Our campaign is on a roll… literally.

We’re rolling through the Lowcountry today on our Real Plans – Real Solutions Bus Tour, and things are going great! In the last few days, we’ve picked up a lot of steam heading into the homestretch.

Dr. Tony Beam, a strong Christian conservative leader and radio host in the Upstate, endorsed our campaign on his program earlier this morning. Mayor Billy Swails of Mt. Pleasant announced his support for us yesterday and on Tuesday, The Charleston Mercury endorsed us.

The crowds are great. The people are enthusiastic. Folks are literally lining up to get on board with our plan to put South Carolina back to work. There is a real excitement in the air and momentum is clearly on our side, but we’ve got to keep it going.

With your help, we’ll claim victory on Tuesday. There are two things you can do to help right now. First, click here and make a contribution of $50, $25, or $10. Your financial support in these final days will make a huge difference. Second, please give our campaign headquarters a call at 803.255.8095 and volunteer. Whether you’re willing to make phone calls, stuff envelopes, or go door-to-door, whatever you can do to help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again for all you do.

Sincerely,

Gresham Barrett

They see the consequences of this legislation.  And so do I.

It is clear that the Democrats in Washington refuse to listen to the will of the people – the hard-working citizens who are the foundation of our country.

Now it is time to take action.

I’m convinced if we are going to take back this country, we are going to do it one state at a time.  With your help, South Carolina can lead the way.  We can be a leader in economic growth by focusing on fiscal responsibility, not federal regulation.   We can create the jobs of tomorrow by easing the tax burden on our businesses today, and not stifling their entrepreneurial spirit.

These aren’t just campaign sound bites. They are my fundamental beliefs.  Leading with common-sense conservative principles, we can take South Carolina where it has never been before.

I believe in God, and I believe with Him all things are possible. I believe above all else in the right to life and I believe that we must do everything we can to protect it. I believe that innovation, not taxation, is the solution to our nation’s energy challenge and that our state can be the national leader in energy independence. I believe in the 2nd Amendment and protecting the Constitution of the United States. I believe in spending tax dollars wisely and in not raising your taxes. I believe medical decisions are best left up to you and your doctor, not some bureaucrat in Washington, DC. I believe in hard work, individual freedom, devotion to family, and service to country. And I believe that together we can take South Carolina somewhere she’s never been before.

Campaign Update from Gresham Barrett on Vimeo.

Gresham on President Obama’s Budget from Gresham Barrett on Vimeo.

Anchor/Reporter

GREENVILLE, S.C. — In the race for South Carolina Governor it is issue number one, jobs. In the race for governor of South Carolina, the No. 1 issue is jobs; not just saving them but finding more.

On Monday, Republican Gresham Barrett released his, “Putting South Carolina back to work plan of action.”

Barrett said, “We are traveling around talking about how we can put South Carolina back to work.”

Barrett’s plan includes overhauling the Department of Commerce and hiring a new head of business recruiting.

He also wants to increase incentives for companies to move to the Palmetto State and wants to fill open jobs now.

For example, the Employment Security Commission says there are jobs available, however in many cases people are not qualified.

Barrett said that needs to change. “We can take workforce development funds take these employees put them to work immediately and train them on sight. It could be 20,000 jobs it could be 40,000 jobs but that is immediately putting people to work to help this economy.”

Meanwhile, a campaign video we found on YouTube, Republican Henry McMaster is also talking about how as governor he would change things.

He calls it his, “Path to Prosperity”, which contains what he calls 10 basic principles of economic reform.

It includes lowering taxes, creating a better-educated workforce, and not just more jobs but higher – paying jobs.

His proposal includes dozens of specific steps toward the goals of filling jobs immediately, overhauling the S.C. Department of Commerce, providing comprehensive tax and incentive reform, promoting tourism, making the state a leader in energy independence, improving infrastructure and fighting federal mandates and unfair labor laws.

“South Carolina is in its worst economic drought since the Great Depression. More than 270,000 of our state’s citizens are out of work. So today I am offering this aggressive plan to put South Carolina back to work,” he said.

With the state’s unemployment rate at a record level and among the worst in the nation, jobs are expected to be among the hottest issues in this year’s race. Barrett’s GOP primary opponent, S.C.

Attorney General Henry McMaster, laid out a 10-point “path to prosperity” economic development plan shortly after he entered the race in August.

Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer and state Rep. Nikki Haley of Lexington are the other Republicans running for governor.

All are expected to participate in a GOP debate Thursday in Charleston.

On the Democratic side, gubernatorial candidate and state Sen. Vincent Sheheen of Camden said Monday that his plan to enact legislative oversight of state agencies is gaining momentum in the Legislature after his plan was folded into a reform measure to make the state’s Department of Disability and Special Needs a Cabinet-level agency.

“Too often our state government agencies are on autopilot, acting with limited accountability to the taxpayer,” Sheheen said.

The other Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls include Columbia lawyer Dwight Drake, state Sen. Robert Ford, Charleston lawyer Mullins McLeod and S.C. Superintendent of Education Jim Rex.

The filing period for candidates seeking political party nominations is March 16-30.

The plan includes overhauling the state Department of Commerce and tax code, prioritizing improvements to state roads, bridges and ports, and using lottery money to retrain workers for the up to 40,000 jobs currently available.

Barrett unveiled the plan at stops in Greenville, North Charleston and West Columbia.

“With a comprehensive approach to economic development, we can take South Carolina somewhere she has never been before,” Barrett said.

The jobs tour continues today with stops in Aiken and Greenwood.

Just before Christmas, we got the bad news that the Senate passed its own version of the Democratic health care bill. Truth be told, it’s even worse than the House version that passed earlier this fall.

Now, members of both the House and the Senate are supposed to come together and work out the differences between the bills in what’s known as the conference report.

That entire process is supposed to be open to the public and aired on C-SPAN, so that the American people have a chance to see what exactly is contained in the new health care bill.

But according to news reports released this morning, the President and Congressional Democrats have struck a backroom deal so they can avoid the open and transparent conference process to which every American is entitled.

That’s just wrong.

For the last couple of months, we’ve had a feature on our website called Ask Gresham where people could come and ask me a question about the issues facing our state. Today, I wanted to do something a little different. I want to ask Speaker Pelosi, Senator Reid and President Obama a question – What are you afraid of? Why won’t you give the American people the open and transparent legislative process that they are promised?

Now, I don’t expect they’ll ever answer my question, but I am sure you have some thoughts on the issue. So, I hope you’d take just a minute to watch the brief video and voice your opinion on the Congressional Democrats’ plans to work out the details of the health care bill behind closed doors.

Maybe you can answer the question – What are Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Barack Obama afraid of?

Sincerely,

Gresham Barrett

Dear Friend,

As the Senate considers a health care bill that contains taxpayer funding for abortion, I could not help but think that the gift of life has special meaning this time of year.

2,000 years ago a young mother gave birth to the child that would be the savior for all humanity. Today as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, it is important that we all pause to give thanks for our blessings.

I am especially grateful for my three children, Madison, Jeb and Ross. As a parent, I know how precious life is and I am committed to doing all that I can to protect it. And it is because of my strong belief in the right to life that I was so disturbed by recent developments in the proposed federal health care legislation.

Senate Democrats carefully crafted legislative language that could potentially create a perpetual battle over taxpayer funded abortions in State Houses across the country. The Senate version of the health care bill mandates federal funding for abortion in all health insurance plans, provided that one policy not covering abortion is offered in each state. To bypass taxpayer funding for abortions, state legislatures would be required to pass a law prohibiting coverage of abortion through state health care. Even then, taxpayers would still be funding abortions, just not in their state.

The best chance we have for putting an end to this dangerous legislation is the collective voice of pro-life conservatives across the country. Will you stand with us in standing up for life? If so, please fill out the form below.

There is still an opportunity to make a difference on this legislation. In the coming weeks, a reconciled version of the health care bill will come up for a vote in the House, and with the support of like-minded Republicans and Democrats we can defeat it. But, we must act now. We must work together to defend innocent life, and we must make our voices heard.

I ask you to join with me in this fight to protect life by fill out the form below. As the bill makes its way through Congress, I will call on you personally to take action at a grassroots level to make sure the rights of the unborn are protected.

Thank you for all that you do, and thank you in advance for standing with me in defending the lives of the unborn.

Sincerely,

Gresham Barrett

While more than a quarter of a million unemployed South Carolinians were wondering how they will make ends meet, President Obama was halfway around the world focused on global warming, instead of job creation.

As another one of our state’s citizens was getting the bad news printed on a pink slip, our President was praising the international environmental accord reached in Europe over the weekend.

It’s a matter of priorities, and I believe President Obama’s are misplaced.

Instead of focusing on meaningful job creation measures, the President has put his full support behind a job-killer called Cap and Trade. Its effects would be nothing short of devastating to our already struggling economy. According to the Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University, Cap and Trade would cost South Carolina almost 19,000 jobs and $2 billion by 2020 and more than 220,000 jobs and nearly $17 billion by 2050.

With so many of our friends and neighbors out of work, Cap and Trade is one bill we cannot afford to let pass. I hope you’ll join me in calling on President Obama to put his focus on job creation through common sense initiatives like tax cuts and incentives for business to grow and expand, rather than pushing for job stifling energy taxes.

“Nine months later, with over $200 billion of stimulus funding already spent, the rolls of the unemployed have grown by millions and, by any measure, more jobs have been lost than created.

“Since the stimulus bill was enacted in February, nearly three million Americans have lost their jobs and the percentage of people without work has risen to 10 percent.”

I would encourage you to read through Senator Coburn and Senator McCain’s report, using the link above. But, in case you’re short on time, I have highlighted ten of the most questionable stimulus projects uncovered in this most recent report. As you review these projects, keep in mind they were all paid for with our hard-earned dollars.

10. $4.7 Million for research to develop supersonic corporate jets
9. $54 Million to relocate the Napa Wine Train
8. $94,902 to study the Icelandic arctic environment in the Viking Age
7. $150,000 to develop the next generation of football gloves
6. $50 Million for fish food
5. $6,4 Million construction contract awarded to firm under criminal investigation
4. $1.3 Million for Amtrak, despite the fact that Amtrak loses $32 per passenger
3. $750,000 to give climate-controlled water taxis a new home
2. $100,000 to fund anti-capitalist, socially-conscious puppet shows
1. $389,357 to pay Buffalo residents to keep daily journals of malt liquor and marijuana use

Below is a video of Senator Santorum’s announcement

Best Wishes,

Thanksgiving from Gresham Barrett on Vimeo.

Fox News is now reporting “It was not immediately clear where commission-bound detainees like al-Nashiri might be sent, but a Navy brig in South Carolina has been high on the list of considered sites.”

I’m working with state officials and members of our Congressional delegation to do everything we can to keep these enemy combatants out of South Carolina. But your voice must be heard now, so I’m asking you to sign our petition today.

Please click here and sign our letter to President Obama demanding that terrorist detainees be kept out of our state. I will be sending the letter with the names of each signatory soon.

LETTER TO PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

Mr. President:

The people of this state have already made it abundantly clear that any plan to move terrorists to our soil is unacceptable. I strenuously object to the potential transfer of known terrorists from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to any federal or state facility inside the State of South Carolina.

Furthermore, we believe bringing known terrorists to South Carolina endangers our state’s citizens and makes them potential targets for future terrorist attacks.

I strongly urge you, Mr. President, not to transfer any more of these known terrorists to American soil and I would support any legal or legislative remedy opposing terrorist transfers to the State of South Carolina.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME

Please click here and join the thousands of South Carolinians demanding that President Obama keep GITMO’s terrorist detainees out of South Carolina.

