COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Surfside Beach Rep. Tom Keegan says he will not seek a ninth term next fall because he wants to spend more time with his 4-year-old daughter.
Keegan, 64, is on the budget-writing House Ways and Means Committee and retirement after 16 years is a major loss for Horry County, said Rep. Tracy Edge, R-North Myrtle Beach.
The Republican said he was influenced by the recent death of Horry County Councilman Terry Cooper of Surfside Beach, who left two young children behind.
He made his announcement to allow others to decide to run, he said. Filing for office opens in March.
Keegan has four grown children ages 42, 41, 40 and 38 from his first marriage. He remarried several years ago.
Keegan said when his adult children were young he was able to spend much more time with them because he was working as a young police officer on third shift. He would come home and spend hours playing with the kids.
Keegan moved to South Carolina after retiring as police chief in Greenwich, Conn., where he spent 26 years in the department.
Information from: The Sun News
