Scheduled candidate forums begin tonight, Laurens Y
With Republican and Democratic primaries for the state House District 14 special election about two weeks away, the Laurens County Republican Party is holding a candidate forum for Republican candidates Monday, Feb. 4, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Laurens Family YMCA.
“We sent invitations to all four of the Republican candidates, and all of them have confirmed,” said Diane Belsom, first vice chair for the Laurens County Republican Party.
The District 14 seat was left open when Rep. Mike Pitts, who had just won his ninth term in November, decided to step down effective in early January as he recuperated from a heart attack and ensuing surgery in late October.
Republican candidates vying to fill the District 14 seat include Grant Blair, Scott Horne, Stewart Jones and Michael Seymour. All four plan to attend Monday’s forum.
Two candidates, Garrett McDaniel and Bobby Gregory, Sr., are also running for the District 14 Democratic nomination.
Belsom said the Laurens County Republican Party plans to offer each of the four Republican candidates ten minutes each to speak. Questions for a short question/answer section need to be submitted ahead of time, by emailing golfer958@gmail.com.
The primary elections are set for Feb. 19. A run-off election, if necessary, will be held March 5, and then the actual House District 14 Special Election is scheduled for Tuesday, April 23.
Refreshments will be available, and there will also be short time for a meet and greet following the forum. The public is encouraged to attend.
District 14 candidate forum
The Laurens County and Greenwood chambers of commerce along with Connect Lake Greenwood invited all candidates seeking the South Carolina House of Representatives District 14 seat to participate in a candidate forum this past Thursday night.
It was held at Cedarwood Baptist Church in Waterloo, which is located at 17194 Highway 72 near the Lake Greenwood Bridge.
Municipal candidates
A candidate forum for Laurens and Clinton municipal candidates will be sponsored by the Laurens County Tea Party on Thursday, Feb. 21, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Laurens YMCA, 410 Anderson Drive.