Sincerely,

Gresham Barrett

P.S. Please sign our petition to keep GITMO terrorists out of South Carolina today.

I just got this incredibly disturbing email from Erick Erickson of Redstate.com. Please read it and then sign our petition.

Today Barack Obama is going to announce that the terrorist mastermind of September 11th, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, will be sent to New York City for a criminal trial in a civilian court.

Erick Erickson
Editor, RedState.com

Less than 24 hours before the meet-and-greet at Live Oaks Park, U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett was in Washington, D.C., voting against the House health care reform bill that passed 220 to 215.

“I was heart-sick last night,” Barrett said before more than 80 people gathered for the event. “It was a sad day for freedom. Coming back today gives me so much hope.”

All Republican candidates running for office in 2010 were invited to speak at the event hosted by the Beaufort Area Republican Club. Only two of

five gubernatorial candidates attended.

Barrett focused his speech Sunday on what he considers three areas the state must improve:economic development, education and energy.

South Carolina must have infrastructure in place that attracts business to the area, provide adequate funding for education at all levels and explore and use nuclear power, he said.

Barrett supports developing the proposed Jasper Ocean Terminal that he said would likely have a huge economic impact on six or seven counties — including Beaufort County — if developed.

State Sen. Larry Grooms of Berkeley also heralded the Jasper port as a huge economic opportunity for South Carolina. Grooms, who serves as chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, sponsored a recent bill to restructure the State Port’s Authority. Among other things, the bill directs development of the Jasper port and gives the authority a Dec. 31 deadline to sell the shuttered port of Port Royal.

All too often the Republican party elects candidates who don’t push traditional conservative values of limited government, Grooms said.

“You’re not responsible for your neighbor’s mortgage, you’re not responsible for the failed business down the street and you’re not responsible for your neighbor’s health care,” he said. “I jumped into this race later than the rest of (the other candidates) because I know what’s at stake.”

Republicans Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, state Rep. Nikki Haley of Lexington and Attorney General Henry McMaster of Columbia are also running for governor.

Lieutenant governor candidate Tim Scott and state Rep. Shannon Erickson, R-Beaufort, who’s running for re-election, also spoke at the event.

Scott, of Charleston, has 14 years of government experience and was elected to the state House of Representatives in 2008. He vowed to stop out-of-control spending, fight tax increases, reduce tax burdens on senior citizens by increasing the state’s homestead exemption level, and strengthen state rights if elected.

“We cannot have our federal government picking winners and losers in health care,” Scott said. “We need a lieutenant governor who will stand up and say ‘absolutely not here, not now, not ever.’ ”

Erickson, who was elected in 2007, said she has and will continue to “hold the line” on spending and taxes while fighting for Beaufort County and her constituents.

“We give and give and give from Beaufort County,” Erickson said. “The time has come where we can’t keep helping our friends when we are hurting ourselves.”

Island Packet

We have a number of challenges facing our nation and our state these days. Our economy is struggling, unemployment numbers remain frighteningly high, and although recent economic development announcements are very encouraging, many families are worried about what the future really holds for them.

Even more worrisome is the prospect that President Obama is already hastily putting in motion a plan to transfer dangerous terrorists currently held in the maximum security prison in Guantanamo Bay Cuba and move them to the Naval Brig in North Charleston.

As a congressman, as a father, and as a husband, I am deeply concerned about the impact this could have on our state for years to come. According to some congressional insiders and investigative news reports that surfaced late last week, the Obama administration already conducted an on-site tour of the Naval Brig in North Charleston this fall. The purpose was, among other things, to determine whether it is viable to house transferred detainees from Guantanamo Bay in North Charleston and if they could conduct military tribunals at a National Guard facility nearby.

Because one terrorist who happened to be apprehended inside the United States was being held at this same Naval Brig, members of a Guantanamo Bay Closure Task Force cited it as their leading option to house more terrorists.

Remember, these are terrorists whose only stated mission is to kill as many Americans as possible. Why on earth would anyone think it is a good idea to bring them to American soil?

The people of this state have already made it abundantly clear this plan is unacceptable and dangerous. By locating them here, all of South Carolina becomes more of a target for future terrorism.

I am sure the president thinks he is doing what is right, but this plan looks self serving and political.

Safety must continue to be our chief concern and our top priority. And the fact of the matter is that Guantanamo Bay, or GITMO, really works. This base has kept Americans safe and that’s why we need to keep it open for business as long as necessary.

In Congress, I have worked with members of our state’s congressional delegation to offer legislative changes to thwart the terrorist transfers to our state and into our nation.

Along with Congressman Henry Brown, I co-sponsored H.R. 565 that prohibits the use of funds to transfer anyone already detained at GITMO to the Naval Brig in Charleston. Additionally, I co-sponsored the Keep Terrorists Out of America Act, which requires the Obama administration to first seek permission of state governors and legislatures before transferring one single terrorist to their respective states.

Unfortunately, the Democrats have prevented either of these bills from coming to the full House floor for a vote.

That is why last week, when I learned of this potential threat, I spoke with Gov. Mark Sanford directly and asked him to take the lead on this important issue and I told him I would do whatever was necessary to stop the transfer of any more terrorists to our state.

Additionally, I called on Gov. Sanford to do everything within his power, including pursuing legal action if necessary, to make certain no more terrorists enter our state. The governor was very responsive and I believe he should be the one to take the lead on these important state matters and I am confident he will use the right path forward in this endeavor.

Today, I am asking other state leaders to set partisanship aside and work together with the governor on this issue. Republicans and Democrats need to send President Obama a clear message that it is an ill-convinced idea to move these terrorists to South Carolina or any other state.

To that end, I have asked every member of our congressional delegation and each candidate for governor on both sides of the aisle to join me in telling President Obama to keep those terrorists in Cuba. It is my sincere hope that together we can force the president to reconsider and make certain that the safety and security of South Carolina’s families is preserved.

I’ve spent the past eight months traveling the state, telling voters what I think we should to do change the way Columbia does business – how we can fix our economy and create sustainable jobs for South Carolina’s families.

Now I want to take the time to hear what you think.

I know you’re frustrated.

You’re frustrated by the big spending policies of President Obama and the Democrats in Washington. You’re frustrated with the empty promises for better education and more jobs coming out of Columbia. And you’re tired of all the finger pointing and politics as usual.

I’m frustrated too, and I know we can do better. Together we can put our energy to work to really change government with true conservative solutions.

That’s why I’m asking you to please take the next three minutes to tell me your opinion on these extremely important issues facing our state. It won’t take long.

Please just click here and take my nine-question survey.

New unemployment numbers were released this morning, and the figures aren’t pretty:

• Nationally, the unemployment rate climbed by nearly a third of a percent; up from 9.4% in July to 9.7% in August.

• Last month, 216,000 Americans lost their jobs and the latest reports point to further weakness in the economy.

• And right here in South Carolina, our unemployment rate continues to hover above 12%.

In spite of the facts, the Obama Administration and Democrats in Congress continue to stand by the broken stimulus program insisting “we’re headed in the right direction.”

Their relentless commitment to staying the course of more government spending, increased intervention and forced takeovers isn’t the solution; it’s precisely the problem. Their plan takes us down a path of economic disaster.

We deserve better. And here in South Carolina, we can do better.

I have long said if we are going to take this country back, we’re going to do one state at a time. And it starts right here, right now.

We will chart a much different course than President Obama, and restore the Palmetto State to a leading destination for job creation and economic development. This goal is the primary focus of my campaign for governor. And it all starts with what I call “The Three E’s” – economic development, education and energy.

We have to once again create a free market environment in South Carolina where our job creators are unleashed. Where taxes are low, spending is down, and regulation doesn’t choke innovation. We need an education system that challenges our children with choice, rewards excellence, and graduates it too. We need schools that prepare our children not just for tests, but for success in the working world. And we need a state policy that recognizes energy as an engine for job creation and economic diversity. We need a plan that will make South Carolina the energy capitol of the nation within a decade.

But more easily, I can sum up my plans for South Carolina in one word: Jobs.

I’m a former small businessman who grew up in the family business. I know what it’s like to create jobs, cut through government red tape, and try to make a living. That’s why I have long fought for the taxpayers of South Carolina and opposed the culture of wasteful spending in our state and national capitols.

The reality is simple. Our economy is in trouble. People are hurting. And our job is clear. We have to convince people that the way out of the woods is not the way we got in. We cannot return to bigger government, more intrusion in our lives, or spending that we can’t afford.

As Governor I’ll work to replace government as our single largest employer, lead South Carolina to become the energy capitol of the South, and reestablish the port of Charleston as the central gateway between the east coast and the world.

And with your help, we can make that vision a reality.

The single biggest government takeover of our economy in United States history is happening in Congress RIGHT NOW.

And I’m asking you to stand with me to stop it.

Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and the liberal Democrats in Congress are furiously pushing a no holds barred government takeover of health care. They want a Washington run monopoly that will put government in charge of the doctors you see and the treatment you receive.

And we cannot let that happen.

I’m running for Governor as a common sense conservative. My background is in small business. I’m a Citadel graduate, a former Army artillery captain, and a proud husband and father of three.

As a Congressman, I was honored to be endorsed by the National Right to Life Committee, the NRA, Citizens Against Government and to have received the National Taxpayers Union Taxpayer Friend Award six times.

And now I’m trying to take that conservative approach to state government.

As a candidate for Governor, I’ve spent the first few months of my campaign focused on a positive message of job creation and economic development. I’ve been traveling the state talking about how we can make South Carolina the South’s leading engine for economic development again by growing our economy, reducing government spending, and working together again.

And the response has been incredible. People want conservative leadership that works. They want to put the poison political in-fighting behind us and get back to the conservative principles that once made South Carolina great.

But to do that, we have to take care of some business in Washington first. The hard, cold reality is simple: If we let Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi take over 20% of our economy and hand it to government bureaucrats, it will set us back decades if not centuries. Their policies will raise hundreds of billions in taxes and bankrupt our country with over a trillion dollars in deficit spending. And absolutely no corner of South Carolina will go untouched.

As conservatives, we can and we must stop this massive government takeover.

Recently, Congressional Quarterly compiled national ratings on every Congressman in the country and their support or opposition to President Obama.

Because of my strong leadership against stimulus spending, cash for clunkers, and wasteful Democrat programs, they ranked me the second most opposed to President Obama of any Congressman in the country.

My response was simple: Second place isn’t good enough.

So know this:

When we’re done with the health care debate, no one in the nation will have opposed President Obama more.

As someone who ran a small family business, I know that we can’t afford a risky big government experiment with our medical care. I know we can’t afford a top down, Washington monopoly on health policy, or trillions in new spending to grow government.

They can call it a public option. They can call it government health insurance. But when we’re done debating it this fall, here is what we must call it: Dead, buried, and gone forever.

If you agree, please take a moment to get involved with our campaign and stand with me in opposition to this massive government takeover. And if you believe South Carolina can lead the nation in economic development and job creation the old fashioned way with pro growth policies diametrically opposed to President Obama’s, then join my growing South Carolina team.

And more importantly, thank you for your commitment to the conservative cause. It has never been needed more than now.

Columbia lobbyist and Democratic candidate Dwight Drake says as governor he’d wake up in the morning and go to bed at night thinking about job creation.

At his first press conference as a gubernatorial candidate, Republican Attorney General Henry McMaster’s carefully polished message was his 10-point plan for fixing the economy.

To no one’s surprise in a state with an unemployment rate of nearly 12 percent — highest in the South and sixth-highest in the nation — the economy is emerging as a hot issue in next year’s race to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Mark Sanford.

