Analysis: White Joins Race for S.C. House Six; Two Vie for City Council Seat Six
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
The political landscape shifted significantly last week with the announcement by S.C. Sen. Richard Cash, Dist. 3, R.-Anderson, that he will seek re-election to the seat he currently holds. Cash had pondered a race for the U.S. Dist. 3 Senate Seat currently held by Jeff Duncan.
But after Duncan announced he will not seek re-election, Cash seemed satisfied that someone other than Duncan would represent the third district. Sherri Biggs, a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard, a board certified family nurse practitioner, and board certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, who is from Salem, is running for the seat.
Cash’s move negates speculation that S.C. Rep. April Cromer, Dist. 6, R-Anderson, and possibly S.C. Rep. Thomas Beach, Dist. 10, R-Anderson, would run for the state senate seat. Both now seem content to run for re-election to their current positions.
Filing begins March 16, but one challenger has announced plans to oppose Cromer. Anderson Attorney Kyle White announced yesterday his candidacy in the Republican primary for the South Carolina House of Representatives District 6 seat. In his announcement, White wrote:
“I’m in this race because Columbia is filled with too many career politicians who are out of touch and not focused on the real issues that actually affect real people in Anderson County,” said White. “If elected to the State House, my primary focus will be to fight for this county and the good people who live here.”
No other potential candidates have thrown their hat in the ring to oppose the incumbents in the Anderson County Legislative Delegation. Only former West Pelzer Mayor Blake Sanders, who announced in November he will seek the S.C. House Dist. 9 seat which will be vacated by Anne Thayer has announced intentions to run.
Stay tuned. S.C. Sen. Mike Gambrell, Dist. 4, R-Anderson; S.C. Rep. Jay West, Dist. 7, R-Anderson; S.C. Rep. Don Chapman, Dist. 8, R-Anderson; and Rep. Craig Gagnon, Dist. 11, R-Abbeville, Anderson, Laurens; are all expected to file for re-election while filing opens or before.
In the April 2 City of Anderson Elections, five candidates have filed to run for the four seats up for election. Incumbents Luis Martinez II, Seat 2, Tony Stewart, Seat 4, and John Roberts, At-Large Seat 8, are running for re-election.
Two candidates have filed to run for Seat 6 seat vacated by longtime City Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Rick Laughridge, who is retiring from city council after 16 years at the end of his term.
Anderson businessman Bryce Nivens announced first, and Anderson attorney Greg Steele filed for the seat, which represents an area that stretches from West of Linley Park, through the Pope Drive community, across to Whitehall Avenue.
Filing for city council closes Feb. 1.