A dozen in Senate face primary opposition
Staff reports | As of 9 a.m. today, more than 750 people had filed for state and local offices up for grabs in November (most are local offices).
State House legislators may find a little more courage next week after filing for offices ends noon Wednesday. Few House incumbents face primary challengers.
In the Senate, hover, the story is a little different. Several moderate Republicans (Larry Martin, Wes Hayes, Hugh Leatherman, Paul Campbell) face serious primary opposition, which likely will make them less risk averse, rather than more. Interesting, some notable Republican conservatives also face Senate primary challenges (Lee Bright, Kevin Bryant, Tom Corbin, Mike Fair, Harvey Peeler). Four Republicans are vying for an open Charleston seat held by GOP Sen. Paul Thurmond; three are seeking an open seat held by Georgetown GOP Sen. Ray Cleary.
On the Democratic side, three senators — Creighton Coleman, Marlon Kimpson and Kent Williams — face primary challengers, while Spartanburg Democrat Glenn Reese and incumbent House member Mia McLeod, who is running for an open seat, face Republican opposition in the fall.
- To track candidates, go to this page and click “view” in the Statewide Primaries and General Elections tab. Then you can narrow what you’re looking for by county, party, office or name by filling in any of the appropriate blanks. If you want to see all candidates who have filed, fill in none of the blanks and hit “search.”
Leveling the playing field through Ministries’ grants
A fund set up to honor the nine people who died in June at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, including pastor and Democratic Sen. Clementa Pinckney, is ready to take applications for ways to do some good.
“In Biblical times, justice was about a level playing field, the crooked being made straight and rough places plain,” said Steve Skardon, executive director of The Palmetto Project, which is administering the fund. “Those who died at Emanuel understood this, and I imagine they’d be thrilled today that our community raised this money to pursue that vision of a more just world.”
The non-profit Palmetto Project announced this week that community organizations serving Allendale, Hampton, Colleton, Jasper, and rural parts of lower Charleston and Beaufort counties may apply for grants from its $1.5 million Lowcountry Ministries Fund through April 15, 2016.
Directions on how to apply can be found at www.palmettoproject.org and must be received by 3 p.m. on Friday, April 15, 2016.
Skardon said the fund was created in coordination with the city of Charleston to manage the overwhelming response to the tragic shootings at Emanuel AME Church last summer.
“In a small way, the fund’s 2,600 donors are hoping to see something new and helpful emerge from that dark time,” he said. He estimated the announcement of the grants would be made in August. Skardon added an advisory committee of community leaders has been formed to evaluate the applications, and that Jennifer Pinckney, wife of the late state senator, is consulting with the Palmetto Project on that process.
- Questions about applications to 843-724-7100 or LMFund@palmettoproject.org.
We Can Do Better, South Carolina!