“I’ve seen a number of polls over the last two months, all of which indicate the economy is the most important issue by far,” said Columbia lawyer and Democratic activist Richard Harpootlian. “And education is No. 2.”

Political consultant Richard Quinn of Columbia said some 70 percent of South Carolina voters now cite economic issues as their top concern, the highest percentage he’s seen in nearly 30 years of polling.

“It’s the central issue on the minds of voters,” said Quinn, whose clients include McMaster and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham.

What the candidates propose to do about the economy is just beginning to emerge, with McMaster the first to release a formal plan last week. Among other things, it calls for an advisory forum of top business leaders, tax reform and improving children’s reading skills.

State Rep. Nikki Haley of Lexington, another Republican candidate, said she’d be releasing an economic development plan in coming weeks. In the meantime, she’s promising to spend more than half of her time as governor working to create jobs.

Charleston lawyer Mullins McLeod, a Democrat, vowed to make “job creation and economic development the No. 1 priority in my administration” and state Sen. Vincent Sheheen, Camden Democrat, said he’d “be personally involved in recruitment of industries.”

State Sen. Robert Ford, a Charleston Democrat, said he’d revive the video poker industry and tax it heavily to generate new jobs and new revenue for investing in the film industry and a tutoring program.

“The governor’s number one job is jobs,” Barrett said. “He should wake up every day and ‘What am I going to do for South Carolina? How am I going to create jobs?’”

South Carolina should offer business packages that are competitive across the Southeast, he said.

“That’s who we’re competing against,” Barrett said.

Government’s role is “to set the table,” he said.

“To make sure the infrastructure in place, to make sure the rules and regulations are not onerous, that we’re not over-burdening our businessmen and businesswomen,” Barrett said. “But once that table’s set, we get the heck out of the way.”

The three categories that fall under Barrett’s jobs platform are economic development, education and energy.

The Port of Charleston is essential to the state’s economic future, Barrett said.

“One out of every 10 jobs is directly related to ports,” he said. “We’ve got to make sure the Port of Charleston is our gateway to the coasts.”

“When the Panama Canal is widened in the next three years, container traffic will increase three-fold,” Barrett said. “Making sure we can move that container traffic is extremely important.”

Infrastructure is also essentially for attracting new industry, he said.

“You put the infrastructure in place and they will come,” Barrett said. “We’re a plug-in society. Businesses are the same way. They want to come in, they want to plug in and they want to start working today.”

The state’s tax structure needs to be brought into the 21st century, Barrett said.

“If you had a garden hose that’s been repaired as many times as the South Carolina tax code, you’d throw it out and get a new garden hose,” he said.

Barrett favors a holistic approach to overhauling the state’s tax structure.

Regulations are tying the hands of businesspeople across the state, he said.

“Government should be a partner, not a competitor, in business,” Barrett said. “These rules and regulations cost businessmen and businesswomen money every day.”

School districts are so strapped for cash that teachers are forced to buy supplies for their students.

“There’s something wrong with that picture,” Barrett said. “Why are these funds not funneling down to our classrooms?”

Barrett believes in helping not only K-12 classrooms, but higher education, including community college.

The governor should meet with education leaders every quarter, with the goal of constantly pushing education forward, he said.

“What are we going to do with all these young people we’re educating?” Barrett asked.

“Where are they going to work? Let’s put them to work in the energy industry. A nuclear reactor welder can make $40,000 – $70,000 a year.”

The four nuclear reactors in the works are each “$10 billion investments,” he said.

-The Pickens Sentinel

Are you in 20 for 10?

Right now, you’re probably asking yourself, “What is 20 for 10?”

A few weeks ago, I went to Gresham’s campaign with an idea. As a businesswoman, I recognized Gresham Barrett is the one candidate for governor who can help turn our state’s economy around. So, I wanted to create an easy way for the most dedicated grassroots supporters to make a positive impact on South Carolina’s future. And I called my idea 20 for 10.

Here’s how it works. If you believe in Gresham’s positive conservative message and want to bring jobs-focused reform to state government, just sign up to contribute $20 a month to the campaign until the 2010 election. It’s that simple!

As a member of 20 for 10, you’ll have access to insider campaign information. We’ll keep you up to date on the latest happenings, and you’ll be invited to a private reception with Gresham next May.

Our goal is to sign up 50 members a month between now and the end of the year.  But the sooner we get folks on board, the bigger the difference we can make. So, join 20 for 10 today and ask 20 of your friends to do the same. To learn more about 20 for 10, click here.

Sincerely,

Kathi Sill
Richland County Co-Chair
Barrett for Governor

P.S.     Are you in 20 for 10? If not, sign up today and start making a difference!

“With unemployment hovering around 12 percent, this is a time that South Carolina needs to be 100 percent focused on job creation and economic development.  And when we’re talking about impeachment, special sessions or this press conference, we’re not talking about jobs.  That’s why this continuing controversy only sets us back.  We need everyone in South Carolina working together to create jobs and fix our economy.  And unfortunately, that’s just not happening right now.
“I’m sure the Lt. Governor is trying to do what he thinks is right.  That’s what people elect us to do and in the end they get to judge for themselves.  But my position remains the same.  Regardless of what the Lt. Governor or legislature does or doesn’t do, I believe the Governor is the one person who can step up and put an end to this before it becomes a three ring circus.  I know that’s a tough decision.  I can only imagine.  But I know he loves South Carolina and my hope would be that he will look at this all carefully and decide to do the right thing.  South Carolina has to get back to the business of creating jobs again. And that is getting harder and harder each day.”

This is Madison, Gresham and Natalie’s daughter. Hope you are doing well. I just started classes at Anderson University and am excited about being a senior. I just wanted to let you in on a little secret!

Tomorrow is Mom and Dad’s 25th Wedding Anniversary. My brothers, Jeb and Ross, and I wanted to do something nice for them. But since Dad has us on a pretty tight budget, we’re kind of short on cash (Dad says it builds character.  But we’re not totally sold on that yet.)

At any rate, we decided to do something a little different and we need your help!

Dad’s running for Governor, and we thought it would make a nice surprise if we were able to raise $25 from each of his friends and supporters as a way of celebrating he and mom’s 25th Anniversary. Contributing is easy. All you have to do is click here and use your credit or debit card to make your donation.

For those of you who may not know Dad yet, let me tell you a little bit about him.

First off, he really is a great Dad. No matter how busy he gets, he always manages to make time for Mom and us. Whether it’s helping Jeb or I move into college or crisscrossing the state to be in the stands for Ross’ football games, Dad is always going the extra mile.

Dad grew up in Westminster. He graduated from The Citadel, served in the Army for almost five years and came home to run the family business. He served in the State House for six years and is now our Congressman. Plus, he’s a rock solid conservative. All those national conservative groups rank him off the charts. (The campaign guys told me to be sure to mention that!)

Now Dad’s running for Governor.

I don’t know much about politics, but I know a whole lot about my Dad and I can tell you this- he’s a good guy who will bring people together to get things done. He keeps saying that you can sum up all of his plans for South Carolina in one word – JOBS. And since he ran a business for so many years, I’d say he knows a thing or two about working in the real world.

Well, I could go on and on about Dad, but I really want to just ask you one more time if you’ll help Jeb, Ross and me make sure Mom and Dad have an extra special 25th Wedding Anniversary by contributing $25 to our campaign. Oh, and if you’ve got a little extra to give, that wouldn’t hurt either!

Thanks for all your help,

Madison Barrett

P.S. – The big day is tomorrow and we want to do our part to help Dad’s campaign, so please contribute $25 today! And if you’ve got some time on your hands, send this email around to 25 of your friends and ask them to do the same.  Thanks!



So, let me be blunt – Cash for Clunkers has been an unmitigated disaster that makes me shudder to think what would happen if Obama gets his wish and the government takes over health care.

I opposed Cash for Clunkers from the beginning. It cost too much and I had zero faith the government could manage the program.

Within a few days of its launch, Cash for Clunkers had already burned through the billion dollars Congress allocated for it. With little concern for the massive deficit run up under their watch, Democrats used their majority to muscle through another $2 billion for the program. That money was supposed to last through September, but the government announced yesterday that the program will shut down on August 24th.

I’ve heard from a number of car dealers in my district who the government owes hundreds of thousands of dollars in reimbursements. Despite having filled out all the right forms and followed all the rules, so far the government has failed to live up to its end of the bargain leaving dealers in our state in a real lurch. If the government doesn’t make good on its promise some of our car dealers, who provide good jobs to hardworking men and women, could be forced to make further cuts or even close up shop.

It’s obvious Cash for Clunkers is a real lemon, but is it a sign of things to come?

What would happen if the feds took over health care in our country? With Cash for Clunkers, we’re talking about thousands of dealerships. But, in government run health care, we’re looking at millions of lives.

The government has proven it cannot manage a relatively small program, why then would it make sense to put 20% of our economy and our health in their hands?

We can’t and we won’t!

The American people have government run health care on the ropes, but the final bell hasn’t rung just yet. We’ve got to keep swinging. This isn’t about politics. It’s about the freedom to make decisions on which doctor you’ll see and when.

So, I’m asking you to keep up the fight. Call Congress. Call the White House and let them know where you stand.

Speaking following an address to around 90 people packed into Taste of Distinction Restaurant and Catering near Easley on Thursday, 3rd District Congressman Gresham Barrett said he doubts the new strategy would change the overall tone of the proposed legislation.

“It’s not going to dramatically change the construction of the bill,” Barrett said. “I have a problem with both the bill’s funding and the nuts and bolts.”

Barrett touched on other issues, including cap-and-trade, taxes and cash for clunkers, during his 30-minute speech to members of Easley Chamber of Commerce and the Powdersville Council, but most of the focus was on health-care reform.

Top Democrats in Washington are hinting this week that they may abandon a bipartisan effort to pass reform, with the Senate considering action that would eliminate the need for Republican support. Called “reconciliation,” the legislative strategy allows legislation to pass with a simple majority, thus avoiding the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster.

The 48-year-old former Westminster businessman told a friendly audience that health-care reforms are needed, but the House bill he has read doesn’t address the current system’s high costs.

“The Congressional Budget Office has said costs will go up,” he said.

Barrett said he has introduced an amendment to the House bill that would require all members of Congress, congressional staff and senior administration officials to enroll in the government-run health-care program, a move that drew loud applause from the audience.

Barrett said the sometimes rowdy town hall meetings being held across the country this month are being attended primarily by citizens who are “doing what they’re supposed to do.”

“These aren’t radicals, or extremists or right-wing agitators. These are men and women, boys and girls, the old and the young, black, white — concerned citizens who are afraid of what’s happening in their lives,” Barrett said.

Barrett, who has been campaigning across the state for the GOP nomination for governor in 2010, said that while the federal Cash for Clunkers program is a good idea, he voted against the initial $1 billion allocation and the second round of funding because the government couldn’t afford it.

“We didn’t have the money to put into the program,” he said, “and now we have dealers across this state who literally are a week from closing or going out of business because they can’t get the government to honor the commitment on the cars they’ve sold.”

Administration officials have said dealers will get their money.

Greenville News

By Terry Cregar

http://www.aikenstandard.com/results/0812gresham#comments

The Aiken Standard: Barrett: No. 1 concern as governor will be jobs
By April Bailey

Turning things around in South Carolina is all about jobs, jobs, jobs, said U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett.

He stopped at Especially Seniors in Aiken Tuesday afternoon as a part of his “Barrett Means Business” bus tour across the state. The four-day tour began on Monday.

During the tour, Barrett, who is looking to become South Carolina’s next governor, will visit businesses and colleges throughout the state to discuss job creation and economic development.

