Partisan primary elections will be held next Tuesday (November 14) for a pair of seats in the South Carolina General Assembly. One of the races up for grabs is S.C. House District 99 (map) in the Palmetto Lowcountry, while the other is S.C. House District 28 (map) in the rural Upstate.
Will either of these special elections dramatically alter the ideological orientation of the increasingly left-leaning state legislature? Probably not … but voters do have an opportunity next week to send two strong voices to the state capital who will absolutely not “go along to get along.”
Also, both of these voices offer perspectives that we believe are sorely needed right now in Columbia – where fiscally liberal “Republicans” have embarked on a self-serving parade of taxing, borrowing and spending on a government that consistently produces abysmal outcomes – economically, fiscally, educationally and with regards to infrastructure, public safety and other core functions of government.
Enough is enough. New ideas are needed … now. Along with strong, uncompromising leaders willing to advance them.
Accordingly, we’re issuing endorsements in both of these State House races – Nancy Mace in District 99 and Krystal Blume in District 28.
First, Mace …
(Click to view)
(Via: NancyMace.org)
As we’ve noted in several previous articles, Mace used to be a co-owner of this news site. We’ve seen her skills at work, and we know how hard she works. Mace is perhaps best known around the state as the first woman to graduate from The Citadel, South Carolina’s prestigious government-run military academy. But since then she’s defined herself on multiple occasions as a badass businesswoman – erecting successful marketing and real estate practices from the ground up.
While raising a pair of amazing kids …
That sort of real world small business/ family experience is desperately needed in state government right now – and in addition to her everywoman perspective and strong work ethic, we believe Mace would bring a solid pro-freedom, pro-free market ideological mooring to the state capital (as evidenced by the endorsement she recently received from State Senator Tom Davis, who is the gold standard on both fronts in state government).
Obviously we’re biased, but Mace has all the tools needed to become not only an excellent representative for District 99 – but a credible limited government leader within the legislature.
Nothing against any of her opponents, but we hope Mace is able to win her primary on November 14 without a runoff and advance to face liberal activist Cindy Boatwright in next January’s special election.
Now, Blume …
(Click to view)
(Via: BlumeSC.com)
Unlike Mace, with whom we have enjoyed a longstanding relationship, we didn’t know Blume at all when she entered the field for this race in late September. Also, our first communication with her involved some potentially unsavory information we’d been leaked regarding her past (specifically some fifteen-year-old bad check charges).
The more we dug into these allegations, though, the more their thinness – and the depth of Blume’s character – became revealed to us.
For starters, unlike some Palmetto politicians, Blume immediately owned up to the mistakes of her past and documented how hard she worked to build a new life from the ashes of a failed, abusive relationship. Her new life included a new relationship, new job and a new family – including a special needs child whom Blume credits with defining her views on education reform.
Ultimately, the “leak” against Blume wound up backfiring – giving her the opportunity to showcase her resolve and determination. Not to mention her honesty.
Blume calls herself a “mother on a mission,” which is frankly another perspective that is desperately needed in state government right now. An ardent supporter of universal parental choice, we believe Blume would be a tenacious fighter for academic freedom within a state government that has consistently rejected even modest efforts at expanding the education marketplace.
“She’s a bulldog,” one of Blume’s supporters told us. “Not a bit of quit in that girl.”
Again, we have nothing against any of the other GOP candidates running in the District 28 race – we just think Blume would be the best advocate for her district and for the long-suffering reform movement in Columbia.
Stay tuned …
We’ll be sure to update our readers on how Mace and Blume perform in their primary elections next Tuesday.
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