South Carolina's most powerful coalition of lawmakers hopes to use its collective force to persuade colleagues that what is good for the coast is good for the state.

With the leaders of the House and Senate concentrated in the Lowcountry, there is a real possibility of a geographic rift disrupting the Legislature during the next session.

And collectively the 31 House members and 18 senators that make up the newly formed Coastal Caucus could worsen the issue. A legislative caucus typically forms as a way lawmakers can pool their votes to gain more influence.

But at the group's first meeting Tuesday in Charleston, lawmakers from the coastal region made clear their alliance was different.

"This is not about us versus the rest of the state," said Sen. Scott Richardson, a Hilton Head Republican who serves as the group's chairman. "This is so we can talk about issues important to us."

Richardson said he wants to defeat the notion that when the coastal areas gain, the Upstate and Midlands regions lose.

He created the caucus after he saw every school district except Beaufort and Charleston counties get more money for education during last session's budget process.

As a testament to the region's political influence, a $14 million budget provision was added to correct the issue. But it was difficult, and Richardson felt it necessary to convene the region's lawmakers to look at the funding formulas.

But at the meeting, education funding was nearly put on the backburner as the 13 lawmakers present talked about more pressing concerns, such as pushing through property tax relief, preserving the eroding shoreline and improving coastal evacuation routes in case of a natural disaster.

The lawmakers said they needed to do a better job explaining how projects such as these are important to the entire state and deserve priority in the next legislative session.

"We have a responsibility to communicate that it is not just a coastal issue," said Senate leader Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston.

Geographic issues were a concern during last session's speaker's race and some lawmakers say they could linger into this legislative session.

Upstate lawmakers said they don't have a problem with the caucus but added that they likely wouldn't create other regional groups.

Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-Laurens, said the caucus was "wise on their part."

"I'm not going to deny there aren't some geographic tensions from time to time," he said. "But honestly it's not that difficult to work through."