The tour was also scheduled to make stops in Rock Hill, Lancaster and Columbia on Tuesday.

“It’s about putting people to work and growing the economy,” the Republican congressman said as he outlined his keys to economic growth for the state. Creating jobs begins with better utilizing the state’s ports, making infrastructure improvements and creating incentives for business owners to grow.

On the campaign trail, Barrett said what he hears most from South Carolinians, is “we want someone who will work for us.”

As governor, Barrett said his focus would be working to bring businesses to the state.

“In my opinion, the governor’s No. 1 job is jobs,” he said.

The state government also needs reform, according to Barrett.

“We’ve got businessmen and women working in the 21st century, and we’ve got a government that’s working in the 18th century,” he said.

Talk shifted to the national health care debate when Aiken resident Robert Whitehouse told Barrett he hopes the congressman will “vote down the expansion of national debt.”

Barrett said the proposed legislation is not the fix the country needs, making a comparison to the Cash for Clunkers program for vehicles.

“If we can’t handle a $1 billion program, how are we going to handle a $2 trillion program?” he asked.

Robbie Yarborough, owner of Especially Seniors, also expressed concerns about the health care proposal, saying he is unsure of the requirements that would be placed on business owners.

Barrett will take a break from campaigning today to be with his son, who is heading off to college.

The “Barrett Means Business” tour will start back up on Thursday and continue through Friday.

http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/08/12/met_544154.shtml

The Augusta Chronicle: Governor candidate Barrett talks issues in Aiken
Would-be governor talks about what state needs
By Preston Sparks | South Carolina Bureau Chief
Wednesday, August 12, 2009

AIKEN — U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett was in Aiken on Tuesday, stumping to be South Carolina’s next governor; but before things got started, an Aiken resident referenced another job.

“My name is Robert Whitehouse,” he said with a big smile. “Does that give you any inspiration?”

Laughing, Mr. Barrett responded, “Nice to meet you Mr. Whitehouse” and quickly began addressing several federal and state issues while visiting workers with Especially Seniors, which provides in-home care services for seniors.

It was the fourth and final stop of the day for Mr. Barrett, a Republican, along his “Barrett Means Business” bus tour.

After hearing concerns from Mr. Whitehouse about the growing national debt, Mr. Barrett said, “There’s only so many times you can take in $100 and spend $150.”

Mr. Barrett then heard from Robbie Yarborough, of Especially Seniors, who had concerns over how proposed health care reform might affect his business.

“This fix is not the fix we need,” Mr. Barrett said, later adding that he had heard similar worries from other businesses on his tour across the state.

Mr. Barrett talked about how as governor he would focus on job creation, strengthening South Carolina’s ports, improving the state’s infrastructure and restructuring government. He said businesses shouldn’t be taxed more as their profit increases and that they need an incentive to grow.

He said he would favor having a liaison who could streamline questions and concerns of businesses.

Asked about the current woes of Gov. Mark Sanford, Mr. Barrett simply said, “The only thing I can control is Gresham Barrett.” But he later added, “I think people are ready for some change,” contending that voters want an active governor who’s focused on jobs.

He said that’s why the governor’s race is getting so much attention 10 months before the primary.

“I believe with all my heart if we’re going to change America … we’re going to do it one state at a time,” Mr. Barrett said.

NBC Augusta: Gresham Barrett stumps in Aiken
Aug 11, 2009 at 11:15 PM
By Dustin Blanchard

South Carolina Gubernatorial candidate Gresham Barrett had jobs on his mind on Tuesday during a bus tour of small businesses in Aiken.

He talked to workers at Especially Seniors.

The in-home care workers shared their concerns about healthcare and business issues they encounter in South Carolina.

The US Representative told them, if elected governor, he’d have liaisons to help businesses navigate the state.

He says his platform is to rework the Governorship to help create jobs.

“We’re talking about education, energy, but it all boils down to jobs,” said Barrett. “Growing the economy through the private and not the public sector.”

Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer, Attorney General Henry McMaster and State Senators Nikki Haley and Larry Grooms are also running for the Republican nomination for Governor.

http://www2.scnow.com/scp/news/politics/local_govtpolitics/article/congressman_barrett_stops_in_florence_to_campaign_for_governor/69367/

The Florence Morning News: Rep. Barrett stops in Florence to campaign for governor

By Dwight Dana
Morning News reporter
Published: August 13, 2009

FLORENCE — “Come on in and sit down, we’ve got plenty of room,” Gresham Barrett said early Thursday as he made a campaign swing near Florence in a motor home. “I even brought the rain with me.”

Barrett is seeking the Republican nomination for governor of South Carolina. He currently represents the 3rd District as a U. S. Congressman.

Barrett was on the third leg of a four-day campaign swing throughout the state. He was heading to Myrtle Beach after Florence.

He said he was running for governor because “I believe with all my heart that if we’re going to change this nation, we’re going to do it one state at a time. And you will make this change from the bottom up, not the top down.”

The 1983 Citadel graduate is campaigning on three key issues, economic development, education and energy.

“But I think I can sum up my whole campaign with three words,” he said, “and that is jobs, jobs, jobs. We’ve got to put people back to work.”

Regarding economic development, he said the port of Charleston needs to be the gateway to the East.

“With container traffic increasing, it’s extremely important that our ports are number one,” he said. “One out of every 10 jobs is directly related to the ports. When I think about the businesses whose life blood is the port of Charleston, I think of Fuji, Caterpillar, Michelin and BMW.”

Barrett said infrastructure can’t be overlooked. He said infrastructure must be in place to entice business into the state.

In the area of government restructuring he said, “If we’re going to give the governor more responsibility, let’s give him the authority. And more than government restructuring, it’s taxation restructuring and we need to do it through a holistic view by looking at the tax code in its entirety.”

Barrett said discipline and accountability are needed in the public school classrooms. And he said the money doesn’t seem to be filtering down to the classrooms.

He said community colleges are a boon to the state because they are helping people that don’t have jobs to get jobs and people who do have jobs to get better jobs.

“I believe South Carolina can be and should be the nation’s leader when it comes to nuclear energy,” he said. “We’ve got four nuclear reactors in the state and those are $10 billion dollar investments. Nuclear energy is clean energy. The nuclear field can create jobs, economic opportunity and can lower the cost of doing business in the state.

“So I think when you put those three together, economic development, education and energy, you get politics out of government and come up with common sense solutions that work for the people. I think it’s a winning combination.”

Barrett said the motor home tour is giving him a chance to “sit down with folks.” He said it’s also a convenient way to travel because he can do paperwork and talk on the phone between destinations.

And what are the main concerns he’s hearing.

“I repeat, it’s jobs, jobs and jobs,” he said. “People are saying they want the government to be a partner, not an impediment. And many of those I talk to are nervous about President Obama’s health care plan.”

http://www.lcni5.com/cgi-bin/c2.cgi?151+article+News+20090811184835151151013

The Lancaster News: Barrett bus tour stops at USCL
By Christopher Sardelli

U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett spoke with teachers, students and administration at the University of South Carolina at Lancaster on Tuesday at one of many planned stops on his “Barrett Means Business Bus Tour.”

Barrett, R-District 3, is hoping to be elected governor of South Carolina in 2010 and has been traveling around the state, getting the word out about his campaign.

While at USCL, he met with Dr. John Catalano, dean of the campus. The two discussed state funding for the school, as well as funding formulas and statistics about the school’s students. Catalano told Barrett that USCL accepts 99 percent of its applicants and has a 65 percent success rate, the second highest of any two-year campus in the state.

Catalano urged Barrett, if elected, to realize how beneficial USCL is to the surrounding communities.

“I hope that if you become governor, you will educate more and more students, not less,” Catalano said. “How does it help to close a campus like this?”

Incumbent Gov. Mark Sanford had proposed closing USCL as part of a plan to restructure the state’s college system. The proposal failed to pick up much support in the Legislature in the last session.

Barrett said he understood Catalano’s concerns.

“You could say they (USCL’s students) could go somewhere else, but, really, they might not be able to get in,” Barrett said.

Before moving on with the tour, Catalano joked about a pen he had just given Barrett.

“Notice there’s a 50th anniversary pen there,” Catalano said. “That would look real good in your shirt.”

Joining Barrett on his tour of the USCL campus were first-year student Ryan Payne and Bob Bundy, a biology and chemistry professor at USCL.

“It was a very good honor to meet him,” said Payne, a political science major. “This was very interesting.”

As part of his platform, Barrett is emphasizing economic development, education and energy issues. If elected governor, Barrett said he plans to stimulate economic growth by upgrading the state’s ports and infrastructure.

He’s also placing an importance on job creation, businesses and limited government intrusion.

“Everything I’ve said can be boiled down to one word – jobs,” Barrett said. “The government has to set the table, but once we do that we get out of the way. There should be as little intrusion as possible.”

Barrett is serving his fourth term in the U.S House of Representatives. He serves on the Financial Services Committee, the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the House Ethics Committee.

http://www.thetandd.com/articles/2009/08/14/news/doc4a861ea7a14e3492837009.txt

The Times and Democrat: Private sector, not government, should grow economy, Barrett says

By LEE TANT, T&D Staff Writer
Friday, August 14, 2009

Congressman Gresham Barrett, R-S.C., says he’s running for governor to show that the bottom-up approach to government works.

“I believe with all my heart if we’re going to change this country around, it’s going to be one state at a time,” Barrett said.

“It’s all about jobs. It’s about empowering people and not the government. It’s growing the economy through the private sector, not the government,” he said.

Barrett, who is effectively giving up his U.S. House seat to run for governor, made a campaign stop at Cox Wood Preserving in Orangeburg on Friday.

He said Orangeburg County officials have the right idea by marketing the area as a national and international center for transporting goods. Barrett said the county’s Global Logistics Triangle can capitalize on the expansion of the Port of Charleston.

“As the ports grow, we can take advantage of the additional business. It will give people jobs and put them to work. It really turns this economy around not only in Orangeburg but South Carolina in general,” Barrett said.

Barrett said the state’s public schools need more discipline in the classroom and less paperwork for teachers. He noted he is a public school graduate and his wife, Natalie, is a first-grade teacher.

“My wife says she spends 95 percent of the day disciplining kids and doing paperwork and there’s little time to teach. We’ve got to make sure teachers have the flexibility to meet (accountability) standards but to go outside those standards,” he said.

In addition, he said more of the state’s money needs to reach the classroom. If that happens, Barrett thinks that will put more highly qualified teachers in updated facilities.

He also feels higher education institutions need to cooperate more instead of competing with each other.

“I think the governor can be a catalyst for that,” he said.

As governor, Barrett said he would hold a quarterly meeting with all state agency heads to discuss how they are moving the state forward.

Matt Yaun, the director of sales and marketing at Cox Wood, told Barrett his company is concerned about how cap-and-trade legislation in Congress would affect business.

The bill would cap the greenhouse gases that businesses could emit. Companies could then reduce emissions to meet the target or buy credits from those that have reduced their emissions.

Yaun said a large percentage of Cox Wood’s customers are energy providers.

“It will make us less competitive in an extremely negative way,” he said.

The cap-and-trade bill passed the U.S. House earlier this year. Barrett is opposed to the legislation. If the bill does pass the Democrat-controlled Congress, Barrett wants to see provisions that will promote nuclear energy.

“I think South Carolina can lead the nation when it comes to nuclear power. If we’re going to solve our baseload capacity issues, that’s the only way we’re going to do it,” he said.

Barrett also said President Barack Obama’s push to reform the health care system does nothing to address cost. He fears Obama’s proposal will take health care decisions away from doctors and patients and put them in the hands of a federal bureaucrat.

