Three strong Republicans candidates are running for the new Georgetown-Horry-focused S.C. Senate District 34 seat: David Maring, a retired circuit judge; Ricky Horne, residents representative for the Litchfield Company; and Ray Cleary, a dentist. Maring's candidacy gives residents of the district a chance to elect a senator who could be effective right away. He garners The Sun News' recommendation.

Supporters of the other candidates disparage the gentleman for being a lawyer, stating that the General Assembly is overpopulated with them. Not true. Of the 46 current S.C. senators, only 12 are lawyers. And because Maring used to be a circuit judge, he already knows most S.C. legislators because legislators elect judges. He knows the Statehouse and its political rhythms well. And because circuit judges rotate to courthouses statewide, he knows the state's principal business and political leaders.

Chief among the district's needs are better roads, especially a connector between Carolina Bays Parkway or S.C. 707 and U.S. 701 on the west side of the Waccamaw River. All three candidates support construction of this road. Cleary would pay for this and other district roads with a local option gasoline tax. Horne favors raising the state gas tax enough to accommodate new coastal road construction.

Maring, in contrast, opposes raising the gas tax, saying the real cause for the district's roads deficit is insufficient political clout. Though he does not rule out a gas tax at some point in the future, he notes that raising it now would harm lower-income residents in a time of high gas prices and unemployment.

What's most attractive about Maring's candidacy, however, is the thoughtfulness with which he approaches difficult issues. He understands that true conservatism lies less in high-volume legislative output than in changing laws only when it can be demonstrated they no longer work.

Horne and Cleary, both bright and politically aware, could make competent senators in time. But District 34 voters should prefer Maring on June 8 because he is ready to be a senator now. The winner of the primary takes the seat, as no Democrat filed for it.