In the race for Comptroller General, the differences couldn't be clearer. Voters can choose between an innovative financial leader and proven fiscal conservative with a long record of public service and a perennial candidate who has dabbled in lots of things, including lobbying for questionable organizations, and shown a less impressive record of public service.

Richard Eckstrom, the Republican incumbent, is the Blogland’s choice for a lot of good reasons. A CPA who has served a term as Treasurer and two as Comptroller, he’s learned a lot about governmental finances, and put that knowledge to work in a number of initiatives, most notably in the online check registers which have opened up state and local government finances to the public. His continuing record of military service is also commendable as he is one of the highest-ranking officers serving in the South Carolina State Guard.

Eckstrom has been a thoughtful and deliberate teambuilder, picking battles and promoting ideas based upon their importance, not upon winning votes. He has won over the support of public officials from both parties for his initiatives, as well as stood up to his own party in the legislature over the budget.

Two years ago, American voters, seduced by the swan song of “Change”, installed Barack Obama as President. Less than a year later, it was seeing what “Change” was all about that motivated State Senator Mick Mulvaney to challenge incumbent Congressman John Spratt, when he attended a tightly-controlled public hearing held by Spratt over Obama’s health care legislation.

While Spratt has taken this kind of controlling approach towards his constituents, he failed to exercise control where it has mattered most: over the national budget, of which he oversees as Chair of the House Budget Committee. This was demonstrated by his failure to enact a budget this year, as well as failing to exert any degree of restraint over a budget process run amok.

But it’s par the course for Spratt, who has long played one tune back home and another in Washington: claiming to be a middle-of-the-road politico back home, while working hand-in-hand with a Democratic leadership which has rewarded him with his current Chairmanship. To try to divert attention from his record, he has engaged in a misleading negative campaign against Mulvaney, which has received considerable scrunity by the Blogland in recent weeks.

The Blogland has talked plenty about people running for office, but there's more on your fall ballot than candidates.

That's right, we're talking about those often-confusing state Constitutional Amendement questions. This year, there are four questions being presented to voters.

Not surprisingly, the Blogland has an opinion about how to vote on these. We will present the plain-language explanation of each, followed be our recommendation in italics:

Next year, at least three of South Carolina's six Congressional will be represented by freshmen, and maybe four, depending upon the outcome of the tight race for the Fifth District.

The Blogland endorsed candidates for two of the state's three currently-open Congressional seats in the Republican primary: Jeff Duncan in the Third and Trey Gowdy in the Fourth. The Blogland endorses them once more, as well as First District GOP nominee Tim Scott, to fill these seats in Congress.

We've endorsed these three Congressional candidates upon their individual merits, as well as their shared ground and potential to form a great team in Washington.

In the first of our endorsements for the fall elections, the Blogland is supporting Republican Alan Wilson for Attorney General.

Alan Wilson has a proven record of service to his state and country as a state prosecutor and Army officer in Iraq. He’s laid out a plan for the office to be pro-active on issues related to homeland security, against abuses by the federal government, and work to get tougher on violent crime. The overwhelming support he’s received from both prosecutors and Sheriffs from both parties makes it clear he can be the kind of bi-partisan partner and consensus builder who will put results over politics in an office where politics has no place.

His opponent bills himself as “tough and fair”, but his career as a trial attorney suggests he’ll be tough on small businesses by remaining silent on issues such as tort reform and Obama health care, and the suggestion of being “fair” in the prosecution role which the office takes, against high-profile criminals, environmental abuses and other issues, should scare those who want a safer South Carolina.

Of the nine candidates endorsed by the Blogland in this year's primary elections, seven won their races. We're not sure what that means, but we're sure glad most of those we respect and support prevailed in their races.

Governor -Gresham Barrett
Education Super. - Mick Zais

Comptroller General - Richard Eckstrom

Congress, 3rd District - Jeff Duncan
Congress, 4th District - Trey Gowdy

Congress, 6th District - Jim Pratt

House District 47 - Tommy Pope

Governor - Robert Ford

House District 41 - Boyd Brown

We'll be gearing up to follow the action this fall, so watch for more news, opinions and attitudes from the Blogland about the people and issues of Election 2010.

It’s no secret the Blogland hasn’t always said nice things about GOP gubernatorial candidate Gresham Barrett, but those who know the Blogland’s tradition of keeping an open mind and open door should know that yesterday’s disagreements don’t blind us to the realities of today – or blind us from doing the right thing for South Carolina’s future.

This is why Gresham Barrett is the Blogland’s choice for Governor in the GOP run-off.

A lot of people talk about leadership, but Barrett is the one candidate for this office who has a proven record of leadership on many levels: a successful businessman, service in the military, legislative service, and service in Washington.

The Blogland hasn’t shied away from speaking out on the issues of concern in South Carolina, nor have we hesitated to cry foul when we disagree with something. State Representative Nikki Haley is someone the Blogland has stuck up for, but as we discussed in the last posting, just because we think someone’s right one day doesn’t mean we won’t disagree with them the next.

In this case, we couldn’t disagree more with Haley’s contention that she is the best-qualified to be our state’s next Governor. Much of what we’ve seen suggests that she is far from qualified or ready to take the helm of state, especially one divided and demoralized by the lack of leadership from outgoing Governor Mark Sanford.

Since the election of Scott Brown in an upset victory in the recent Massachusetts Senate race, a wave of political upsets have swept out incumbents and favored candidates around the country. This wave has reached South Carolina, leaving Fourth District Congressman Bob Inglis struggling to get another term in Washington.

Inglis once was a fresh face on the political landscape in 1992, when he toppled incumbent House member Liz Patterson, and again when he lost a close bitter race against former Senator Fritz Hollings. But in recent years, Inglis seems to have lost his way with his GOP base.