“We do need reform. … But the Obama plan is not the way to go,” Barrett said.

Yaun told Barrett he doesn’t like federal interference with private business, saying all Cox Wood’s employees already have health insurance.

Barrett said he brings real-world experience to the table. He cited his service in the U.S. Army and owning a furniture store as examples.

“The number one thing is cooperation, people working together. That’s my philosophy,” he said.

http://www.thesunnews.com/news/local/story/1021606.html

The Myrtle Beach Sun News: Rep. Barrett pushes gubernatorial message early
Republican talks economy on bus tour
By Claudia Lauer
clauer@thesunnews.com

The race for governor in South Carolina may still be a blip below the radar for a lot of people, but Republican U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett is banking on hitting the ground early and hard to help him stick out in an increasingly crowded field of potential and confirmed candidates.

Barrett began the “Barrett means Business” bus tour this week, which is taking him around the state to talk business and economy to small business owners and the state’s unemployed workers. The bus stopped in Socastee and Pawleys Island on Thursday.

“One prerequisite that I have for any public official is that they have experience in business,” Barrett told Don King, owner of King’s Florist in Socastee. “Whether you’re a florist or a school board member … 90 percent of what we do is personal relationships. Something we’ve been lacking, or something I want to see, is a governor who brings people together.”

A handful of local politicians including Horry County Councilman Gary Loftus and S.C. Rep. Alan Clemmons showed up at the florist shop for Barrett’s stop, and mostly employees sat in on the meeting in Pawleys Island at technology firm Mercom Corp. Barrett said he plans to circle back to the area in other legs of his campaign. The former S.C. representative represents a district that borders Georgia and North Carolina, making name recognition an uphill battle and crisscrossing the state a necessity.

King said he was excited for the stop at his shop, and to hear Barrett’s stance on issues that affect small businesses.

“If we brought factories or something that would enhance this area, it would make it better for everyone,” he said.

While riding the bus from Socastee to Pawleys Island, Barrett outlined his plans to deal with some of the economic issues affecting the state, including what he said was a need for tax reform and a focus on bringing industry and businesses to the region. Barrett called renewing the focus on the ports and increasing infrastructure major parts of his economic plan.

He has been dealing with backlash from a vote to support the $700 billion bailout. He’s been voting against stimulus plans since then, but during a stop in Greenville earlier this year, Barrett was booed almost off stage during an anti-tax tea party.

Barrett was careful when answering questions about bringing money to South Carolina if he is elected governor.

“I think the governor was right, but the legislature was right, too. It’s important that we live within our own means, but once the battle lines are drawn, those are monies set for South Carolina, and if we don’t take advantage of them …,” he said, trailing off.

When asked about the repercussions from Gov. Mark Sanford’s affair with an Argentinian woman and possible misuse of state-owned planes, Barrett was silent. He has backed down from his call a few weeks ago for the governor’s resignation.

“I can only answer for myself. I am Gresham Barrett, and I am pitching my vision for South Carolina. I’d like to let the past be the past,” he said.

Politics1.com, a Web site that keeps tabs on state and national races and keeps links to candidate Web sites, listed 16 potential and confirmed candidates and two politicians who have dropped from the running for the governor’s race. Only three states have more crowded gubernatorial races for the upcoming election cycle.

Other Republicans seeking the nomination for governor include Attorney General Henry McMaster, S.C. Sen. Larry Grooms, S.C. Rep. Nikki Haley and possibly Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer as well as a few other S.C. senators. There are five Democrats who are officially running and a handful of others who are potential candidates in the Democratic bid.

Well, we’re just about to roll into the parking lot here at King’s Florist, but check back later!

WESTMINSTER — “Barrett for Governor” signs lined the windows of the luxury tour bus that Congressman Gresham Barrett came to Westminster in Monday.

The Westminster native officially kicked off the “Barrett Means Business Bus Tour” at his brother’s downtown business, Barrett Trading Company.

He plans to visit 17 locations throughout the state, making his case to be the next governor and promoting the role of small business in the state and in nation.

“In South Carolina, there are 82,000 small business,” he said. “That’s 97 percent of total businesses. There needs to be incentives for them. We need to empower people, not the government.”

And Barrett had no problem summing up his entire reason for the tour.

“I’ll spell it out, J-O-B-S,” he said.

Barrett added that, for South Carolina, honing in on our port capabilities, sewer and water availability, as well as improving roads and bridges would be the cornerstone to turning the state around for the better.

“It’s great to have these industries like Fuji and Caterpillar, but we need to take a two-prong approach,” he said. “Small business needs to stay strong as well. That’s what I want to see.”

And, while acknowledging that the term “shovel ready” was a bit overused, Barrett said he doesn’t want to see potential industries opting to start up in another state.

“Volkswagon was considering setting up here,” he said. “But because we only had the land and no road access, water, etc, they decided on Chattanooga, Tenn. The plant was lost because the Tennessee site could show the necessary infrastructure and the South Carolina site couldn’t.”

Barrett will be visiting Lancaster, Columbia, Aiken, Florence, York, Charleston, Sumter, Orangeburg, Newberry and Greenwood. The tour will conclude back in Oconee County on Friday.

“I see great things for South Carolina, and I also believe fully that I can beat (Attorney General Henry) McMaster,” Barrett said, referring to the Republican primary candidate expected to give him his most difficult race.

SC Radio Network News: Barrett bus tour in high gear

by Tom Hayes on August 11, 2009

Republican gubernatorial candidate, U.S. Representative Gresham Barrett, began a four day statewide bus tour in the Upstate Monday. Barrett is visiting businesses and colleges to discuss job creation and economic development. “If we’re going to turn this thing around, government is not going to turn this thing around. It’s about empowering people, putting people to work, growing the economy through the private sector, not the government sector. It’s all boils down to one word and that’s jobs.”

Barrett made stops Monday in Westminster, Anderson, Piedmont, Duncan and Gaffney. Gresham’s bus pulls into Columbia Tuesday.

Barrett says South Carolina continues to be a fertile environment for attracting new business and industry. “We need to make sure that when businesses and industries come looking , whether their looking in Oconee, or Columbia, South Carolina, or Charleston they have an opportunity to see what’s available all over this state because what affects Spartanburg directly or indirectly affects every part of this state.”

The Augusta Chronicle: Barrett brings campaign to Aiken

AIKEN — U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett was in Aiken today, stumping to be South Carolina’s next governor, but before things got started an Aiken resident referenced another job.

South Carolina governor candidate Gresham Barrett, center, speaks with Especially Seniors owner Robbie Yarborough, left, and Andrew Siders, of Vista Bank, during a visit to Especially Seniors in-home care in Aiken.

“My name is Robert Whitehouse,” he said with a big smile, shaking Mr. Barrett’s hand. “Does that give you any inspiration?”

Laughing, Mr. Barrett responded, “Nice to meet you Mr. Whitehouse” and quickly began addressing several federal and state issues while visiting with workers at Especially Seniors, which provides in-home care for seniors. It was the fourth and final stop of the day for Mr. Barrett, a Republican, along his “Barrett Means Business” bus tour.

After hearing concerns from Mr. Whitehouse about the growing national debt, Mr. Barrett said, “There’s only so many times you can take in $100 and spend $150.”

Mr. Barrett then heard from Robbie Yarborough, of Especially Seniors, who had concerns about how proposed health care reform might affect his business.

“This fix is not the fix we need,” Mr. Barrett said, later adding that he had heard similar worries from other business people on his tour of the state.

At the Aiken business Mr. Barrett talked about how as governor he would focus on job creation, strengthening South Carolina’s ports, improving the state’s infrastructure and restructuring government. He said businesses shouldn’t be taxed more as their profit increases. He said businesses need an incentive to grow.

He said that he also would favor having a business liaison person who could better streamline questions and concerns of businesses.

http://www.independentmail.com/news/2009/aug/10/barrett-launches-statewide-tour-hometown/?printer=1/

The Anderson Independent Mail: Barrett launches statewide tour in hometown

By Ray Chandler
Originally published 04:19 p.m., August 10, 2009
Updated 04:19 p.m., August 10, 2009

WESTMINSTER — Standing in the doorway of his brother’s new store Monday, U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett sounded the theme he hopes will carry him to the South Carolina governor’s mansion.

”My whole theme is J-O-B-S, jobs,” said the three-term Republican congressman. “I want to empower people (to create jobs). Government’s job is setting the table and then getting the heck out of the way.”

Setting the table, Barrett elaborated, meant expanding South Carolina’s port facilities, improving roads and bridges, boosting water and sewer availability and even facilitating development of Internet access.

As an example, Barrett pointed out that Volkswagen had considered a site in his own Third District for a new plant before ultimately choosing to go to Chattanooga, Tenn.

“In great part,” Barrett said, “the plant had been lost because the Tennessee site could show the necessary infrastructure and the South Carolina site couldn’t.”

Also critical, Barrett said, is a better approach to the state government’s relationship with business development.

“We have businesses operating in the twenty-first century but a (state) government operating in the eighteenth century,” he said.

Barrett emphasized that while large-scale businesses were important, small businesses, such as his brother Lee’s new sporting goods store, Barrett Trading Co., were the backbone of the state.

”We have 80,000 small businesses,” he said. “That’s 97 percent of the businesses in South Carolina.”

Barrett’s appearance in his hometown Monday morning kicked off his Barrett Means Business listening tour that will spend the next few days traveling the state with his message of economic revitalization.

From Westminster, the tour went to Anderson, where Barrett was to tour the Glen Raven mill on the Liberty Highway and later Vulcan Materials in Piedmont.

Other planned stops include Lancaster, York, Columbia, Florence, Aiken and Charleston before beginning a swing back toward the Upstate with stops in Sumter, Orangeburg, Newberry and Greenwood.

Historically, South Carolina politics has revealed a rivalry between the uplands and the coastal areas. However, Barrett said he was confident that he could compete with Attorney General Henry McMaster, considered a main contender for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, even in the lower part of the state.

© 2006 The Anderson Independent Mail

by Michael Brown on August 7, 2009

Third Congressional District Congressman Gresham Barrett has offered an amendment on the new government health care program. Barrett’s amendment requires members of Congress and senior administration officials to enroll in the program because he says “if the plan is good enough for American families, it’s good enough for Washington bureaucrats.”

“I think you gotta get back to basics. Jim DeMint has been a stalwart, especially in the Senate when it comes to this health care debate because he’s speaking the truth,” says Barrett.

Barrett spoke with Charleston affiliate WTMA, and agreed with Senator DeMint’s opposition to President Obama’s health care plan. He says people across the nation are starting to realize the plan is not all it was intended to be; originally Obama’s Health Care Reform Bill called for $1 trillion, now, Barrett says it is costing nearly $2 trillion.
“It’s gonna be an organization of the federal government that’s gonna tell me and you, with the help of a federal bureaucrat, how we are going to take care of our health and our children’s health, rather than me and you and our doctor. I think people are starting to realize what change has meant. President Obama has said he was gonna bring change, and this is the change,” says Barrett.

Barrett also says change has taken place in the Republican party as well.

“In 2006 when the Democrats took over, all we had to do, all the Republicans had to do, was look in the mirror. Government was out of control, big spending was out of control. We had become the party of big government, and the people said ‘you know what, I think the Democrats can do better,’ and now, I think they are starting to see a little buyer’s remorse,” says Barrett.

The congressman says there’s plenty of blame for both parties.

