A Midlands physician challenging Gov. Mark Sanford in the 2006 Republican primary for governor officially kicked off his campaign Thursday, drawing sharp policy differences between himself and the current administration.

Oscar Lovelace, a 46-year-old doctor from Prosperity, criticized Sanford's record, specifically on education, economic development, health care and tax relief, during a six-stop statewide tour that included Charleston.

Speaking before about 50 students at his alma mater, the Medical University of South Carolina, Lovelace said the state needs to focus more closely on health-care issues."Health care is the largest budget (item) in the state," he said. "We need a governor who understands health care."

Lovelace acknowledged he is facing an uphill battle as a political unknown with untested fund-raising ability, but he is confident in his chances.

"I truly believe more people know Oscar Lovelace in South Carolina than know Mark Sanford," he said. "I'm a people person, he's not, and he's not even from South Carolina." Sanford was born in Florida, and moved to Beaufort as a child.

Lovelace said he supported Sanford's 2002 campaign and worked with the governor after he was elected as a co-chairman of his health-care task force.

"I have come to realize that I have some honest differences of opinion on a number of important issues," Lovelace said.

The GOP challenger highlights four areas in particular.

-- Education: Lovelace said he supports public education, in contrast to the governor who has advocated giving tax breaks to parents who send their children to private schools. "As a person who is a believer in public education, I'll make sure public education doesn't get the short stick," he said.

-- Health care: Sanford's proposal to overhaul the Medicaid system is "off the mark," Lovelace said. In his practice, Lovelace said he instituted a program to cut down on costs without hurting recipients. He also supports increasing the cigarette tax to the national average; South Carolina is the lowest in the nation. "There is no better public policy for health care," he said.

-- Economic development: Lovelace blamed Sanford for losing the state's top credit rating in part because of the governor's fights with lawmakers. In July, Standard & Poor's downgraded the state from its AAA score to AA-plus.

-- Tax relief: Sanford has advocated decreasing the state's income tax, a proposal Lovelace said would "benefit only a few." Lovelace is a strong supporter of property tax reform, a hot-button issue in the Legislature. If something isn't done, he said, some people will have "the dream of home ownership taken away from them."

Sanford has taken considerable heat during his tenure, but political observers say it isn't enough to oust him from office. Lovelace is the only GOP challenger so far, but others were recruited, including Bob Royall, a former state commerce chief and U.S. ambassador. Last week, the 70-year-old Royall declined a bid, citing his age.

State politics expert Scott Huffmon of Winthrop University said Royall "was the real challenge to Sanford because he is better known and had a base of support."

Lovelace, he said, "doesn't pose a threat."

College of Charleston professor Jack Bass agrees, especially in light of Sanford's campaign war chest. The latest campaign filings showed Sanford with more than $3 million on hand, while Lovelace had $21,600 after the first two months of his campaign.

"Someone inexperienced running against a popular incumbent governor, the chances fall in category of slim to none," Bass said. "But he could possibly make it interesting."

The winner of the GOP primary will face off with the winner of the Democratic contest, either Clearwater Sen. Tommy Moore or Florence Mayor Frank Willis.