Like his fellow representative Marty Coates, the Rev. Mack T. Hines unexpectedly found himself in a one-man race after his Republican opponent suddenly dropped out for health-related reasons.

Despite Republican LeRoy Fred’s decision to leave the race, Hines said he will continue to work just as hard to meet the needs of District 59 residents in Marion and Florence counties.

Hines is a major proponent of education and said he will continue to support public schools in every way he can. In addition, he said he is very concerned about health care funding.

“The United States is such a prosperous country that it is an intolerable shame to allow the uninsured, the poor and senior citizens to suffer without the health care they need,” Hines said.

“We have to remain steadfast in our commitment to providing health care even in the face of budget shortfalls,” he said. “In particular, I believe in emphasizing Medicaid programs, since every dollar spent by the state can draw up to three times that amount in federal matching funds. Medicaid programs maximize South Carolina’s health care investment.”

He said his record on the hog farm issue serves as proof of his dedication to protecting the environment in the Pee Dee.

“At the first sign that large-scale hog farms were interested in moving to our area, I introduced legislation to fend off that filthy industry,” Hines said.

“During the 1990s, we saw how heavy rainfall in North Carolina caused the waste lagoons of hog farms to overflow and spoil the streams and rivers of that state,” he said. “We couldn’t allow that sort of air, soil and water pollution to occur here in the Pee Dee. The natural resources of our area need representatives who will be protectors.”

Protecting the environment and improving education will aid in economic development, Hines said. Hines said the legislature needs to establish incentives for businesses to convince them to locate and expand in the Pee Dee.

“Across our area and across our entire state, there are so many individuals who very much want to be contributing citizens,” he said. “We have to make sure that job opportunities are in place so that these folks will not be frustrated but may instead become providers for themselves and their families. Gainful employment is good for so much that ails our communities.”

Let us know what you think of this story | Send us a letter to the editor