Posted on Wed, Jun. 14, 2006

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State House's oldest member ousted in primary

SEANNA ADCOX

Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. - At least three of 24 state House incumbents who faced primary opponents were ousted Tuesday, including the chamber's oldest member, Rep. Thomas Rhoad of Branchville.

Rhoad, who will turn 83 next month, was defeated by Democratic challenger Bakari Sellers, who will become the House's youngest member at 21. Sellers, a bachelor, is a rising second-year law student and the son of Cleveland Sellers, the only man imprisoned for what's become known in South Carolina as the "Orangeburg Massacre."

The younger Sellers was not even born when Rhoad, a World War II veteran, first won election to the Statehouse in 1982. There is no Republican running in the district.

"It feels awesome to have that many people believe in you and wanting change. It rained and people still came out. The community has a new hope," said Sellers, of Denmark, who won with about 55 percent of the unofficial vote. He said his goal is to "try to represent all the people who have been underrepresented for so long and give a voice to the district."

All 124 House seats are up for re-election this year, but just 14 Republican and 10 Democrats had primary opponents.

Other defeated incumbents included Rep. Becky Martin, R-Anderson, who lost to retired businessman Don Bowen, also of Anderson. He won with 54 percent of the vote. Bowen said people in the district's outer areas helped push him to a win because they were "real concerned they were never included in anything."

"Becky doesn't have anything to be ashamed of," Bowen said of her 10 years in office. "I think there's a big push out there right now. People want change."

Twenty-year House veteran Joe Brown, D-Columbia, lost to Chris Hart, who received 54 percent of the vote.

Rep. Bill Cotty, R-Columbia, won the GOP nomination against well-funded candidate Sheri Few, backed by the South Carolina Club for Growth Political Action Committee. Cotty, who received 54 percent of the vote, will be on the ballot in November against Democrat Anton Gunn, executive director of the nonprofit South Carolina Fair Share who defeated primary opponent Todd Wood with 64 percent of the vote.

Cotty, a six-term incumbent, said his win was about more than him. "It means the people in my district believe in public education" and don't like "dirty campaigning," he said.

Few was among candidates who campaigned on a promise to push Gov. Mark Sanford's agenda, which includes giving parents money or tax credits for private education. Sanford dubbed the measure Put Parents in Charge, a misnomer according to opponents. The idea has died in the House for two consecutive years and divided the GOP caucus.

Cotty, a former school board member, expected a stiff challenge because of his opposition to school vouchers. He supports giving parents a choice of public schools but has consistently opposed giving money for private schools. He particularly opposes giving breaks to parents already sending their children to private school.

Cotty said there was no question Sanford allowed his name to be used in Few's mailings. Few also appeared at one of Sanford's news stops protesting government spending.

Cotty said the vote means Sanford's influence "is not what he thinks it is."

Though a Republican in a state where the GOP controls both chambers of the Legislature, Sanford's relationship with lawmakers has been rocky.

In their latest tiff, Sanford traveled the state last week to criticize the state budget rather than debate his own primary opponent. At stops, he mentioned legislators he considered helpful and unhelpful.

"I find it hard to believe a sitting governor tries to beat incumbents in his own party," said Rep. Skipper Perry, R-Aiken. He beat his opponent, Walter Lamb, with 61 percent of the vote. Lamb also campaigned on helping Sanford.

Lawmakers accuse the governor of playing politics and fueling the contention to win votes. Sanford responded that his style is to "lay out where I'm coming from on a very consistent basis and let the chips fall where they may."