BLACK INCUMBENT, BLACK CHALLENGER … FOR A “REPUBLICAN” SEAT?
S.C. Rep. Samuel Rivers – the “Republican” lawmaker who gained infamy for plagiarizing a newspaper column and touting a theological degree he didn’t earn – has drawn a primary opponent in the race for S.C. House District 15.
Steven Smith, a Charleston, S.C. area native who works in corporate finance for Verizon Wireless, announced his candidacy this week for the Lowcountry district that includes parts of Charleston and Berkeley counties (map here).
Here’s a picture of him filing his paperwork to run …
(Click to enlarge)
(Pic Provided)
“My decision to run is based upon a deeply rooted conviction that men and women are free,” Smith said in announcing his candidacy. “Free to choose their own paths, to live their own lives, to earn their own income, to own their own land and raise their families. All with as little government intrusion as possible. Sadly, this is not the case. Here in South Carolina the legislature is the most powerful branch of our state government and exceedingly corrupt. As Columbia lawmakers become more powerful our civil liberties become smaller. If we don’t act to reverse the tide now we may never have another chance.”
Hard to argue that …
Smith said one key difference between him and Rivers was their view on a proposed gasoline tax increase.
“I absolutely oppose any increase in the gasoline tax,” Smith said. “My position is to perform a full and comprehensive audit of the S.C. Department of Transportation. I am confident that we can eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in SCDOT spending to create the funds necessary for road and bridge repairs without an increase in gasoline taxes. Our lawmakers must learn to curb their appetite for taxpayer dollars and prioritize spending.”
Rivers? He was one of many members of the S.C. House of Representatives who voted for a $427 million-a-year gas tax increase in 2015.
The race between Rivers and Smith is likely to draw considerable attention seeing as both the incumbent and the challenger are black “Republicans.” Such a showdown is to be expected in numerous Democratic primary races across the Palmetto State, but GOP primaries have been almost exclusively lily white affairs in years past.
Frankly, we don’t care whether Rivers and Smith are purple … all we care is where they stand on the issues that matter to our wallets and pocketbooks.
At first glance, Smith appears to have the clear advantage on those issues … not to mention the right underlying philosophy.
“I will work to restrain government growth, spending and power leaving citizens free to chart their own course and lead their own lives,” he said. “I will actually carry your voice and concerns to Columbia as my personal mandate for change and reform. I promise to give an account for every vote that I cast to my constituents at the end of every legislative session, and to work with them in setting my legislative agenda. We will perform a cost-benefit analysis for all new legislation and regulations. It’s time for you to be heard and taken seriously.”
Indeed it is …
16 comments
Speaking of “waste, fraud and abuse” at SCDOT: at this very moment the SCDOT Commission is meeting in Columbia, where Chairman Mike Wooten will be revealing an “intermediate” study on building and maintaining I-73 as a toll road.
The “draft” version of this study contained the same errors as the 2011 study done for Yancey McGill’s North Eastern Strategic Alliance. The revised toll study has not yet been released to the public, but from the numbers projecting $2.3 billion in tolls over 40 years, it will be a financial disaster.
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/local/article67875812.html
A fuller analysis after Wooten takes off the wraps.
Just another failure of South Carolina education to teach future leaders simple arithmetic.
Yeah. And even The Sentinel … oops, I mean The Citadel couldn’t larn him no better.
Nah … he does know his math. He just counts on the lawmakers and citizens he dupes every day of his life not to be that knowledgeable.
Why did that last line conjure up an image of Victor Frankenstein taking the bandages off of the monster, after stitching all those dead meat pieces together and throwing the juice to ’em?
Just look at the toll road upstate. Doesn’t get much use and they are pushing for the state to take over that folly. I travel that way a lot and have only used it once. Wasn’t any faster than cutting through Maudlin.
What a choice. Shades of Trump vs. Cruz.
Senators Bright, Verdin and Peeler had the guts to honor
patriots and Southern heritage by voting to KEEP the flag
And there are 20 House members with steadfast loyalty whom
Tea WILL support and about whom we can brag
Those patriot House members are Bedingfield, Burns, Chumley,
Corley, Delleney, Hardee, Hill, Johnson and Kennedy
Then Loftis—Moss (both D.C. and V.S.), Nanney, Putnam,
Simrill, Spires, Stringer, Taylor, Thaylor—and let’s see
White makes twenty and that is plenty of reason to get out
and vote this year and beyond that let us just say
Legislators’ names YOU DON’T SEE HERE…let us make it crystal
clear…need to be UNELECTED on election day !!!
Whoa. Who are these so called “patriots” and why are they “patriots” regarding the inane issue of the red rag. Quite simply and honestly they are “traitors”!
fred farkel would sparkle when ingrate Obama danced his last tango in a Communist state
Because just like Obama–his dad and his mama–ole fred was a freeloading ingrate !!!
Sorry to disappoint you, but The President’s last tango was in Argentina not in Cuba. Can’t you assholes get anything straight on this site? All your reference and back-up info is from rightwing or ultra conservative trash. Come on Lone Ranger give Tonto that blow job that he desperately deserves putting up with your bullshit.
Me like’um BJ from inbred redneck like Lone Ranger. No teeth get in way.
tonto–NO relation to Tonto–was obsessed with blaspheming LGBTs and blaspheming gay sex
Like Moslem’s murdering gihadists he thought he’d get 72 virgins but Satan answered–you’re NEXT !!!
Ummmm…Kemosabe…tell Tonto again…wasn’t it Argentina that gave us gay phony pope FrancEs and socialism as well
Why yes, Tonto–it IS don’tcha know–and if ff doesn’t clean up his language he’ll no doubt be joining FrancEs in Hell !!!
You are one fucked dude. Of course anyone who uses that red rag as his logo is really fucked up. May someone wipe your ass with the red rag and then stick it in your mouth.
I like this guy’s thoughts! I hope he gets a chance to put his ideas into action.
He looks like he could be a twin brother to an old friend I lost track of. Are you sure his last name isn’t Crawford?