The South Carolina Legislature, The Senate and The House, currently has a shaky membership - straddling the sway line between respect for individual liberties and inclination against such freedoms, particularly against the freedom of tobacco use that ranges from disrespect to sheer hatred. For most of the two year cycle between elections, the best we can do is call or write them and hope they listen.

We are, however, at the golden time of this two year cycle where we can identify those who hate us and either run against them for office or vote against them, both in the Primaries and the General Election. (In fact, in this year of a four year cycle, both the entire House and Senate are up for re-election.) This page will help us do so.

IMPORTANT! : VOTE IN THE JUNE 24TH PRIMARY RUNOFF - A FEW IMPORTANT RACES ARE YET TO BE DECIDED

First Things first:

Dates of Election Action

Filing period for elected office primaries

    (Where you declare running for office)

Actual SC Primary Vote

    (You decide who, from each party, runs for office)

SC Primary Runoff Vote

     (to decide unfinished races from Primary)

General Election

    (You decide who fills the office)

March 16, 12 Noon to

    March 30, 12 Noon

June 10th,

    7 AM to 7 PM

June 24th,

    7 AM to 7 PM

November 4th

    7 AM to 7 PM

The Primary: This is where incumbents and challengers for the same position in the same political party are held to an election. This is also where you get off your ass and vote - to either vote for the man who will respect your individual liberties or, if a guilty person is running unopposed, write in another candidate - at least let the man or woman know you are displeased with their stance enough to vote for anyone else but them.

This Year’s Primary will include an important runoff election - VOTE in IT !

The General Election: Where the final vote occurs. Hopefully, enough of us have gotten off of our asses in the previous eight months to have a good choice to select from in this election.

Below -

The South Carolina Races of Interest

The Primary results of June 10th were a mixed bag. In adding up all of the final races so far (where the party winner has no competition come november), there appears, thus far, a slight advantage toward our freedoms - i.e.; slightly more unknowns replaced known antis in both the House and Senate.

BUT the Primary is NOT OVER! The runoff primary election is June 24th - and there are a few very important races to be decided. Above the comprehensive listing below is a summary of the important Primary races for the runoff - If you are in that district, PLEASE vote against the anti on June 24th.

Who do You Choose, or NOT Choose?

Never an easy question to answer, especially since our highly unbalanced lame-stream media of this state NEVER seems to ask candidates anything regarding their stance on smoking bans or cigarette taxes and they NEVER highlight anything an incumbent has done to force smoking bans or tax increases down our throats.

Below, based on their Bill authorship/sponsorship, voting record and public declarations of the past and present, I can attempt to tell you who is what according to the following color scheme:

RED             This is our enemy. They have proven by deed or declaration that they

                     support smoking bans and/or cigarette tax increases.

ORANGE     A dubious candidate. Either by hearsay, implied tendencies, website

                     hints or their personal attributes (i.e; medical doctor), these people are

                     suspect, but are preferred over a red name.

BLACK         Unknown. Have no idea where they stand, but at least their website or

                     public declarations have not hinted at all that they are anti.

GREEN        This would mean that I know concretely that the candidate is opposed to

                     anti-tobacco legislation and, thus, truly supports individual and private

                     property liberties. At the moment, I have very few with the courage to

                     come out and say so... cowards.

Additional Notes of Choosing:

1. •The below races are not a total list of races, just the ones where we need to take action. For a complete list of the guilty, visit my comprehensive lists.
   

1. •Also, please use the Yellow Box links at the end of each Legislative block to access all races as posted on SCIway and access the candidates websites to try and help you decide.
   

1. •I will indicate the party of the individual, R: Republican, D: Democrat.
   

1. •I hate to insult any Democrat freedom-lovers out there, but the fact is that the Democrat party, by and large, supports anti-legislation. There might be individual exceptions, but I know of none currently and that party will stick together to push the leader’s agendas - and the leaders of that party in this state ARE antis. Unless faced with a RED versus BLACK choice, it is in our interests, all else undetermined, to vote Republican.
   