Trey Gowdy, the Solicitor from Spartanburg, offers a chance for Republicans to get back on track, which is why the Blogland believes he is the best choice for Fourth District Republicans.

Most Blogland readers know that we endorsed Jeff Duncan in the Republican primary, and stand by that endorsement in the run-off election on Tuesday.

With the race for the GOP nomination narrowed down to Duncan and Richard Cash, a political newcomer, the choices become far more clear. Duncan’s experience will give the people of the Third District a reliable conservative voice and effective representation in Congress.

It’s hard to understand what went wrong in the GOP race for Superintendent of Education, but when one of the candidates is a former General and current college president and the other has no education experience and no serious managerial experience on her resume, it’s obvious something went wrong.

We’re not surprised that Newberry College President Mick Zais finished in first place in the crowded field of candidates, given his impressive qualifications. However, we’re surprised – and a little disappointed - that neither Brent Nelsen and Kelly Payne, veteran educators with considerable support among the GOP base.

Tomorrow, many Blogland readers will be casting ballots in various races in the South Carolina primary elections. In some of those races, where there was either an exceptional candidate, or an exceptionally bad one, the Blogland has made endorsements.  You're welcome to consider what we had to say, but even more importantly, you should do your homework before voting in the Tuesday primary elections:

REPUBLICAN PRIMARY

Governor - Nobody

Comptroller General - Richard Eckstrom

Congress, 3rd District - Jeff Duncan

Congress, 6th District - Jim Pratt

House District 47 - Tommy Pope

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

Governor - Robert Ford

House District 41 - Boyd Brown

Also, don't forget to hop through the photos of volunteers out campaigning and working hard for their candidates (Parts 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6)

When chimpanzees fight, it probably looks a lot like the GOP primary for the nomination for the Sixth Congressional District seat - lots of childish fighting amongst those who aren't very bright, and for no obvious reason.

Republicans running for the Sixth District is about as futile as Democrats running for the Third and Fourth Districts. They can't win, but they can give the incumbent party more reasons to turn out voters in lower-ballot swing races, as well as drawing away GOP activists who would otherwise work against a very vulnerable John Spratt in the Fifth District.

The best showing the GOP has ever made against Clyburn was in 1992, when Florence City Council member John Chase waged a six-figure campaign for the seat, getting 38%.  In the GOP landslide year of 1994, Clyburn got 66% of the vote. In light of that, the "Beat Clyburn" message seen on Jim Pratt's signs are a joke.  But there are even worse jokes on the GOP primary ballot, so we'll give the few Republicans stuck in the 6th District our thoughts who they should NOT vote for, and some thoughts about who their best choice is.

This year's race for Governor has taken many twists and turns as candidates have come and gone, in the shadow of the ongoing slow-motion wreckage of the current gubernatorial administration.

In making an endorsement in this year's GOP race, it was decided that instead of telling you who to vote for, we'll share our concerns and positions relative to this race, and let you decide which candidate should carry the Republican Party's banner this fall.

Our readers are usually pretty smart people, well-informed and capable of making their own minds up, so instead of telling you who's good or bad, right or wrong, extreme or RINO, or whatever else other people will say, we're going to let YOU decided who to vote for on your own.

So what's important to us in the Governor's race?

While the Blogland fully expects to endorse the Republican gubernatorial nominee this fall, it is going to exercise a little editorial discretion and recommend a candidate in the Democratic primary for Governor:

The Blogland encourages Democrats who turn out on June 8 to 1) stay on their side of the ballot and 2) vote for Robert Ford for the Democratic nomination.

You can stop laughing now. Ok, maybe you can't, but in any event, we'll discuss our impressions of the candidates.

This year's field of GOP candidates for statewide offices is wide, with most statewide offices, both open and incumbent, facing primary contests.

The Blogland has already endorsed Richard Eckstrom, the current Comptroller General, for re-election in the June 8 Republican Primary, and will announce a series of endorsements in the next few days.

However, candidates for three statewide races will face no primary opposition - incumbents Secretary of State Mark Hammond and Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers, as well as Adjutant General nominee Bob Livingston - and deservingly so, and we thank Republicans for ensuring that they will face free rides in the upcoming June primary.

Richard Eckstrom is seeking a third term as the state's Comptroller General in the upcoming June Republican Primary.

When first elected in 2002, he promised to use his experience as a CPA to scrutinize the state's finances, as well as his position on the Budget and Control Board to question how state government has spent tax dolllars. Time and time again, he's kept his promises to show leadership and vision in modernizing the office and setting new standards for fiscal stewardship in government.

The Blogland supported Eckstrom for re-election in 2006, and based upon his record, once more endorses him for a third term.

Former Solicitor Tommy Pope is an exceptional candidate who deserves their vote and their support.

Pope's slogan simply identifies the one quality that sets him above the rest: "Proven". He alone has a record of dedicated public service, conservative leadership, and proven electability.

The Republican candidates competing for this seat offer varying degrees of experience and enthusiasm. Third District voters should select a candidate who represents the best combination of these, as well as a commitment to the kind of conservative principles which are near to the heart of the GOP grassroots.

The Blogland recommends Laurens County State Representative Jeff Duncan as the best choice to represent the Third District in Congress.

With this op-ed, the Blogland makes history by endorsing a Democrat in an election.

In the Democratic primary for House District 41 in Chester and Fairfield Counties, voters have two candidates to choose from. With the lack of GOP opposition in what is an overwhelmingly-Democratic district, their pick will represent them in the State House for the next two years.

While the Blogland would rather people vote Republican, those whose consciences compel them to vote in the Democratic primary should do just that, and when they do, they should vote to give Representative Boyd Brown another term in the State House.