Some House members running against challengers and governor

SEANNA ADCOX

Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Two dozen House incumbents faced challengers in Tuesday primaries, but some of the incumbents, including some Republicans, faced an even bigger challenge - convincing party voters to choose them over the governor.

Though a Republican in a state where the GOP control both chambers of the Legislature, Gov. Mark Sanford's relationship with legislators has always been rocky.

In their latest tiff, Sanford traveled the state last week to criticize lawmakers' state budget, rather than debate his own primary opponent. At stops, he mentioned legislators he considered helpful and unhelpful.

All 124 House seats are up for re-election this year, but only 14 Republicans and 10 Democrats face primary opposition. Eight of the 12 races to replace retiring legislators have primary contests.

Some of the challengers in those races are campaigning on doing what Sanford wants.

Lawmakers accuse the governor of playing politics and fueling the contention to win votes. Sanford responded his style is to "lay out where I'm coming from on a very consistent basis and let the chips fall where they may."

"If that's how it plays out, if it comes down to the House versus the governor, the House loses," said Joshua Gross, executive director of South Carolina Club for Growth Political Action Committee, which is backing candidates who support Sanford's agenda.

That agenda includes giving parents money or tax credits for private education, an idea that has died in the House for two consecutive years and divided the GOP caucus.

Those targeted because of their opposition include six-term incumbent Rep. Bill Cotty, R-Columbia, a former school board member who called the election "a straight-up vote on, have you given up on public schools?" His primary opponent, Sheri Few, is backed by Club for Growth.