1. •I also hate to insult any Female freedom-lovers out there, but, historically, woman vote for anti legislation. If a choice is between a man and a woman, and there is no other information, I’d choose the man - it’s a safer bet.
   

1. •General axiom of choice (like in roulette): When choosing between red and black (or orange and black), always bet on Black.

South Carolina House of Representatives

Primary Races of Interest

House District: 3

Counties: Pickens                                        Action: Vote in General Election

Incumbent

Skelton, B. R. - R

Challengers

Gale, Jason - D

House District: 22

Counties: Greenville                                         Action: Done - A victory for us

Incumbent

Defeated

Challengers

Wendy Nanney - R

House District: 69

Counties: Lexington

Incumbent

Pitts, Edward H. “Ted” - R

Challengers

Organize and write someone in come November

House District: 74

Counties: Richland

Incumbent

Rutherford, J. Todd - D

Challengers

Organize and write someone in come November

House District: 78

Counties: Richland

Incumbent

Brady, Joan B. - R

Challengers

Organize and write someone in come November

House District: 66

Counties: Orangeburg                                    Action: Vote in General Election

Incumbent

Cobb-Hunter, Gilda - D

Challengers

Hawkins, Tim - R

House District: 79

Counties: Kershaw and Richland                  Action: Vote in Runoff Primary

Incumbent

OPEN

Challengers

Few, Cheri - R

Herndon, David - R

Gunn, Anton - D

House District: 90

Counties: Bamburg, Barnwell and Orangeburg

Incumbent

Sellers, Bakari T. - D

Challengers

Organize and write someone in come November

House District: 99

Counties: Berkeley and Charleston

Incumbent

Merrill, James H. - R

Challengers

Organize and write someone in come November

House District: 112

Counties: Charleston                                    Action: Done - might be a victory

Incumbent

OPEN

Challengers

Sottille, Mike - R

South Carolina Senate

Primary Races of Interest

Senate District: 2

Counties: Pickens                                            Action: Done

Incumbent

Martin, Larry A. - R

Challengers

Defeated

House District: 18

Counties: Greenville                                         Action: Done

Incumbent

OPEN

Challengers

Stringer, Tommy - R

Senate District: 6

Counties: Greenville                                        Action: Done

Incumbent

Fair, Michael L. - R

Challengers

Defeated

Senate District: 16

Counties: Lancaster and York                        Action: Vote in General Election

Incumbent

OPEN

Challengers

Mulvaney, Mick - R

Powers-Norrell, Mandy - D

House District: 45

Counties: Lancaster and York                         Action: Vote in General Election

Incumbent

OPEN

Challengers

Long, Deborah - R

Thomas, Fred - D

Senate District: 22

Counties: Kershaw and Richland

Incumbent

Lourie, Joel - D

Challengers

Organize and write someone in come November

Senate District: 23

Counties: Lexington                                        Action: Vote in Runoff Primary

Incumbent

Knotts, John M. “Jake” - R

Challengers

Shealy, Katrina - R

Senate District: 31

Counties: Darlington and Florence

Incumbent

Leatherman, Hugh K. - R

Challengers

Organize and write someone in come November

House District: 117

Counties: Charleston                                    Action: Done - A victory for us.

