POLITICAL NEWS: SC House candidate Mia Butler earns endorsement of popular Midlands educator

Mia Butler

With six days remaining in the 2010 campaign season, Mia Butler, the Democratic nominee for the South Carolina House of Representatives District 79 seat, has received the endorsement of Dr. Stephen Hefner, former superintendent of Richland Two Schools.  The Butler campaign announced the endorsement in an email message sent out on Wednesday morning.

“Mia understands that when we keep public funds in our public schools, every child will have an opportunity to excel," said Hefner in the statement.  "I strongly support Mia Butler for House District 79 because I’ve worked with her on issues that are critical to our district. She’s always been a fierce advocate for public education and I know she’ll continue to help strengthen our public education system to ensure that our schools remain among the best in the state.”

Dr. Stephen Hefner

Hefner spent 35 years in the Richland Two school district including 16 years as superintendent.  He retired from the district in June and later agreed to become interim superintendent of Lexington-Richland 5 schools beginning on January 1, 2011.

"Mia Butler is proud to have the endorsement of one of our state’s strongest champions for public education," said campaign spokesman Zach Croft.

Butler faces Republican nominee Sheri Few in the general election next Tuesday.  The winner will take the seat vacated by former Rep. Anton Gunn when he accepted appointment by President Barack Obama to the position of regional director for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Two SC State Representatives named to TIME Magazine's "40 Under 40" list

The Woolfolk Group congratulates State Representatives Bakari Sellers (D-Orangeburg/Bamberg) and Nikki Haley (R-Lexington) on their selection to TIME Magazine's "40 Under 40 Rising Stars of U. S. Politics" list,  published in the latest issue of TIME which hit newsstands today.  The list is also available online.

Rep. Bakari Sellers
(D) Bamberg

"This truly is an awesome honor and it would not have been possible without my family, friends, and the great people of District 90," said Sellers.  "Here in South Carolina, we've had more than our fair share of negative attention lately.  Being recognized for something positive is a nice change of pace."

Sellers, 26, is the second youngest member of the South Carolina General Assembly,  First elected in 2006 at the age of 22, Sellers also serves as First Vice Chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party.  A graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Sellers is the son of civil rights activist Dr. Cleveland Sellers, who serves as president of Voorhees College.

Rep. Nikki Haley
(R) Lexington

Haley, 38, is the 2010 Republican nominee for South Carolina governor.   She is a fiscal conservative who was first elected to the General Assembly in 2004. In TIME Magazine, Haley cited former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as her political inspiration.

Haley faces Sen. Vincent Sheheen (D-Kershaw) in the November election for governor.