Two candidates with ties to supermarket chains will go head-to-head June 8, two years after shuttling their campaign carts for the same votes along this South Carolina coastal district.

Two-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, R-Hanahan, a retired Piggly Wiggly vice president, once is again being challenged by Bob Batchelder of Myrtle Beach, a Winn-Dixie department manager.

Two years ago, Batchelder carted off nearly a quarter of the vote in his quest to unseat Brown. This year he hopes to do better, and he isn't holding back in the barbs being hurled at Brown.

Brown's not tossing anything back -- not yet -- and thinks the high road will sweep him back into office for a third term. No Democrats filed for the seat, so whoever wins the primary is practically guaranteed victory in November.

Brown thinks a revolving door of new congressmen does little to ring up improvements in services that affect the 1st Congressional District, which stretches across parts of five mostly coastal counties from Horry to Dorchester.

Batchelder calls Brown "a liberal Republican" who blindly toes the party line and supports the president's agenda.

"He is an insult to a conservative Republican," Batchelder said.

He is especially critical of the war in Iraq and those who support it, including Brown.

"I don't believe we had just cause to sponsor a war," Batchelder said. "I think it was misguided."

He also disagrees with the nation's trade policies, which he contends favor corporate profits at the expense of American jobs being shipped overseas and which he said Brown supported, and he opposes Bush's immigration policy.

"I am leery of a Homeland Security Department that cost us millions of dollars but leaves our border with Mexico wide open," Batchelder said. "If this is the next threat to homeland security, then why are we allowing illegal aliens to cross our border unimpeded?"

He thinks the National Guard should patrol the Mexican border year-round through their training exercises.

"It's wrong to reward illegal behavior with citizenship," he said. "We need statesmen who will do the right thing as opposed to politicians who will do whatever they have to do to support the party line whether it is right or wrong. It's time for leadership in Congress, not followship."

Brown thinks he's accomplished a great deal but hasn't finished the job.

If re-elected, he hopes to continue pushing for enhanced health care for veterans and senior citizens, supporting critical highways such as proposed Interstate 73 through the Pee Dee to Myrtle Beach, making permanent the tax cuts put in place by the president and continuing to support the president in the war on terror and the war in Iraq.

"I believe that this country is at a crossroads trying to win the war on terrorism and win the war on the economy," Brown said. "And we have to work out a security system that will assure our ports are being safe."

As a member of the congressional transportation committee working on a six-year spending plan for the nation's roads, he thinks his re-election is critical to securing money to build I-73 from Bennettsville to the Grand Strand, where tourist dollars help feed the state's cash-strapped coffers.

Brown supports elimination of the death tax and hopes to make permanent cuts in income tax rates.

"I believe that a country as strong as America that's based on family values would not tax a married couple at a higher rate than two individuals living together," he said.

Brown said he worked to increase military pay levels 10 percent two years ago, 5 percent last year and 3.5 percent this year, and he hopes to continue to work to reform health care for the elderly.

"There is a lot of work left to do," Brown said. "I think I've got a lot done, and I'm in a position to get much more done."

BOB BATCHELDER

AGE: 53

RESIDENCE: Myrtle Beach

FAMILY: Wife, Ginny; two sons, Jamie and Nick

EDUCATION: Quinnipiac College and University of Vermont

PHONE NUMBER/E-MAIL ADDRESS: (843) 293-2433; bob@bobforcongress.com

OCCUPATION: Winn-Dixie department manager

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: None

HENRY BROWN (I)

AGE: 68

RESIDENCE: Hanahan

FAMILY: Wife, Billye; son, Jimmy; two daughters, Catherine and Debra; and five grandchildren

EDUCATION: Berkeley High School and attended The Citadel and College of Charleston

PHONE NUMBER/E-MAIL ADDRESS: (843) 747-4175; writehenrybrown@mail.house.gov

OCCUPATION: Retired Piggly Wiggly vice president

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: U.S. House, 2001-present; S.C. House of Representatives for 16 years; Hanahan City Council for four years

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