A cadre of incumbent Spartanburg GOP officials gathered at the county’s Republican headquarters to file their paperwork and pay their filing fee as soon as the clock struck noon.

With life-size board cutouts of George Washington, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush standing watch over the assembled candidates, along with candidate signs from campaign seasons past lining the walls, the officials joked and smiled as they formalized their bids.

Rep. Derham Cole strode in a few minutes after the others had already gathered.

“Derham, we voted before you came that you would pay all of our filing fees,” one of the incumbents ribbed the freshman House member.

Only a few of the county’s incumbent Republicans, all of whom have told the county GOP they will seek re-election, have challengers who have announced their intent to run.

Of the known challengers, only former state Sen. John Hawkins, who will take on Sen. Lee Bright in the District 12 race, filed on Friday, according to the county party.

But even for those not expected to face serious opposition, there was no talk of a glide path back to Columbia.

“A campaign is never easy,” said GOP Rep. Steve Parker of Boiling Springs, who filed with the group at Republican headquarters. “It’s stressful. It’s exhausting and very involved.”

Rep. Eddie Tallon, R-Spartanburg, noted that he’ll have to familiarize himself with a new district altered the most of any of the county’s incumbent state representatives during last year’s redistricting process.

Tallon’s current district includes parts of Spartanburg and Cherokee counties, while the redesigned district is located entirely in Spartanburg County after taking in portions of Rep. Mike Anthony and Rep. Bill Chumley’s former districts.

“There are always challenges in every race,” Tallon said. “However, I know so many people in the area. I feel very comfortable with the people that I’m going to represent.”

Spartanburg County Clerk of Court Hope Blackley doesn’t yet have firsthand experience with the challenges elections bring.

Appointed by former Gov. Mark Sanford to fill the remaining two years of the unfinished term of former clerk Mark Kitchens, Blackley said after filing Friday that her re-election — or more accurately “initial election” campaign — represents her first political contest.

“I think it’s going to be a wonderful experience,” she said. “I love the job and look forward to it. I can’t emphasize enough how glad I am to be back home.”

Of Spartanburg County’s three incumbent Democratic officials eligible to file, only Sen. Glen Reese did so Friday.

Suspended state Rep. Harold Mitchell said Friday evening that he would file on Saturday.

He was suspended in January after a state Grand Jury handed down four felony indictments of tax evasion.

Mitchell said he is eligible to file despite his suspension and said the charges won’t be an issue for long.

“It’s going to be resolved, and I’ll just leave it at that,” he said.

The only other incumbent Spartanburg County Democrat, County Councilman Michael Brown, has said he will seek re-election, outgoing county Democratic Party Chairwoman Shelly Roehrs said.

The councilman and any other interested candidates have until noon on March 30 to file.

Source: Goupstate.com

But Wednesday, a state Senate committee approved a bill that would reclassify mopeds as a motor vehicle in terms of enforcing drinking-and-driving laws only.

You don’t need a driver’s license to drive a moped in South Carolina, making it a popular choice for drunken-driving offenders with suspended licenses. In the Senate version of the bill, DUI offenders with suspended licenses still could drive mopeds. But they would no longer be exempt from state drunken-driving laws.

The bill, originally sponsored by state Reps. Eddie Tallon and Derham Cole, both Spartanburg Republicans, passed the SC House last year. That version of the proposal would have considered a moped to be a motor vehicle in all aspects of the law.

State law defines a moped as having a motor of less than 50-cubic centimeters and not capable of going faster than 30 miles per hour.

State troopers have had magistrates dismiss several DUI cases involving mopeds, said Col. Michael Oliver, commander of the state Highway Patrol.

Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Berkeley, called that “a glitch in the law.”

“This will take care of that loophole,” he said.

Sen. Gerald Malloy, D-Darlington, initially objected to the law because he said the state also exempts tractors and bicycles from drunken-driving laws.

“I don’t think you should operate a moped drunk,” he said. “But what are you going to do, suspend their license? You don’t need a license to drive a moped.”

Source: The State