Posted on Wed, Jun. 14, 2006

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Incumbent Hammond keeps McKown at bay

By JAMES D. McWILLIAMS

jmcwilliams@thestate.com

Incumbent Mark Hammond fought off an aggressive challenger Tuesday to win the GOP primary for secretary of state, according to unofficial returns.

“I’m going to continue to run on my record and the progress we’ve made,” Hammond said.

The day before the primary, Hammond expressed concern his campaign had been overwhelmed by marketing for Republican challenger Bill McKown. But after Hammond won, he said, “You can be successful just going out and meeting the people.”

McKown expressed gratitude to his supporters.

S.C. law puts the secretary of state in charge of registering businesses and trademarks; managing records that help residents do background checks on companies and charities; and fighting fraudulent telemarketers.

McKown, a businessman and Surfside Beach town councilman, campaigned to reduce the office’s duties. Hammond, a former Spartanburg County clerk of court, wants to expand public services his office provides.

Hammond will face Democrat Cheryl Footman, who ran unopposed in her party’s primary and who hopes to become South Carolina’s first black female secretary of state.

The Orangeburg teacher has focused her campaign on promoting small-business development and attracting large businesses to South Carolina. Footman said she will make the secretary of state’s office more accessible to entrepreneurs than Hammond has.

“It’s very important to me to have the mom and pop stores,” Footman said. “My parents had one when we were coming up as children, and we have to look out for them.”