Incumbent

OPEN

Challengers

Scott, Tim - R

House District: 16

Counties: Greenville and Laurens                 Action: Vote in General Election

Incumbent

OPEN

Challengers

Willis, Mark - R

Turner Jr., Michael - D

House District: 21

Counties: Greenville and Laurens                    Action: Done - A loss to us

Incumbent

Defeated

Challengers

Wylie, Bill - R

House District: 81

Counties: Aiken                                            Action: Vote in Runoff Primary

Incumbent

OPEN

Challengers

Singer, Scott - R

Young, Tom - R

House District: 32

Counties: Spartanburg                                     Action: Vote in General Election

Incumbent

OPEN

Challengers

Cole Jr., Durham - R

Rothschild, Will - D

House District: 105

Counties: Horry                                                Action: Vote in Runoff Primary

Incumbent

OPEN

Challengers

Hardee, Kevin - R

Hearn, George - R

Senate District: 10

Counties: Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens     Action: Vote in Primary Runoff

Incumbent

OPEN

Challengers

Compton, Dee - R

Stockman, Chip - R

Nicholson, Floyd - D

Senate District: 32

Counties: Florence, Georgetown, Horry and Williamsburg

                                                                          Action: Done

Incumbent

McGill, Yancey - D

Challengers

Defeated

Senate District: 19

Counties: Richland                                          Action: Vote in Runoff Primary

Incumbent

OPEN

Challengers

Ford, Vince - D

Scott, John - D

Senate District: 17

Counties: Chester, Fairfield, Union and York  Action: Vote in Runoff Primary

Incumbent

OPEN

Challengers

Bennett, Mark - R

Moody-Lawrence, Leia - D

Coleman, Creighton B. - D

Senate District: 12

Counties: Spartanburg                                    Action: Vote in Primary Runoff

Incumbent

OPEN

Challengers

Bright, Lee - R

Talley, Scott - R

House District: 36

Counties: Spartanburg                                     Action: None - maybe a victory for us

Incumbent

Open

Challengers

Allison, Rita - R

Senate District: 7

Counties: Greenville                                        Action: Vote in General Election

Incumbent

Anderson, Ralph - D

Challengers

Garcia Quintana, Roan - R

Senate District: 13

Counties: Greenville, Spartanburg and Union  Action: Vote in Runoff Primary

Incumbent

Ritchie, James H. - R

Challengers

Martin, Shane - R

Updated: 6/18/08

House District: 20

Counties: Greenville                                        Action: Done

Incumbent

OPEN

Challengers

Hamilton, Dan - R

House District: 108

Counties: Charleston and Georgetown        Action: Vote in General Election

Incumbent

Miller, Vida O. - D

Challengers

Kelso, Jill - R

House District: 77

Counties: Richland                                        Action: Vote in General Election

Incumbent

Open

Challengers

Koska, Michael - R

McEachern, Joe - D

House District: 25

Counties: Greenville                                         Action: Vote in General Election

Incumbent

Allen, Karl - D

Challengers

Freeman, Rick - R

House District: 23

Counties: Greenville                                         Action: Vote in General Election

Incumbent

Defeated

Challengers

Dillard, Chandra - D

Alexander, Justin - R

Senate District: 28

Counties: Dillon, Horry, Marion and Marlboro  Action: Vote in General Election

Incumbent

Elliott, Dick - D

Challengers

McKown, William - R

House District: 34

Counties: Spartanburg                                     Action: Vote in General Election

Incumbent

OPEN

Challengers

Forrester, Mike - R

Hart, Ronnie - D

House District: 35

Counties: Spartanburg                                     Action: None

Incumbent

Kelly, Keith - R

Challengers

Defeated

House District: 97

Counties: Dorchester                                      Action: Vote in General Election

Incumbent

Knight, Patsy - D

Challengers

Bailey, George - R

House District: 119

Counties: Charleston                                    Action: Vote in General Election

Incumbent

Stavrinakis, Leon - D

Challengers

Cannon, Chris - R

Senate District: 11

Counties: Spartanburg                                    Action: Vote in General Election

Incumbent

Reese, Glenn - D

Challengers

Gardner, Mike - R

Senate District: 33

Counties: Horry                                               Action: Done

Incumbent

Rankin, Luke - D

Challengers

Defeated

Senate District: 35

Counties: Lee and Sumter                               Action: Vote in General Election

Incumbent

Leventis, Phil - D

Challengers

Michalik, Karen - R