Two candidates for state agriculture commissioner — Hugh Weathers and William Bell — made pitches Thursday at the Orangeburg County Republican Party convention.

Weathers is the “native son” as well as the incumbent, having been appointed by Gov. Mark Sanford to finish the term of Charles Sharpe, who was removed from office.

“What did Sanford see in me? Well, he saw a third-generation dairy farmer. He saw someone with business experience. And he saw someone with a similar philosophy that he has about servant leadership in government,” Weathers said.

“Growing up in Bowman, working on our farm, playing high school sports — the combination of things built a basis of values in me that shaped my life as an adult and now in politics,” Weathers said.

“Having any type of business will shape conservative values. It’s all making payroll, paying your bills, trying to make a profit, trying to stretch a dollar,” he said.

Spending money wisely and stretching the dollars is what he has tried to do as agriculture commissioner, he said. As a result, the department “is serving more efficiently and effectively.”

An example he cited is the fuel pump stickers. “We’ve updated those procedures to make that more accurate and try to be more timely in doing it,” Weathers said.

“We’ve pulled together many parts of the agriculture community to work together, to talk about the betterment of farming in the state,” Weathers said.

“I believe that by growing agriculture, we can grow a better South Carolina,” he said. “You know I’m counting on your support. I consider it a privilege to serve.”

Jenny Mercer introduced herself as the fiancee of Bell, a fourth-generation Saluda County farmer and the son of Harry Bell, long-time president of the S.C. Farm Bureau.

Mercer said her future husband graduated with a business degree from Clemson University and runs “one of the most diverse farm operations in the United States.” He is a former chairman of the Saluda County Republican Party.

By the time the convention recessed, Bell himself had arrived after speaking at the Clarendon County GOP convention.

In an interview, Bell pointed out that Weathers “is not an elected incumbent. He was appointed. There’s a lot of difference. Now the people are going to have the opportunity to make this choice.”

Bell said the agriculture commissioner needs to be “efficient and vocal” in engaging others, particularly the governor, in making the case for agriculture.

“Hugh has never done that,” Bell said. “He sits back and thinks people are going to walk in his office and do it for him.”

Bell agrees with Calhoun County officials who said the South Carolina Farmers Market should have been built in Lexington County “for the good of the citizens.”

The old property “never should have been sold for $10 million. It’s worth $30 million,” Bell said.

“And it never should have been put back in Richland County, and the governor told him not to do it, and he did it anyhow, and he made the governor look like a fool,” Bell said.

“Hugh’s a Carolina graduate and he wanted Carolina to have it and that’s what he did, but that wasn’t fair to the taxpayers of this state, who are the losers in that deal,” Bell said.

Bell ran against a strong incumbent before — against Les Tindal in 1994. “I lost by only four points. Everybody says that’s pretty darn good,” he said.

Orangeburg County Republicans usually meet every other year to reorganize precincts and elect county officers and delegates to the state convention. But the party is shifting to a new schedule, so that business will take place in about a year, county GOP chairman Roy Lindsey said. Thursday’s event was essentially a candidate forum.

Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer is seeking re-election to a job that is officially part-time but carries full-time responsibilities.

“You have not had any tax increase at any level in South Carolina since I’ve been lieutenant governor,” he said. “Every single tax increase that has been proposed in the South Carolina Senate, I have ruled out of order.”

“The House has always been good about not raising taxes, but the Senate tends to want to throw gas tax and you name it, take away manufacturer’s exemption, take away senior citizens exemption, raise the sales tax when you sell a home 1 percent,” Bauer said.

“I would challenge anyone that says this office doesn’t do anything really doesn’t know what this office does at all,” he said, noting that it has been put in charge of all state programs for the elderly.

“We are currently the fifth biggest state in the country for in-migration of seniors,” Bauer said. “The average senior that moves in this state has over $100,000 annual income, over $1 million in assets. They are bringing money into our communities. They don’t have kids for us to educate. They are a huge economic engine to this state.”

