THE ISSUE: Gubernatorial debate

OUR OPINION: Tuesday debate is biggest event to date in campaign

Voters in a number of T&D Region towns go to the polls Tuesday for municipal elections, one year from the next general election. In November 2010, the state will select a new governor.

On Tuesday, for the first time, voters have the opportunity to hear from all the declared candidates from both parties. The occasion is a debate being held at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College in Orangeburg, S.C. at 5:45 p.m. S.C. Educational Television is filming the event and will air the debate at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

“Spotlight on The Candidates” will be attended by a number of people who have received invitations. They will watch a full field of candidates address issues from the environment to economic development.

Orangeburg was chosen as the site for the event being sponsored by the S.C. Natural Resources Society at the suggestion of NRS board member Jim Roquemore.

Republicans presently control the Governor’s Mansion, but Mark Sanford is ineligible to seek re-election after two terms in office. The pending vacancy has led to a crowded field.

Republican contenders are: U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett of Westminster, Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, state Sen. Larry Grooms of Berkeley County, state rep. Nikki Haley of Lexington and S.C. Attorney Gen. Henry McMaster.

Democrats are Columbia attorney Dwight Drake, state Sen. Robert Ford of Charleston, Charleston attorney Mullins McLeod, S.C. Superintendent of Education Jim Rex and state Sen. Vincent Sheheen of Camden.

The debate is unique in that it features the candidates from both parties in a joint appearance. The number of contenders will make for an interesting mix of positions and could prove to be a challenge for those trying to keep the event on track, giving all a chance to have a say.

The debate comes after a week in which Rex boasted that he has a lead among Democrats. An internal poll by his campaign found that he has a 41 percent favorable rating, compared to 32 percent for Ford. But the real news from the results this early is that 38 percent of Democrats said they do not know who Rex is. Fifty-one percent of those polled do not know Ford.

While Republicans such as McMaster and Bauer are certainly more widely known, all the candidates face the obstacle at this stage of the campaign of getting people to pay attention. There remains so much focus on Sanford and his prospects for completing the four-year term that being heard above that debate is a tall task for the candidates.

For now, they are busy raising campaign money and attempting to build support within their party bases. Tuesday night’s event can help on that front if one or more of the contenders shines.

The event won’t rival the national exposure Orangeburg and South Carolina State University got in May 2007 when the Democratic candidates for president came here for their first debate of the ’08 campaign that saw Barack Obama be elected president. But the event is significant on the road to the state picking a new governor who faces an economy with double-digit unemployment.

And for counties such as Orangeburg with 18 percent joblessness, there is particular reason to take note of what the candidates say and how they plan to lead into better times.

With a year to go until the election, the campaign begins in earnest tonight as Orangeburg welcomes the candidates for the most significant event to date before the June primaries and November election.

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