In the vacant state House District 106 race, the issue is who can best represent the people: a civil engineer who has worked in the area most of his adult life or a recent retiree who held several government jobs in Georgia.

Nelson Hardwick, the Republican nominee, said the main issues for the district are infrastructure: not just roads, but storm drainage.

Dick Withington, the Democratic nominee, moved to Horry County a few months ago from Georgetown County. He said Hardwick will represent developer and real estate interests.

"It's the people versus the developer," Withington said.

Hardwick said he does not know why Withington keeps referring to him as a developer. He said he and a partner built an apartment building in Surfside Beach in the 1980s, and he has about a 25 percent share in the company that built the Blue Cross-Blue Shield office building.

Other than that, he is not a developer, though he works with them as an engineer, Hardwick said.

Working as an engineer as the area has developed has given him the knowledge to serve, he said.

"Most people still feel like we're way behind here on our roads and infrastructure," especially stormwater drainage," Hardwick said.

Withington came into the race late after Patricia Ferguson-Majors dropped out. He has experience with two other political races. Two years ago, he ran for Georgetown County Council as a Republican, and four years ago he ran as a Libertarian for Georgia's Public Service Commission.

"I don't think the party label matters much on the local level," Withington said. "My emphasis is going to be improving the quality of life for the people who live here."

He also says Hardwick accepted much of his campaign money from development and real estate interests.

Hardwick said he received donations from many real estate and development people because they trust him.

"I'm going to vote what I think is for the benefit of District 106 and the state," Hardwick said.