Meanwhile, perennial candidate Gary McLeod of Manning had little trouble staving off political newcomer Michael Reino of Florence for the GOP nomination in U.S. House District 6.

By better than a 4-to-1 margin, Brown, a retired Piggly Wiggly vice president and former South Carolina House Ways and Means chairman, swept the GOP primary and a virtual lock on a third term.

With no Democratic opposition, Brown, 68, is practically assured victory in November for the mainly coastal district stretching across parts of five counties from Horry to Dorchester.

Batchelder, 53, a department manager for a Winn-Dixie supermarket, picked up just over one-fifth of the vote two years ago in his bid to unseat Brown. He was hoping for more this time but fell short.

"It's hard going up against an incumbent," Batchelder said. "I just didn't have enough money to get my message out."

While campaigning, Batchelder portrayed Brown as a liberal Republican who blindly toes the party line and supports the president's agenda. Batchelder criticized Brown's support for the war in Iraq, his vote on trade policies and his support of President Bush's immigration policy.

Brown campaigned on his work for enhanced health care for veterans and senior citizens, support for the proposed Interstate 73 through the Pee Dee to Myrtle Beach, making permanent the tax cuts put in place by the president and continued support for the war on terror and the war in Iraq.

"This vote of confidence is very humbling to me," Brown said. "I believe this reflects that we are doing a lot of things to reach out to the voters and seek their advice."

Brown also said he will run again in two years.

In District 6, McLeod, who has been running for office for more than a decade, cruised past Reino by nearly a 4-to-1 margin as well.

McLeod, 61, attributed his nomination to name recognition he has gathered during his numerous runs for office since he spent very little on the campaign. "My positions don't change much on the issues," the Internet service provider said. "I'm for limited government."

A disappointed Reino felt that Democrats might have crossed over to put the weaker candidate against U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-Columbia, in November.

"I think they think Jim will have a better chance against Gary than I would," said Reino, 35, an automotive service advisor for Florence Toyota.

District 6 is majority black and has been represented by Clyburn since 1992. Blacks tend to vote for Democrats, so McLeod will face an uphill battle in November against Clyburn, who is black.

Click here to return to story:
http://www.charleston.net/stories/060904/loc_09congressfinal.shtml