Barrett is also a candidate in the 2010 gubernatorial race for South Carolina.

http://www.independentmail.com/news/2009/aug/07/barrett-planning-statewide-campaign-bus-tour/

By Rick Spruill (Contact)

U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett will travel the state in a motorcoach next week, listening to what people have to say.

Barrett, a Republican from Westminster, is a candidate for governor.

Beginning Monday at 9:45 a.m., he will kick off a Barrett Means Business bus tour in his hometown of Westminster, and spend the next several days “listening and gathering the best ideas from our brightest business and community leaders” from across the state, Barrett said Friday.

“One of our goals is to turn around our economy, and get South Carolina moving forward, and to create jobs,” he said. “We need everyone working together toward that common goal.”

Barrett will tour the Glen Raven mill on the Liberty Highway in Anderson beginning at 11 a.m. Monday, followed by a 12:15 p.m. stop at Vulcan Materials in Piedmont.

He will spend the next three days traveling to places such as Lancaster, Columbia, Florence, Aiken and Charleston before beginning a swing back toward the Upstate with stops in Sumter, Orangeburg, Newberry and Greenwood.

Log on to www.greshambarrett.com/home/2009/08/barrett-means-business-bus-tour/ for more details.

by Michael Brown on August 7, 2009

An Upstate South Carolina congressman running for governor explains what government needs to do to see real change. On the list of candidates for the 2010 gubernatorial race for South Carolina is 3rd Congressional District Congressman Gresham Barrett.

“I believe our forefathers had it right, if you’re gonna institute real change in America, you’re gonna have to do it from the bottom up, from the states up, and I still believe in the Tenth Amendment, I believe in the state’s rights,” says Barrett.

Barrett made his comments on Charleston affiliate WTMA’s Rocky D show this week, and said what needs to happen if government really wants to change things around.

“We’re going to empower people, not government. We’re gonna help business and industry supply an environment where people can live, thrive and survive, and then get government out of the way, and I think we can do that in South Carolina,” says Barrett.

Barrett says growing the government is not the way to grow the economy.

Next week, we’re hitting the road on the Barrett Means Business bus tour. For four days, we’ll travel the highways and biways of South Carolina meeting with our state’s brightest business and community leaders to find out what it’s going to take to turn around our economy and to create new, better-paying jobs.

I truly believe that together we can again make South Carolina the South’s number one economic development engine. Finally fix the education mess. Expand health care choices with free market principles. Cut unemployment in half. And really put South Carolina back to work.

So, check www.GreshamBarrett.com often as I plan on doing some live blogging from the road. Can’t wait to get out there!

Met Gresham in Columbia on Tuesday night. We had dinner with Richard and Melba Jackson and had a great evening. Gresham is working in the Charleston area today and will be home later tonight.

We are excited about our “Barrett means Business” Bus Tour next week. We will kick off the week in Westminster visiting friends and family on Main Street. Then, we will make our way to Anderson, Spartanburg and Gaffney and hit most of the state over the next four days. We are looking forward to meeting new business leaders as well as catching up with old friends along the way!

We had a great weekend with the family. Gresham didn’t get out of DC until late Friday night, so he didn’t get to make the trip to Goose Creek. We were happy because that meant more time for him to spend with us at home. We had lunch at a diner in Westminster and got to see some of our past customers from our furniture store. It was great to see familiar, warm, caring folks from home! Many of them have urged Gresham to run for Governor because he stands for character, integrity and possesses many qualities that aren’t always associated with politicians. They believe in him and his principles as a devoted husband, father and public servant. However, a few people warned that if you run for state office, it will not be a pleasant experience just because that is the nature of “politics.” I hope we can prove them wrong!

My sister has shared an awesome tomato pie recipe with me and I tried it this weekend!! I only like tomatoes this time of the year when I can go to my dad’s house and get them fresh off the vines. I will put the tomato pie recipe in my next blog in case you want to try it!! My daughter and I are also working on a family cookbook. I come from a long line of excellent cooks and we want to share some of our recipes. If you like to cook as much as I do, you will enjoy it!!

Now that Congress has let out for the recess, I’m excited to be back home, traveling the state, and campaigning. It’s a lot of work. But it’s a lot of fun, too. And after 7 months of fighting President Obama and Washington Democrats, I can’t wait to hit the trail with you!

I believe campaigns are about ideas. And I firmly believe ours is taking off because of them. Our commitment to change South Carolina has excited a lot of people.

Job creation, tax reform, energy independence, spending cuts, and education reform are all things South Carolina needs. And all things I will fight to deliver on day one as Governor.

We just can’t afford for state government to remain our state’s single largest employer. The Port of Charleston must once again become the central gateway between the east coast and the rest of the world. To grow new and old business, we have to make our corporate tax rates the most competitive in the South. Discretionary spending must be cut so we live within our means. And we have to make education successful, by challenging our children and giving more choices to parents.

Click Here to Donate

Our conservative principles and commitment to change Columbia with real reforms that will impact every one of our citizens is precisely why our campaign has taken off. You may remember that some tried to declare our campaign over shortly after it began. But it will take a lot more than wishful thinking by our political opponents. Not only is our campaign far from finished, but the accomplishments we have
achieved together have set the bar in this race.

• We’ve raised nearly a million dollars in less than four months. Almost DOUBLE our nearest opponent, with DOUBLE the number of donors, and roughly 1.5 million available in campaign accounts.

• Last quarter, we raised almost as much money as the entire prospective Republican field PUT TOGETHER.

• Our burn rate is nearly HALF that of our top opponents.

• We are the ONLY candidate for Governor with a strong statewide grassroots organization active in every target county.

• Private and public polls show this race a DEAD HEAT even though two of our opponents are known statewide, and we still have room for tremendous growth. Poll

• In the past few weeks, our statewide JOBS tour received rave reviews, the national taxpayer watchdog group Club for Growth gave us their “Defender of Economic Freedom” award, and Congressional Quarterly reported that I’ve OPPOSED President Obama more than any other member of Congress in the nation but one.

Click Here to Donate

Clearly, this has all been fabulous news for our campaign. Our momentum is real. Our crowds are growing. And we’re exactly where we want to be as we wrap up this summer and move this campaign into the fall.

But we must be diligent. Our political opponents and those opposed to changing Columbia aren’t going to go easily. As our campaign continues to pick up steam we can count on them to say or do anything. But phony accusations will only hurt their campaigns, not mine. And we will expose these tired tactics with facts and recognize their efforts for what they are – desperation politics.

South Carolina deserves better. And together, that’s what we’re going to give her.

I truly believe that together we can again make South Carolina the South’s number one economic development engine. Finally fix the education mess. Expand health care choices with free market principles. Cut unemployment in half. And really put South Carolina back to work.

Click Here to Donate

And I absolutely believe that together, these strong conservative ideas will continue to drive our growing momentum all the way to the Governor’s office.

Thank you for your support. As always, I appreciate your time, money, and work. Because of you, we have a unique opportunity to make history. And in the weeks and months to come, I look forward to doing just that.

God Bless,

Gresham

PS- Don’t wait around! Get even more involved today! Just click here.

For more information, visit http://atr.org/south-carolina-gubernatorial-candidates-sign-taxpayer-a3622

Barrett was 1 of 52 members of Congress to earn award based on support for economic growth issues in Congress

WASHINGTON, DC – Chris Chocola, President of the Club for Growth, the nation’s leading free-market advocacy organization with over 40,000 members announced that Congressman Gresham Barrett has earned the annual Defender of Economic Freedom award. The award honors members of Congress who have a strong voting record on economic growth issues.

“With his score of 91, Gresham Barrett is a champion of the pro-growth agenda,” said Chocola. “As 1 of 52 congressional members to earn this award, Congressman Barrett has demonstrated a strong commitment to economic freedom and free-market principles.”

This award is based on certain votes in 2008 that the Club for Growth tracks on its scorecard. The study included a comprehensive examination of each lawmaker’s record on pro-growth policies and computed an Economic Growth Score on a scale of 0 to 100. A score of 100 indicates the highest support for pro-growth policies. Those lawmakers scoring 90 or higher receive the Defender of Economic Freedom award.

“The scorecard is an important tool in providing constituents the opportunity to see how their representative and senators vote,” Chocola added. “These bills promote economic growth and create more jobs for all Americans. We hope that in each year to come, support for commonsense, economic principles will continue to grow, allowing more members to earn this award and more Americans to benefit.”

The rating examines legislative actions that reflect the Club for Growth’s immediate pro-economic growth policy goals, including cutting and limiting government spending, lowering taxes, expanding free trade, regulatory reform and deregulation.

###

Hello Everyone. I enjoyed going with Gresham this weekend to the Charleston area. We had a chance to visit East Cooper Baptist Church. It was good to see some old friends and meet new ones. We also had a chance to have dinner with Gresham’s college roommate from The Citadel. If you haven’t eaten at the Red Drum in Mt. Pleasant, you have missed a treat. The chef is from Texas and we used to live very close to some of his relatives in Killeen, TX when Gresham was at Ft. Hood. He even had relatives who lived close to the school where I taught in Killeen. It is such a small world!!

Gresham is back in DC, so we won’t see him until Saturday! Madison and Jeb are getting ready to move back to school in a few weeks. Jeb is transferring to an Agriculture school in Georgia and is very excited! Gresham’s dad instilled a love for the farm and working outdoors in Jeb.

Madison will be a senior and is looking forward to taking her higher level classes in Art Education…the fun ones. (Printmaking, Painting, etc.) She is so talented and God has blessed her with a very creative mind. If you have had a chance to see one of our “Barrett for Governor” t-shirts, you will see some of Madison’s work. She designed the shirts and they are “awesome”! They will be available on our website soon!!

Ross has this week off from football before they start “two-a-days” next week. If you have a child playing football, you know what this is!! He is very excited about his senior year. We are looking at colleges and he is trying to decide where he would like to attend. Of course, Gresham would like for him to attend The Citadel, but it has to be Ross’ decision!!

Gresham will be in Berkeley County on Saturday morning. Then, he is off to spend the weekend with us!! I hope you have a great week!!

Gresham Barrett Talks About His Tour of TCL from Gresham Barrett on Vimeo.

Gresham Barrett’s Jobs Tour 2009 from Gresham Barrett on Vimeo.

SUNDAY, JULY 26, 2009

Meet and Greet
4:30 p.m.
Home of Norma and Jerry Stewart
11 Teaberry Lane
Bluffton, South Carolina

MONDAY, JULY 27, 2009

Meet and Greet
8:30 a.m.
Blackstone’s Cafe
205 Scott Street
Beaufort, South Carolina

Meet and Greet
2:00 p.m.
The Home of James Wedgeworth
56 Brams Point Road
Hilton Head, South Carolina

It’s been a great couple of weeks on the Barrett campaign. Thanks to each and every one of you for all of your support. Gresham has taken a strong lead in fundraising and his message of job creation and economic development is hitting home with folks across the state. Please take just a second to read through the first edition of the Barrett Bulletin below and then forward this email along to your friends!

Thanks,

Team Barrett

Jobs Listening Tour

Last Monday, Gresham Barrett set off on a daylong job creation listening tour to learn firsthand from small businesses and industry leaders about what is needed to grow our economy in South Carolina.

Gresham kicked off the trip with a visit to North American Rescue, a Greer-based business specializing in the manufacturing of emergency medical and rescue equipment. He then boarded a plane headed for Charleston where he met with Port officials to discuss re-establishing the Port of Charleston as the central gateway between the east coast and the world. Barrett wrapped up his day with a tour of Colite International, a Columbia-based manufacturer of signs for companies across the globe.

