I thought this was kind of interesting, partly because it seems sort of early for making such endorsement announcements as this:
SC Mayors Endorse Vincent Sheheen for GovernorLocal leaders cite Sheheen’s economic vision, bipartisan approach & record of results for why he’s the right leader to fix broken state government
Camden, SC – Today 12 mayors, representing urban and rural areas around the South Carolina, endorsed Vincent Sheheen for Governor citing his focus on growing the economy from within South Carolina, his record of working across the aisle to get things done, and his common-sense approach on how to fix the broken state government and move South Carolina forward again.The 12 mayors make up the first round of endorsements for Mayors for Sheheen:
- Joseph Riley, Mayor of Charleston
- Welborn Adams, Mayor of Greenwood
- Junie White, Mayor of Spartanburg
- Steve Wukela, Mayor of Florence
- Andy Ingram, Mayor of Cheraw
- John Douglas, Mayor of Chesterfield
- Ann Taylor, Mayor of Heath Springs
- Doug Echols, Mayor of Rock Hill
- Tony Scully, Mayor of Camden
- Wayne Rhodes, Mayor of Kershaw
- Joseph McElveen, Mayor of Sumter
- Lovith Anderson, Mayor of Lake City
In their statements of support, the Mayors praised Sen. Sheheen for his success in expanding 4-year-old kindergarten to improve public education, creating an Inspector General to ensure the best use of tax dollars, fighting to restructure government and cut bureaucracy, and creating a Taxpayer Protection Fund to help those hurt by the Department of Revenue hacking scandal.A selection of endorsement quotes is below:Joseph Riley, Mayor of Charleston“Here in Charleston, we are creating jobs and supporting local businesses with great success, and we need a Governor in Columbia who is ready to do the same statewide. Vincent Sheheen will be a strong advocate for building South Carolina’s economy from within. Vincent understands the importance of Charleston’s port for our economy, as well as the economy of the entire state, and he stands with us in supporting its dredging. He stands with our region in building a clean-energy economy and supporting our local, small businesses to grow jobs. Vincent stands with Lowcountry families in improving public education and expanding access to 4-year old kindergarten. Vincent Sheheen is the right candidate to move South Carolina forward, that’s why I’m proud to stand with him.”Steve Wukela, Mayor of Florence“Vincent Sheheen will be a change for the better for South Carolina and especially for the people in the Pee Dee. Vincent knows that growing our economy is more than just showing up at ribbon cuttings. He understands how important it is to support local businesses as much as those the state is trying to recruit – because that’s how we stay strong in the long run. Vincent Sheheen has the right plan to improve the economy and grow jobs right now, while investing in our future through better education to make South Carolina successful in the long-term as well.”Welborn Adams, Mayor of Greenwood“Here in Greenwood, we know the serious impact that incompetent government can have on the safety of our citizens. We need real leadership in the Governor’s office with accountability in our state government to create a better South Carolina. Vincent Sheheen is the right choice to not only fix the broken government, but also deliver results on improving education, public health, and supporting small businesses so we can get back on track.”Junie White, Mayor of Spartanburg“For the past several years we’ve seen what an absence of leadership from the Governor’s office gets South Carolina: crumbling roads, struggling businesses and general government dysfunction that is unacceptable. I support Vincent Sheheen for governor because he’s the only candidate with the vision to lead and the track record of working across the aisle to actually get things done. Our infrastructure has been crumbling and it costs our residents and businesses more and more each year. Vincent Sheheen would make the smart investment to finally fill our potholes and strengthen our bridges which will improve our economy now and into the future. That’s the kind of leadership we need for the upstate.”Tony Scully, Mayor of Camden“Vincent Sheheen has been a strong and effective leader in Camden for nearly his entire life. Whether he’s helping businesses and families in our town as an attorney, building coalitions in the legislature, or simply being an active citizen committed to the highest ideals, with his honest, common-sense approach, Vincent Sheheen is the right man to be the next governor of South Carolina.”Lovith Anderson, Mayor of Lake City“Vincent Sheheen’s common-sense approach to governing and his pragmatic approach to honest and ethical leadership is just what we need to finally get things done in South Carolina. For too long, towns like ours have been ignored by leaders in Columbia who care more about political grandstanding than delivering results. Vincent Sheheen has proven he isn’t afraid to up his sleeves and stand up for folks like us – and he’s the only candidate with a solid track record of positive results.”###
Of course, the only three mayors on there whose party affiliations I think I know (fortunately, most cities and towns in SC have nonpartisan municipal elections) are Democrats. But it’s still a pretty impressive list.
And think about it — since these people are not elected in partisan elections, they have little motivation to stick their necks out for a Democrat or a Republican simply because of that person’s affiliation.
Also, I find myself wondering: Could Nikki Haley get a group like this to back her? It seems unlikely, and I say that in part because mayors tend to be practical folk. They tend to be unmoved by ideology (the coin that Nikki, and those who support her, value), and tend to go for pragmatic governance.
But it’s early. We’ll see. In the meantime, there will be more announcements like this one from Sheheen. Steve Benjamin is a notable absence from this list; I suppose the campaign wanted to save a major-city mayor for the next release…
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How about this encouraging news?
http://www.thestate.com/2013/08/20/2931765/gowdy-and-mulvaney-targeted-in.html
Are any of those mayors Democrats?
Yep, all I think. Wukela most definitely as long as his father allows him to be the mayor. Otherwise, dad sits in the background making all of the decisions. Sorta like Leatherman being the real governor of SC. Haley is nothing but a figurehead.
Who’s Mayor Wukela’s father?
He’s Mr. Wukela. Duh.
Seriously, I don’t know him. But I do know Mayor Wukela’s brother. He’s Michael Wukela, who works for Steve Benjamin.
I thought Mayor Wukela’s son was Michael Wukela who works for The City of Columbia, and formerly worked for the Steve Benjamin for Mayor campaign. I didn’t know that was a brother.
He is an attorney in Florence. The family’s business also includes Wukela’s House of Clocks. The office building housing the father and son’s attorney’s offices is located just behind it on 2nd Loop Road in Florence.
You learn something new every day. There is a clock store in Flo-town…
Bart, I would feel a lot better if Hugh Leatherman were the governor. Which will just appall Doug, but there it is.
But it doesn’t work that way any more.
One of the points of the “Power Failure” series I led at The State back in 1991 was that in the system then in place (and still largely in place), NO ONE is in charge. The project wasn’t just about us having a weak governor, it was that NO ONE had the power to make anything worthwhile happen, or hold the government accountable.
Back before single-member districts, and when local legislative delegations ran things (and when they had cohesion, since every member of a county delegation was elected at large from that county), lawmakers — especially senators, and most especially senior senators — were better able to make things happen. But even then, the greatest power lawmakers had (and still have) is to PREVENT things from changing — not to make anything happen.
Today, after the changes put in place in 1993, a governor has more executive (not legislative) power than any member of the Legislature. Not as much as the governor should have, but more…
Please give some examples of bills that were passed in the Senate against Hugh Leatherman’s wishes.