Bauer expressed concern that “about a third of our state’s seniors still aren’t enrolled in a program” for prescription drugs under Medicare Part D.

“If they aren’t enrolled by May 15, they face a penalty for life, for the rest of the years they’re on Earth,” Bauer emphasized.

“I’ve been blessed. This is my 10th year in public office,” Bauer said. “Orangeburg has been very good to me. My family’s from the lower part of Orangeburg County. We’re from Branchville.”

Matthew Parker gave brief remarks on behalf of Bauer’s opponent, Mike Campbell, “son of the late great Carroll Campbell,” the former governor.

Campbell supports Sanford’s plan for restructuring the lieutenant governor’s office, Parker said.

“Mike has a lot of great ideas,” Parker said. “There’s a lot that can be done.” Parker said details are online at www.campbell2006.com.

Rick Quinn, candidate for state treasurer, said South Carolina has the second-highest property tax bills in the Southeast.

“Basically, right now, your local property tax is growing at 9.5 percent, on average, per year,” he said. “That’s twice the rate of inflation. In other words, it has grown twice as fast as your income has grown.”

“Most experts are saying, after reassessment, we’re going to be number one in property taxes. I believe it’s killing our state. I want the treasurer’s office as a bully pulpit to promote tax reform,” Quinn said.

Quinn is a proponent of a “consumption tax instead of property tax.” That’s what Alabama has done, and “basically, they have beat us four straight times now in economic development. We have lost four straight economic development opportunities to Alabama. I think part of it is our property tax.”

Sanford was represented by his campaign manager, Jason Miller. Four years ago, the state “had depleted trust funds and an unconstitutional deficit of $750 million. Folks lost confidence in state government and elected a different kind of leader,” Miller said.

“Today, we have, for the first time in the state’s history, tax cuts and tort reform. We’ve reined in wasteful spending and, importantly, we now have a surplus,” Miller said.

Sanford’s priorities include state government restructuring, education choice, merit pay for teachers and voter approval of a constitutional amendment on marriage.

“It’s absolutely essential we send a message to the rest of the country that in South Carolina, marriage is between a man and a woman,” Miller said.

Becky Fleming read a statement from Karen Floyd, candidate for state superintendent of education.

“I believe our children deserve better than we are currently giving them,” Floyd wrote. “Our families deserve more options.”

“I believe it is time for real change in our schools,” she wrote. “The first steps to real reform are to admit our shortcomings, resolve to change and work together to make the schools better.”

Tim Lollis conveyed greetings on behalf of U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, who is “in D.C. working on your behalf.”

“Social Security reform is not dead. It’s just something the president says right now we don’t feel like there’s a lot of political will for it ... in DC. We’ll revisit it after the election,” Lollis said.

Butch Wallace, representing U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, expressed hope that Republican Ralph Norman will be the man who can “take (Democratic) Congressman (John) Spratt out” of office.

Sanford wins straw poll

Gov. Mark Sanford handily won a straw poll among delegates to the Orangeburg County Republican Party convention Thursday.

Delegates could vote on each of the candidates for contested statewide offices on the GOP primary ballot June 13. Here are the results:

n Governor — Mark Sanford, 16; Oscar Lovelace, 1.

n Lieutenant Governor — Andre Bauer, 12; Mike Campbell, 6.

n Agriculture Commissioner — Hugh Weathers, 14; William Bell, 3.

n Secretary of State — Mark Hammond, 9; L.W. Flynn, 6.

n Superintendent of Education — Karen Floyd, 18; Bob Staton, 0; Kerry Wood, 0; Mike Ryan, 0; Elizabeth Moffly, 0.

n Treasurer — Rick Quinn, 12; Greg Ryberg, 4; Jeff Willis, 1.

Delegates also indicated their presidential candidate preferences as follows: Condoleezza Rice, 8; George Allen, 3; John McCain, 2; Bill Frist, 1; Newt Gingrich, 1. Other choices were Sam Brownback, Rudy Guiliani, Chuck Hagel, Mike Huckabee, George Pataki and Mitt Romney.

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