Sun News: Delegates vary candidate choices

Posted on January 22, 2008 
Filed Under News

Legislators share who their favorite campaigner is

Horry and Georgetown County legislators often disagree on issues except for local ones, and their choices for president are one of those times when they agree to disagree.

Four of the delegation members are campaigning for four different Republicans, for example. Some others have endorsed but are not campaigning and still others haven’t decided or won’t say who they support.

State Rep. Liston Barfield, R-Aynor, took up Mike Huckabee’s cause long before the former Arkansas governor shot up in the polls, and Barfield has been active in his campaign. State Rep. Tracy Edge, R-North Myrtle Beach, is working for Arizona Sen. John McCain, whom he also supported in 2000 against George Bush.

Rep. Alan Clemmons, R-Myrtle Beach, is active in Mitt Romney’s campaign. State Sen. Ray Cleary, R-Murrells Inlet, got active because he was captivated by former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson’s life story.

Here’s a look at who the state lawmakers are supporting and some of their comments.

Rep. Carl Anderson, D-Georgetown | no endorsement but will vote for either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama

Rep. Liston Barfield, R-Aynor | Huckabee

Rep. Alan Clemmons, R-Myrtle Beach | Romney

Rep. Tracy Edge, R-North Myrtle Beach | McCain

Rep. Nelson Hardwick, R-Surfside Beach | McCain

“I think when you’ve got war, you go with somebody that understands it,” Hardwick said.

Rep. Vida Miller, D-Pawleys Island | had endorsed Joe Biden, but after he withdrew she endorsed John Edwards

Rep. Thad Viers, R-Myrtle Beach | undecided

Rep. Billy Witherspoon, R-Conway | undecided between McCain and Huckabee.

“They do more for my philosophy than the rest of them,” Witherspoon said.

Sen. Ray Cleary, R-Murrells Inlet | Thompson

“I like his history and background,” Cleary said. He was impressed that Thompson married and had a child while in high school, but later managed to finish college, then law school.

He liked that Thompson was the lead minority counsel in the Watergate hearings, went into private practice, then became a senator and TV star.

“He’s been really successful at everything he’s done.”

Sen. Dick Elliott, D-North Myrtle Beach | no endorsement and won’t say who he supports.

Sen. Yancey McGill, D-Kingstree | no endorsement and won’t say who he supports.

“There is a major split in my district,” among Edwards, Obama and Clinton, McGill said.

Sen. Luke Rankin, R-Myrtle Beach | no endorsement and won’t say who he supports.

Contact ZANE WILSON at 357-9188 or zwilson@thesunnews.com.

Sun News | 1/19/08