Accustomed now to some sort of opposition almost every election year, District 66 Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter says her challenge by Republican Tim Hawkins is no exception.
The veteran Democrat is seeking her eighth two-year term. Hawkins is making his first bid for office.
Neither candidate had primary opposition.
“I’m not taking this for granted,” said Cobb-Hunter, a former House minority leader. “The seat belongs to the people. They have an opportunity at each election to make a change and I never lose sight of that.”
Although facing a tough battle against a strong incumbent, Hawkins remains optimistic.
“We used to be a long shot, but we’ve made up some ground,” he said.
One question he keeps hearing, Hawkins says, is where has the $1 million in Community Development Corp. money that Cobb-Hunter says she’s brought in gone.
“My phone has lit up and people are asking me, who got that money,” he said.
Responding, Cobb-Hunter explains that “my job was to get the money. I don’t micromanage. I have absolutely nothing to do with which CDC got it. Just so it’s shared with the CDCs across the state making a difference.”
Bernie Mazyck, president and CEO of the South Carolina Association of CDC, says the final decision on the distribution of the $1 million will be made by next week by the board, appointed by the Association and the Department of Commerce. After requests for proposals were sent out in August, he said, requests of $1.7 million have come in from 19 different organizations throughout the state.
CDCs are local non-profit development corporations that work in distressed or underdeveloped communities throughout the state. The $1 million is the first of $5 million allocated by lawmakers in 2000.
The eastern Orangeburg County district has 21,704 registered voters, of whom 14,200 are black; 3,338 are white; and 166 are designated “other.”
Precincts in District 66 are Ward 3, Sub 3, Sub 4, Bethel, Bowman 1 and 2, Branchville 1 and 2, Elloree 1 and 2, Eutawville 1 and 2, Holly Hill 1 and 2, Providence, Rowesville, Santee 1 and 2 and Vance. Also, a very small portion, some 40 registered voters, in Ward 4 are included.
n Gilda Cobb-Hunter
“Let the work I’ve done speak for me,” is the campaign slogan Cobb-Hunter lives by.
“I’m proud of my record for the past 14 years,” she said. “I promised the voters that I’d do my best and I’ve attempted to do that. That’s the only promise I made.”
If re-elected, Cobb-Hunter says she’ll continue work on an initiative she started last year, as part of an answer to the school equalization lawsuit. The creation of a school infrastructure bank, she says, would address school building needs across the state and operate much like the highway infrastructure bank.
“The other part of the education agenda I’ll pursue concerns early childhood education, specifically, I’m interested in intervention between zero and three years old and not just 4K,” she said. “By the time they get to 4K, we’ve missed an opportunity to intervene in the formative years.”
Economic development is also a top priority, Cobb-Hunter says. She calls for efforts to ensure that funding remains for the CDCs and working with “our local development director to make sure Orangeburg County’s economic development needs are met in the General Assembly.”
As for health care issues, Cobb-Hunter says she intends to continue work she began in 1998 to eliminate health disparities.
“I am especially proud of what I was able to get done in the area of chronic kidney disease this past session and passage of the Breast Cancer Awareness license tag,” she said. “I’ll continue to work on health insurance coverage for children ... I’ve been tilting at that windmill for a while.”
In addition to those priorities, Cobb-Hunter says she’ll continue “to do as I have for 14 years to get involved with those issues that make a difference in the lives of working families.”
On the national level, Cobb-Hunter is a national committeewoman to the Democratic National Committee and also represents South Carolina on the DNC and the Southern Caucus on the DNC Executive Committee.
A native of Gifford, Fla., and a 29-year resident of Orangeburg County, Cobb-Hunter has a bachelor’s degree from Florida A&M University and a master’s degree from Florida State University. She is a licensed independent social worker and a member of Leadership South Carolina class of 1986, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Branchville chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and Warren Chapel Baptist Church.
She is married to Dr. Terry K. Hunter, an artist-educator/ arts administrator.
n Tim Hawkins
Led by his strong religious beliefs, Hawkins says he decided to enter his first political race to make a difference.
“I’ve seen enough of what’s going on on the other side of the fence,” he said. “The moral values are not held up; and finding out that Ms. Cobb-Hunter was one of three House members to take money from the gay and lesbian organization.”
Hawkins also cites his concern over the educational situation of the county.
“It’s not in very good shape. If you have 14 years to try to do something about it, (then) give someone else a shot.”
If elected, Hawkins says he’d work to change Orangeburg County’s economic status from “distressed” to one of progress.
“Don’t celebrate the distress just to get a tax break,” he said.
Also, Hawkins argues that the poor graduation rate in the school districts is not a selling point to bring big business into the county.
“We need progress in education,” he said.
As for differences with the incumbent, Hawkins notes that he feels “marriage is between one man and one woman, while my opponent says marriage is just a document that has served us well for 200 years. That’s the major difference we had.”
“I’d focus on getting something done for education. I’d support marriage and families and moral values. Education is the major focus,” he said. “And I’d change the economic status from distressed to growth.”
His experience as a small businessman, Hawkins says, is good qualifications for office.
“Business leadership is a great qualification,” he said. “You need accountability in government and to run it like a business.”
A native of Berkeley County and a Eutawville resident since 1991, Hawkins is owner of a Goose Creek area roofing business. He is a member of Corinth Baptist Church in Vance, where he serves as a deacon and youth pastor.
Hawkins and his wife have two children.
T&D Government Writer Tucker Lyon can be reached at tlyon@timesanddemocrat.com or by calling 803-533-5545.