The Conservatives for Responsible Government, probably the most truly conservative group in Horry County, announced their candidate endorsements this week.

CRG supports low taxes, low spending and individual freedom through limited government. It is not an automatic endorser of candidates spouting labels and clichés.

“Party labels are not important for our endorsement,” said CRG chair Chris Panos. “We are not interested in whether candidates have an “R” or a “D” behind their names. We want candidates who live by our principles of small government and individual liberty.”

Tom Rice and Gloria Bromell Tinubu secured the nominations, in impressive fashion, of the Republican and Democratic parties respectively for the new 7th Congressional District. The two will meet in the November general election to see who goes to Washington.

Both scored significant double digit wins in defeating opponents Andre Bauer (Rice) and Preston Brittain (Tinubu) on Tuesday’s primary runoff elections.

We offer our congratulations to both.

Based on turnout in the primaries and the makeup of the district, Rice has to now be considered the serious favorite to become the new Congressman from South Carolina in November.

That having been said, I am sure there are some out there, looking for a personal statement from me. So here we go.

Horry County Democratic voters will get three chances to hear from the candidates for the new 7th Congressional District across the next several months.

The four announced Democratic candidates, Preston Brittain, Gloria Tinubu, Parnell Diggs and Ted Vick will be at a reception commemorating Black History Month Saturday February 25th. The reception will be held at the Mason Temple C.O.G.I.C., 1501 7th Avenue, Conway beginning at 6 p.m.

The reception will offer the opportunity to sample recipes from the Horry County Democratic Party cookbook, meet the guest of honor, Mother Laura Grate who is 104 years old, and meet and speak with the candidates.

Two more candidates announced they were entering the race for the new S.C. 7th Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Gloria Tinubu, from Atlanta, Ga., announced she will run on the Democratic side. She is a native of Plantersville.

According to a member profile of the Georgia House of Representatives , Tinubu earned a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Economics and a PhD. in Applied Economics from Clemson University. She chaired the Economics Department at Spelman College and served 18 months as President of Barber-Scotia College, a historically black college in Concord, N.C.

In the late 1990’s, Tinubu served on the Atlanta city council and twice ran for mayor of Atlanta. She is listed as the current District 60 member of the Georgia House of Representatives, representing parts of Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton counties.