BAMBERG -- Either way, regardless of the June 13 Democratic primary results, the representative from House District 90 will retain some bragging rights.

If 82-year-old veteran Rep. Thomas Rhoad wins re-election to a 13th two-year term, he'll continue on as the oldest member of the South Carolina House. On the other hand, if Bakari Sellers, his 21-year-old challenger, wins the primary, the University of South Carolina law student will become the body's youngest member.

Neither candidate shies away from the age factor.

Running on his 23-year record of experience, Rhoad, who will be 83 in July, cites his long tenure of service to the district.

"Age is always a factor and it's a good factor," the retired mail carrier and farmer said. "Folks like to listen to and depend on older people. Experience means a lot."

Calling for new leadership, Sellers, a political newcomer who will turn 22 in September, argues that age has nothing to do with vision.

"My age doesn't prevent me from having a vision," he said. "Because I'm young, my vision is for a community with a strong economy. My vision is that our kids will have some opportunities. I'm young, but my vision is that our state maintains its promise to take care of our elderly and infirm."

The winner of the primary does not have any Republican opposition in the November general election.

District 90 includes all of Bamberg County, a portion of Orangeburg County and a small section of Barnwell County. Of the total 17,948 registered voters, 9,131 are white, 8,695 are black and 122 are designated "other."

The Orangeburg County portion of the district includes the precincts of Cordova I and 2, Norway, Springfield, Edisto, Cope, Neeses-Livingston, Bolentown, Pinehill, North 1 and Suburban 5. In Barnwell County, District 90 includes portions of four precincts.

Thomas Rhoad

Not only does experience mean a lot, Rhoad says, but the ability to get along with people is also important.

"I get along with both parties. I can cross the party line and get things done. If I have an enemy up here, I don't know it," he said. "I enjoy the district I'm in now. I love Orangeburg and we get along so well in the delegation. We get along beautifully. We're probably one of, if not the only, delegation up here that's solid Democratic."

In addition, Rhoad says, he's been "very successful in getting things done for 24 years and I'd like to return and continue to work for the people of House District 90."

"When you're here so long, you have so many things in the mill that are not completed and I feel I'm the one to complete them, since I started them," he said. "I had a big hand in (keeping the University of South Carolina) at Salkehatchie open. That's one of the things the governor said he'd do was get rid of that."

While he's "done a lot for Denmark Tech," Rhoad says he still has a lot more he'd like to do.

"Money has been approved by the Budget and Control Board to build a new dorm and house a library and washeteria," he said. "We have some money put in on the Senate side in matching funds for more federal dollars. Also, I hope we can get the nursing curriculum at Denmark Tech. I was successful in getting the cooking and baking school at Denmark Tech."

In the meantime, Rhoad says, there are "terrible water problems" at both Denmark Tech and Voorhees College that need correcting. "I'm trying to get some money to correct the water problem," he says, and this must be done before the new dorm is constructed.

"I love working for people and helping people. That's been my name," the lawmaker said. "It makes me feel so good to help families or provide beds in nursing homes or jobs. Even as a mailman, I loved to help folks."

If re-elected, Rhoad says he'll continue to fight for health care for the elderly.

"That's the thing I'm always interested in and involved in each year ... We're not getting any younger," he said. "We need to help the old folks and senior citizens. People are living longer ... and, that's good."

A Bamberg County native, Rhoad graduated from the local public schools and attended Palmer Business College. He served in the U.S. Navy in World War II. He and his wife have three adult children and one deceased son.

Bakari Sellers

The decision to run for his first political office, Sellers says, came when he "noticed a need for leadership." The son of noted civil rights leader Cleveland Sellers explains that he was "enlightened about problems our community faces" by knocking on doors and listening to the needs of a variety of people.

"My vision," he said, "is definitely in line with a lot of the needs of the community."

And, toward that end, Sellers, promises to offer a very different kind of leadership than the incumbent.

"If you look at our session last year, our district (Rhoad) sponsored about 14 bills and nine of those were in recognition of high school championship teams and the rest were about raising the catch limit. One was for doves and the rest were for fish," he said. "I believe our district has to have a voice in the capital. We've been under represented for too long."

The three main issues of his campaign, Sellers says, are the creation of economic opportunity, providing equality in public school funding and the preservation of Medicaid and Medicare programs.

"The needs are not being met," he said. "We're more socially, economically and educationally depressed."

Although he's making his first bid for public office, Sellers is not unfamiliar with the political process. In addition to serving as student government president at Morehouse College in Atlanta, he has also worked for 6th U.S. District Congressman James Clyburn, for Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and for the southeast regional director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. That experience, he says, makes him qualified for office.

"Personally, one of the reasons I decided to run is to bring about the sense of excitement and hope to our community," he said. "I believe that this campaign and my candidacy have been refreshing to Democrats throughout the state."

Sellers, who grew up in Denmark, has a bachelor's degree in history from Morehouse College and has just completed his first year of law school at the University of South Carolina. He is single.

-- T&D Government Writer Tucker Lyon can be reached at tlyon@timesanddemocrat.com or by calling 803-533-5545.

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