhile.

And more power to anybody with the guys to step up and say “enough’s enough.”

Of course “filing season” is also the most annoying time of the year for those of us who cover South Carolina politics, because every candidate running for office feels compelled to send us a press release telling us that they’ve filed their papers.

Some even try to make a race of it against the other candidates, as if being the first person to file in a particular race makes you more of an “eager beaver” than your opponent.  Take S.C. Attorney General candidate Alan Wilson, son of U.S. Rep. Addison Graves “Joe” Wilson (who is perhaps the eagerest beaver of them all), who beat his two opponents to SCGOP headquarters Tuesday.

“Alan Wilson became the first Republican candidate to file for Attorney General today,” a release from Wilson’s campaign informed us. “Wilson, a former Assistant Solicitor and Assistant Attorney General, has set the tone and message throughout the Attorney General race.  Wilson’s wife Jennifer and supporters joined him at South Carolina Republican Party Headquarters when he signed the paperwork to make his candidacy official.”

Or Bill Connor, a candidate for S.C. Lt. Governor, who reportedly had a campaign aide stakeout party headquarters to ensure that he was the first person to file his paperwork …

“Surrounded by supporters from across South Carolina, Bill Connor today filed the paperwork with the South Carolina Republican Party necessary to be on the June 8 ballot,” Connor’s release noted. “In doing so, Bill Connor becomes the first post-9/11 combat veteran to file for statewide office in South Carolina, in addition to being the first Lt. Governor candidate to qualify for the ballot.”

No offense to Wilson or Connor (we got tons of releases just like this one today), but come on guys … blah blah blah blah.

The worst filing day release we’ve received so far? That belongs to Mick Zais, who had his campaign manager do his pablum-spitting for him.

“Since announcing his candidacy for State Superintendent, Mick Zais has driven over 10,000 miles in South Carolina speaking to and meeting with Republican primary voters. He is leading the Republican field in fundraising and has repeatedly demonstrated a strong understanding of education policy. Mick is uniquely qualified to be the next State Superintendent because of his experience in education, principled leadership, unquestioned character and record of results.”

Sheesh.

Your qualification for State Superintendent of Education is that you have a “strong understanding of education policy?”

We should friggin’ hope so.

Filing season ends (mercifully) on March 30.

Count on FITS to publish a complete list of all Palmetto political candidates at that time.