“While it is not government’s role to create jobs, we have a responsibility to work with businesses and industry leaders like North American Rescue and Colite International to help improve South Carolina’s economic climate,” said Congressman Barrett. “And we can do that by restructuring our punitive tax and regulatory systems, reducing government spending, improving infrastructure and rewarding companies by providing them unique opportunities to grow and expand.”

Other News From the Campaign Trail

Last Friday, Gresham took his positive message of job creation and economic development to Sumter and Clarendon Counties where he met with local Republican leaders. And on Saturday, Gresham participated in the South Carolina Firefighters Memorial Service in Myrtle Beach.

Barrett in the Headlines

From The Greenville News – Barrett leads fundraising

U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett has pulled ahead of rivals in fundraising for the 2010 governor’s race, assuming he will be able to tap all of the nearly $1.5 million he has collected in separate campaign accounts.

The Republican congressman reported raising more than $500,000 during the second quarter for a total of about $975,000 in his gubernatorial campaign account. He’s got another $500,000 in his congressional campaign account, an aide said, which he can use to run for governor if donors approve.

(To read the whole story, click here)

From The State – Barrett focuses on the Economy

On Monday, U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett visited Colite, Greer manufacturer North American Rescue and the Port of Charleston, some of the first stops on the 2010 campaign trail…Barrett said putting state residents back to work will be his top concern.

“I believe that is the governor’s job,” Barrett said of leading state job creation efforts.

(To read the whole story, click here)

More Barrett Headlines

The Daily Journal – Barrett, McMaster lead gubernatorial field in funds raised
WYFF-TV – Gov. Candidate: Jobs Number One Priority
WLTX-TV – Gubernatorial Candidate Barrett stops by News 19
The Sumter Item – Barrett addresses local Republicans

Upcoming Events

· Meet and Greet at the Home of James Wedgeworth in Hilton Head – Monday, July 27th

Interested in having Gresham speak at your event? Want to hold a meet and greet for Gresham? Know of an event Gresham should attend? Let us know by clicking here.

Quote of the Week

“As Governor, Gresham will focus on making the Palmetto State the South’s leading economic development engine again, re-establishing the Port of Charleston as the central gateway between the east coast and the world, cutting taxes and reforming our tax structure, reducing discretionary spending, aggressively recruiting new business, and rewarding companies who already call South Carolina home by providing them unique opportunities to grow and expand.”
– Barry Wynn, State Finance Chairman

Don’t Forget

You can follow Gresham Barrett on twitter by visiting www.twitter.com/greshambarrett.

U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett, R-Westminster, and South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster are dominating the battle of the bucks. Both gubernatorial hopefuls are reporting more than $1 million in their respective campaign funds after successful fundraising quarters.

“I wouldn’t say anyone is necessarily out in front at this time. It would seem, though that Rep.. Barrett and McMaster would be in my top tier,” Bruce Ransom, political science professor at Clemson University said.

Barrett’s campaign has raised more than $560,000 in new money in the second fundraising quarter, bringing his total cash on hand in that fund to $975,000.

That does not, however, account for the $500,000 expected to be gradually transferred in from his existing congressional re-election fund, which will be completed upon getting the okay from those donors. That puts his estimated true cash on hand at nearly $1.5 million.

Barrett’s campaign contribution list boasts some 1,700 donors, most of whom are in-state. David Woodard, a political scientist for Clemson University specializing in conservative and Southern politics, said Barrett’s campaign has quickly rebounded from a stinging reception at a South Carolina tea party protest in April, where he was booed. The rebound has been sped along by a diverse group of contributors, donating anywhere from $50 to $3,500.

“If you compare it just to the Obama campaign, Obama surprised everyone by getting a lot of small donors,” Woodard said. “Gresham is doing the same thing. He’s showing a very broad appeal.”

McMaster, meanwhile, turned in a $230,000 second quarter effort, leaving him with $1.1 million on hand, also on the strength of in-state donations. McMaster certainly does not lack name recognition in the Palmetto State, having been involved in the South Carolina political scene for decades. He ran unsuccessfully against Fritz Holling for the U.S. Senate in 1996 and unsuccessfully again for lieutenant governor four years later. He’s served as chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, as well as a member of the Republican National Committee.

“He’s well-known and connected. He knows everybody,” Woodard said. “In terms of the political establishment, Henry is a very familiar name. He’s already shown that as he’s been able to raise money.”

While he may not boast a strong centralized base from any particular region in the state, Woodard said, in truth, Barrett’s strong presence in the Upstate does not necessarily give him an advantage.

“Henry doesn’t have a strong political base in any particular region, but to tell you the truth, Gresham’s base is not in a major media market or particularly wealthy,” he said.

THE SANFORD EFFECT

Ransom said he believes Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer will end up being plenty relevant, as well. Bauer, a 40-year-old Charlestonian who has had at times a frigid relationship with Gov. Mark Sanford, raised $121,000 in the second quarter, giving him $570,000 on hand.

The recent scandal involving Sanford’s marital infidelity and inexplicably abandoning his position can hurt and help someone’s campaign, experts say. Rep. Nikki Haley’s candidacy for governor is a keen example. Haley, who has a paltry $193,000 on hand in her war chest, was publicly lauded by Sanford on multiple occasions as being a champion for low taxes.

“At this point, it’s (her association with Sanford) not helpful,” Ransom said. “The question I have in particular is whether or not Republicans in general might suffer that problem. It might help someone like Bauer, who does not have a great relationship with the governor.”

Woodard agreed, saying Haley has become a “damaged candidate” since the scandal due to her Sanfordesque ideology.

“She could have staked everything on being the next step in the Sanford legacy. Now no one’s interested in this legacy anymore,” he said.

Barrett, who rarely injected himself into the Sanford scandal, may benefit the most from the media circus surrounding it, Woodard said.

“I would say the events of the Sanford scandal have helped Barrett. He looks above the fray, away from the problems,” he said. “Symbols are reality in politics. It’s the way people feel about things that often matter, not the facts. The other players, Bauer and McMaster look kind of pedestrian by comparison.”

While the perception may be that Barrett is not in any way a player in the Sanford saga, his similarities to the current governor are there.

Sanford served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1992 to 2000 before going home to run for governor. Barrett, widely known as a fierce fiscal conservative, has been in the House since 2003.

“It was Carroll Campbell who did the same thing. We kind of have a pattern here of elected representatives being from Washington coming home to be governor,” Woodard said. “That helps him (Barrett).”

The wild card looks to be Rep. Vincent Sheheen, a 38-year-old Democrat with Upstate connections. A Clemson graduate and lawyer, Sheheen is a former student of Woodard’s and looks to be a formidable challenger, by experts’ accounts.

“Right now Sheheen is pretty much the one person I would think probably has a real shot on the Democratic side,” Ransom said.

The Camden resident currently has $460,000 in his war chest and has a mainstream appeal that could make him a threat.

“He represents a new wave of Democrats,” Woodard said. “If there is a divisive Republican primary, it is entirely possible that a conservative Democrat like him could get conservative votes.”

“The Republicans won’t coast this year. The general election is by no means decided.”

Seneca Daily Journal
By Andrew Moore

MANNING — Local Republican Party officials got a chance to see one of the 2010 gubernatorial candidates up close Friday as Rep. J. Gresham Barrett, R-S.C., made a lunch stop at the French Hens in downtown Manning. In the afternoon, he spoke to a similar group at Logan’s Roadhouse in Sumter.

“This is a chance for us to present our local party leadership with one of the candidates for the governor’s race,” said Clarendon County Republican Party Chairman Moye Graham. “We’re going to have all of the candidates come throughout the next few months and see where they stand on the issues.”

Barrett represents the state’s third congressional district, which includes all of Abbeville, Anderson, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Oconee, Pickens and Saluda counties and about half of Aiken County. A native of Westminster in Oconee County, he said he wanted to run for governor in order to help “South Carolina get to where she’s never been before.”

“I believe if we’re going to turn this nation around, we’re going to do it one state at a time,” he said. “And, of course, I think I bring some qualities to the table.”
Barrett said his experience in business helps him understand what is needed to turn the economy around.

“I was a small businessman,” he said, referencing Barrett’s Furniture, a business his family owned for 48 years and which he operated from 1993 to 2006. “I know what it’s like to deal with rules, regulations, banks, customers and payroll. At the same time, I have a family, I’ve been in the military as an executive officer in a field artillery unit and I have state and federal experience. I believe that the next leader in South Carolina is going to have to bridge a lot of gaps between a lot of groups and get politics out of government.”

Barrett said his political philosophy is much like one espoused by the late former Gov. Carroll Campbell, who had to work with a Democratic Party-controlled State House and a Democratic lieutenant governor during his two terms.

“Gov. Campbell was someone who was able to get down to an issue and find common ground that everyone could recognize,” Barrett said. “That’s what we need to be focusing on in our government.”

Barrett said that the next governor needs to focus on small businesses, particularly making sure that regulations don’t stifle their growth and adaptability.

“If we’re going to turn this malaise around, we’re going to do it through the private sector, not the public sector,” he said. “The free market creates jobs; government doesn’t do that. As a state government, we need to be a partner, not an impediment. We need to be making sure the regulations aren’t stifling businesses and that we have the resources for businesses to thrive in our state. Small businesses are still 97 percent of businesses in South Carolina.”

Barrett, who has served in Congress since 2003, previously served as a state representative from 1997 until his election to national office. Barrett graduated from The Citadel in 1983 and served five years in the Army’s field artillery unit before resigning his commission with the rank of captain.

He is currently facing four other candidates for the Republican nomination in the governor’s race: two-time Attorney General Henry McMaster; Greenville resident Brent Nelson, who is chair of Furman University’s Political Science Department; Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Bonneau; and Rep. Nikki Haley, R-Lexington. Primary elections will take place in June 2010, and Barrett is positive about his chances.

“My campaign is picking up steam,” he said. “We raised $566,000 in in-kind donations, which blew everybody away. We’re leading the pack in donations right now, which I think shows that people are supporting us and are excited about the issues.”

Barrett did admit that he was unsure what the future Republican candidate might have to face after Gov. Mark Sanford’s infidelity scandal.

“I don’t know if that will affect the race or not,” he said. “What we’re going to do is concentrate on the future. We’re going to be talking about jobs and growing the economy through the private sector and empowering people through that. And we’re excited by how many people are coming to that message.”

“The unemployment rate announced today is unfortunate, but not surprising. And one thing is clear; more fabricated government stimulus is not the answer. While it is not government’s role to create jobs, I do believe we have a responsibility to work with business and industry leaders like North American Rescue and Colite International, two companies I met with earlier this week, to help improve South Carolina’s economic climate.

“What I am hearing from business leaders is that we must focus on making the Palmetto State the South’s leading economic development engine again. And I believe we can do that by re-establishing the Port of Charleston as the central gateway between the east coast and the world, improving infrastructure, cutting taxes and reforming our tax structure, reducing discretionary spending, aggressively recruiting new business, and rewarding companies who already call South Carolina home by providing them unique opportunities to grow and expand.”

###

South Carolina’s unemployment rate reached a record high of 12.1 percent last month. More than 265,000 of our friends and neighbors have lost their jobs. Those disheartening figures only serve to reaffirm what we have known all along: Government stimulus does not create jobs. That’s why I opposed the stimulus plan from its outset, and that’s why I voted against it.

The fundamental flaw with the Democrats’ stimulus plan was that it failed to recognize a key principle of free market economics: The private sector, not government, is the engine of growth. Couple this flaw with billions in spending that had nothing to do with job creation, such as green golf carts and turtle bridges, and it is not surprising that unemployment rates here in South Carolina and across the country have steadily increased since the bill was passed in February.

