After four two-year terms in the House, State Rep. Tracy Edge, R-North Myrtle Beach, is looking to move up to head a key budget subcommittee, but his challenger says Edge isn't serving the people of the district.

Political newcomer Charles Randall, 53, the Democratic nominee, said Edge's experience doesn't mean anything because he has not used it to help people.

Edge, 37, has risen rapidly in the House party and committee structure. Named to the budget-writing Ways and Means Committee two years ago, he expects to be appointed to lead the panel's health subcommittee if he is re-elected.

Health spending is "at least a third if not more of the state budget," Edge said. "You can control a lot of the economic activity of the state."

Edge said he has been able to get money for special projects in the district, especially road improvements such as widening U.S. 17 to six lanes.

"Transportation has been a focus," Edge said. "There was no one advocating the Main Street Connector when I got elected, and I pushed and pushed and pushed."

Now the road, which connects U.S. 17 to the Carolina Bays Parkway at Main Street in North Myrtle Beach, is close to being built.

Randall, a retired Air Force radar operator and pastor of St. Delight Pentecostal Church in Little River, said Edge's work on Ways and Means "does not benefit us."

Edge may have gotten money for his district, but he did not help get water and sewer utilities for a section of Little River Road that does not have them, Randall said.

"I feel there are issues that the people have, and Mr. Edge is so far from the people they don't even know how to approach him," Randall said.

Edge works for developer Burroughs and Chapin Co. Inc., and "he's pretty much for the big businesses," Randall said.

Randall said he is serving people in his ministries and outreach program for those in need, and "I feel I can help the people more."

He came home after retiring from the Air Force and began a ministry for the needy that includes Christmas presents for children and food, clothes and medicine for others.

He works with the Department of Social Services, other helping agencies such as SOS Health Care and area churches to serve the people who can't meet their own needs.