By Paul Gable
The Burgess Community will host a forum for the four Republican candidates in the special election for SC House District 106.
The forum will be held at the South Strand Recreation Center on Scipio Lane tomorrow, Thursday July 16, 2015 beginning at 7 p.m.
The four candidates who have filed for the special Republican primary are Russell Fry, Sanford Cox “Sam” Graves, Tyler Servant and Dr. Roy Sprinkle. No Democratic candidates filed for the vacant seat.
Voting in the special primary election will be held Tuesday July 28, 2015 with a primary runoff Tuesday August 11, 2015 if no candidate garners 50% plus one of the votes cast.
The candidates will answer questions about issues of local and statewide concern as well as be available to meet voters. This is an opportunity for voters to learn how the candidates stand on issues such as taxes, road repair, ethics reform and the local government fund, as well as talk to them personally.
This is important for voters as three of the candidates, Fry, Graves and Sprinkle, are first timers in seeking elected office. Servant is currently the member for Horry County Council District 5, but has only spent six months in office.
Graves is a former assistant solicitor, assistant Horry County attorney and Drug Court Judge who was recently appointed to the Horry County Solid Waste Authority board.
Sprinkle is a long time podiatrist in the South Strand area, but a neophyte in politics who proudly claims he is not a lawyer, career politician or connected to wealthy special interest groups.
Servant, on the other hand, appears well on his way to attempting to be a career politician at the ripe old age of 23. After a few short months on Horry County Council, he feels ready to move into a bigger political arena. Unfortunately, the most citizens have heard from Servant during his short time on Horry County Council is continually recusing himself from votes because of possible conflicts of interest.
Fry is an attorney in private practice who has served in various offices within the Republican Party as well as working on political campaigns both in Horry County and throughout the state. He seems best positioned to make an immediate impact in the SC House because of relationships already formed with serving members.
As former SC House District 106 Rep. Nelson Hardwick used to say, you get things done in Columbia by building relationships and coalitions.
If you are a voter in SC House District 106, it is important you attend tomorrow night’s forum to hear from the candidates themselves so you can be guided in your choice at the ballot box.
Speak Up…