Last week, four years after gaining national attention when her then-estranged husband accused her of infidelity with another lawmaker and ran against her for a state House seat, Rep. Shirley Hinson of Goose Creek tied the knot in the Bahamas with former Moncks Corner legislator James Law.

"We've known each other for so long, and we just decided we wanted to do this," Hinson said Monday. "Everybody deserves to be happy, and we are happy. I wish this much happiness for everybody."

Law was in agreement. "We are tickled to death about it."

In 2000, Hinson made national headlines when her then-husband, Jimmy Hinson, ran against her for the state House seat she held.

In a nasty campaign with sexual overtones, Shirley Hinson denied any involvement with Law, but that did little to assuage her husband, whom Shirley Hinson said stalked her at the Statehouse. Jimmy Hinson later was arrested for threatening the life of a public official, Law. That charge was dismissed.

Jimmy Hinson also hired a private investigator to follow the two around. The investigator saw the pair in what seemed to be a late-night tryst in the back seat of a car in a church parking lot, but Law and Hinson said they met only to exchange legislative papers.

Shirley Hinson went on to win the emotionally laced campaign against her husband. The two eventually divorced and now live separate lives.

On Monday, she reiterated her stand that she and Law were never romantically involved before her divorce.

"It is the truth still," she said.

Jimmy Hinson, who said Monday the marriage was news to him, took a different view.

"I think it proves what I said all along," the former school principal said. "That there was something going on."

He also wished them both good luck.

Shirley Hinson plans to take Law's last name, and the two plan to live in Crowfield in Goose Creek where she is building a house in the district she represents.

"This is the pursuit of happiness," she said. "That's what life is all about."

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