Watson, who was raised in Irmo, moved in 1997 to the Oak Park community to be close to family and to begin a career in politics, he said.

Watson is vice president of the Oak Park/Cameron Terrace Civic Club and for four years has written a weekly column, "Citizens Speak," in North Charleston. He is former chairman of the North Charleston Citizens Advisory Council and ran unsuccessfully for Charleston County Council in 2002.

Watson counts as his No. 1 issue an open dialogue among state House representatives and their constituents.

"There should be a constant information exchange between the elected officials and the constituents. Information is power," he said.

"Elected officials have a duty and a responsibility to receive information that the average person doesn't have and bring it back home."

If he's elected, Watson said, he hopes to build bridges of collaboration with legislators in Columbia.

Whipper, a preacher's son who was raised in Liberty Hill and has lived in his Sanders Avenue home since 1986, hasn't faced campaign opposition since 1994.

The former Charleston County magistrate last year helped restart a defunct PTA at North Charleston High School, and he puts education at the top of his issues list.

Whipper plans to offer legislation to put counselors with social work and psychological backgrounds in every school.

"We've got a lot of children who come from struggling homes," he said.

"The schools have to do everything they can to get the best performance out of a child. Counselors can help the school understand the children and help the children understand him or herself and what they're going through."

Whipper favors an increased state tax on cigarettes to help pay for more affordable and improved health care and would pursue new ideas to attract high-paying jobs to South Carolina.

TROY WATSON

REPUBLICAN

AGE: 33

RESIDENCE: Oak Park

FAMILY: Wife, Nannette Watson, and a daughter

EDUCATION: Irmo High School, 1989; B.A. in sociology; M.A. in teaching from Winthrop University in Rock Hill

PHONE/E-MAIL: 554-4850 / troywatson@votetroywatson.com

OCCUPATION: Community liaison for the North Charleston News

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Ran unsuccessfully for Charleston County Council, 2002

SETH WHIPPER (I)

Democrat

AGE: 55

RESIDENCE: Liberty Hill

FAMILY: Wife, Carrie Whipper, a son and a daughter

EDUCATION: B.A. from the University of South Carolina; juris doctorate degree from North Carolina Central University

PHONE/E-MAIL: 740-7777 / cfwhipper@aol.com

OCCUPATION: Attorney and co-owner of Whipper Law Firm

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: House member since 1994

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