Mike Campbell released Tuesday a platform for his Republican lieutenant governor campaign built around a beefed-up executive-style office whose incumbent would run with the governor.

Campbell said the part-time office, whose main duty is presiding over the state Senate, "is a wasted position in its current form."

His "Working for Tomorrow" plan envisions the office having greater accountability and held by "someone who can really effect change."

The son of Carroll Campbell, the state's only two-term Republican governor, is challenging Republican Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer's second-term renomination. One Democrat has announced, former Charleston legislator Robert Barber.

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Bauer and Barber couldn't be reached for comment.

Campbell outlined a six-part program covering government restructuring, economic development, assisting existing in-state businesses, bolstering public education in the state's poorest counties by recruiting industries for targeted locations, improved work-force training and conservation initiatives.

He expressed support for Republican Gov. Mark Sanford's plan for the governor and lieutenant governor to run as a team, like the president and vice president. Currently they run independent of each other, a situation that has resulted in governors and lieutenant governors of different parties.

The restructuring plan hasn't made any headway in the Legislature and even if enacted next year wouldn't apply to those on the 2006 ballot.

Acknowledging that, Campbell said his main focus would be for the office to "become more of an extension of the Governor's Office as an active member of the administration and in this case, we would like to play a part in the economic development side."

Economic development was a hallmark of his father's administration and is emerging as a major issue in Sanford's re-election campaign.

"Clearly, South Carolina's economy faces many challenges," Campbell said

"Our unemployment rate has been third highest in the nation during the past few months, our state credit rating was downgraded, and our education scores remain near the bottom. However, beneath the surface lies nothing but opportunity to put South Carolina back on top," he said.