The continuing decline in employment, not to mention the numerous misallocations and missteps in the program’s implementation, is proof enough that the stimulus has failed and that it is time to change course. We must return the fate of our economic destiny to the hands of entrepreneurs, employers and individuals, who are truly the driving force behind a flourishing economy — an economy where optimism, ideas, well-reasoned risk-taking and hard work yield success and well-earned reward. Only after we have brought about this economic restoration will we see a significant increase in job creation.

To understand what it will take to bring about this economic restoration, we must have a clear understanding of the problems facing entrepreneurs and employers in our state. We must know what causes our native businesses to close their doors and what deters new ones from opening their doors in South Carolina. Then, we need to take a new spirit of cooperation and collaboration to offering comprehensive solutions.

Working together, we have to reform our tax, fiscal and regulatory structures. The need for this reform is clearly illustrated by the state’s corporate tax structure. Currently, South Carolina has the highest assessment ratio in the country for industrial property, and the seventh-highest for commercial property. A percentage point here and there has a major impact on a business’s bottom line. If a potential employer is considering our state against another, we must be the more attractive choice, and that means reducing our corporate tax rates. Such a reduction also will benefit businesses already operating within our borders, potentially affording them the ability to keep current or even hire new employees.

We also must invest in our infrastructure. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, more than a quarter of South Carolina’s roads are in poor or mediocre condition, 40 percent of our major urban roads are congested, and 23 percent of our state’s bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Crumbling roads and broken bridges hinder commerce. If we are going to bring in business and if we are going to keep the businesses we have, then we must do our part to make sure basic infrastructure needs are being met. And that effort must include re-establishing the Port of Charleston as the central gateway between the east coast and the rest of the world.

Lastly, we cannot bring about a true economic recovery without an educated workforce, and that starts with schools that work. We need well-qualified teachers, 21st Century resources and facilities, and a secure and disciplined environment so teachers can teach. Every child in South Carolina should have access to the ideal classroom, whether it’s public, private, parochial or a school by any other name. And it’s not just K-12. To be competitive we must graduate more students from our state universities and community colleges.

You can sum up all of my plans for South Carolina in one word: jobs. We have to take the politics out of governing and deliver real solutions. Together, we can take South Carolina where she has never been before: where our children graduate to take jobs in Greenville or Charleston and not Charlotte or Atlanta; where small business is the engine of job creation — not government; and where achievement is determined by our own will to succeed.

Mr. Barrett, who represents the state’s 3rd congressional district, is a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor.

Columbia (WLTX) — Third District Congressman Gresham Barrett stopped by WLTX-DTV studios to talk about his run as a Republican candidate for South Carolina governor in the next election.

Barrett is currently serving his fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, and has spent six years serving in Congress.

Barrett says he has experience in a number of fields that would help him lead the state.

According to the congressman, “I feel like I bring several different ‘experiences.’ First of all, being in the military, commanding soldiers, running a small business, which is the heart and soul of this state.”

Barrett, who grew up in Oconee County in the Upstate, graduated from the Citadel in 1983 with military honors, and served five years in the United States Army following his graduation.

The congressman says he married his high-school sweetheart, Natalie, 25 years ago. He has two children in college and another is a senior at West-Oak High School.

Barrett says he moved back to his hometown of Westminster to run his “mom-and-pop” furniture store, a business he ran for 14 of its 48 years owned by the Barrett family.

“There are several things that we’re interested in,” Barrett said, “But I think you can wrap my campaign up with one word: that’s J-O-B-S, jobs.”

By Rudolph Bell
Staff Writer

U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett has pulled ahead of rivals in fundraising for the 2010 governor’s race, assuming he will be able to tap all of the nearly $1.5 million he has collected in separate campaign accounts.

The Republican congressman reported raising more than $500,000 during the second quarter for a total of about $975,000 in his gubernatorial campaign account. He’s got another $500,000 in his congressional campaign account, an aide said, which he can use to run for governor if donors approve.

Barrett’s closest competitor in the money chase as of Monday was Attorney General Henry McMaster, another Republican, who reported raising more than $230,000 during the quarter to end up with about $1.1 million cash on hand.

On the Democratic side, state Sen. Vincent Sheheen of Camden led the field with about $460,000 available to his gubernatorial campaign at the end of the quarter on June 30. Charleston lawyer Mullins McLeod came in second among Democrats with more than $155,000 cash on hand.

Political analysts said Barrett needs all the money he can get to keep up with McMaster and another potential Republican rival, Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer.

McMaster and Bauer both hold statewide office and thus have statewide name recognition, while Barrett will have to buy media time to introduce himself to voters outside of the 3rd Congressional District, said Scott Huffmon, a professor of political science at Winthrop University in Rock Hill.

Bauer’s latest campaign disclosure report remained unavailable Monday.

He reported having about $500,000 at the end of the first quarter, less than half what McMaster and Barrett had at the time.

By JOHN O’CONNOR
joconnor@thestate.com

If Holiday Inn had not redesigned their logo, Colite International owner Peter Brown said it would be a tough year for his Richland County sign-making business.

How to expand businesses such as Colite, which has 130 employees in Northeast Richland, will be a central issue in the 2010 race for governor.

South Carolina has the nation’s third-highest unemployment rate at 12.1 percent, with new data expected Friday.

On Monday, U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett visited Colite, Greer manufacturer North American Rescue and the Port of Charleston, some of the first stops on the 2010 campaign trail.

Barrett is one of six contenders who have announced or are considering a bid for the GOP gubernatorial nomination. They include: Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, state Sen. Larry Groom, state Rep. Nikki Haley, Attorney General Henry McMaster and Furman University political scientist Brent Nelsen.

State economists largely agree South Carolina’s economy will not rebound by the end of next year. Political scientists agree the economy will be a top issue in the governor’s race.

Barrett said putting state residents back to work will be his top concern.

“I believe that is the governor’s job,” Barrett said of leading state job creation efforts.

“(Colite) is a business that is growing and expanding, and what is out there to help them in the process? Absolutely nothing.”

Colite’s Brown and North American Rescue owner Robert Castellani are both Barrett campaign donors.

Brown’s company ships signs across the country and to more than 100 nations. Clients include Holiday Inn, Alltel and Bank of America. From start to finish, most orders are completed in about 30 days.

Brown told Barrett that he needs better educated workers, because the company trains its employees in many parts of the sign-making process — machine-cutting plastic letters, wiring light-emitting diode signs, painting and assembling finished signs.

Brown said the state also can help business by limiting regulation and clarifying how the rules should apply.

But more important, Brown said, is focusing on businesses in the state rather than trying to lure out-of-state companies here.

“The way it’s structured,” Brown said, “the best company we have is the one in North Carolina we don’t have.”

Barrett said he is still learning about the state’s economy, and tours such as Monday’s are one way to develop a plan if he becomes governor.

He thinks expanding energy production and research, particularly nuclear, could be the fastest way to create new jobs.

Barrett said his priorities include restructuring the state’s tax system — including the 2006 statewide property tax reform plan — streamlining state government and improving schools and colleges.

GREER, SC – U.S. Congressman Gresham Barrett visited North American Rescue, Inc., a Greer-based business specializing in the manufacturing of emergency medical and rescue equipment, to discuss job creation and economic development.

“North American Rescue is adapting and using ingenuity to not only survive but thrive in these challenging economic times,” said Congressman Barrett. “Their innovative partnership with SC Vocational Rehabilitation provides them with the flexibility needed in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace.”

For over a decade North American Rescue has served the growing community of first responders, health care professionals and security forces defending our country from threats both foreign and domestic. North American Rescue’s mission is to provide solutions that have a direct correlation to decreasing preventable death on the battlefield, within urban areas and under austere conditions.

Barrett added, “While it is not government’s role to create jobs, we have a responsibility to work with businesses and industry leaders like North American Rescue to help improve South Carolina’s economic climate. And we can do that by restructuring our punitive tax and regulatory systems, reducing government spending, improving infrastructure and rewarding companies by providing them unique opportunities to grow and expand.”

Barrett’s visit to North American Rescue was the first stop on a daylong tour during which he will meet with business leaders in Charleston and Columbia to discuss economic development and job creation.

###

COLUMBIA, SC – U.S. Congressman Gresham Barrett today visited Colite International, Inc., a family owned, Columbia-based company that has been in the sign business for more than sixty-years. Barrett’s visit to Colite was the last stop of a daylong tour during which he met with business and industry leaders from across the state to discuss job creation and economic development.

“When Marty and Peter Brown took the reins of Colite International from their father in 1992, they immediately recognized the challenges of the new global economy,” said Barrett. “They changed the way Colite operated, developed contacts worldwide and shifted the company’s focus to the selling and implementation of sign programs across the country and across the globe. Their foresight combined with their streamlined manufacturing system, cutting-edge equipment, and highly trained personnel has allowed Colite to grow and expand even in these tough times.”

Colite International, as of today, has exported signs to over 110 countries. The company’s services include engineering, design, project management, surveys, installations, permitting, manufacturing and maintenance. Colite’s clients include Holiday Inn, Tiffany & Co., Alltel, Thompson Reuters and many other globally-recognized businesses.

###

CHARLESTON, SC – U.S. Congressman Gresham Barrett visited the Port of Charleston today as part of a daylong tour during which he met with business and industry leaders from across the state to discuss job creation and economic development.

“The impact that the Port of Charleston has on South Carolina’s economy cannot be emphasized enough,” said Congressman Barrett. “International trade through this port and others in the Palmetto State provides 260,000 jobs paying more than $11 billion in wages to South Carolinians. Re-establishing the Port of Charleston as the central gateway between the east coast and the world is critical to growing our economy.”

###

GREER, S.C. — U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett stopped in the Upstate Monday morning to kick off a listening tour of the state.

He’s running for governor against three Republicans so far.

Job creation and sustainability are his biggest priorities he said among a group of employees from North American Rescue.

He toured the Greer business Monday morning, after holding a private meeting with management to ask them what they needed from the government.

Rep. Barrett said it’s businesses like these that are being inundated with regulations from the federal and state government.

Barrett said, “We’re always concerned about new business, bringing new businesses to the state. That’s wonderful and that’s very important, but as a former small businessman, I understand it’s more cost effective to spend money on existing customers. I was in the furniture business. It was more effective to spend money on existing customers then it was many times to bring in new customers. We need to have rules and regulations where we can help existing businesses. I think is extremely important.”

Bob Castellani is the CEO of North American Rescue.

He said he was blindsided by all the new tax regulations when the new president took office. He said most of the regulations are coming from the federal level, and he’d like help from the next governor to defer that on the state level.

Castellani said, “We knew they were coming, the problem is there is so much coming, and tell me that what’s not going to come next week!”

Barrett said he’s on this listening tour of the state to hear from business owners about what they need from government.

He made two other stops in the state Monday.

Currently Nikki Haley, Brent Nelsen and Larry Grooms have all announced they’re running for the Republican gubernatorial nomination as well.

State Attorney General Henry Mcmaster and Lt. Gov. Andre Bauers have indicated they plan to run, also.

By JOHN O’CONNOR
joconnor@thestate.com

U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett has raised more than a half-million dollars in the past three months for his 2010 gubernatorial efforts, according to his campaign.

Barrett, a Republican, has raised more than $800,000 since officially entering the six-person field in early March. The deadline to file second quarter campaign reports is Friday.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish from a finance standpoint in this unprecedented economic downturn,” Barrett finance chairman Barry Wynn said in a written statement. “A lot of the so called experts said we’d never exceed our first quarter tally, but when we’re finished counting, I’m confident we’ll demonstrate that we’ve kept the momentum from the 1st quarter going.

Staff said they could not yet determine how much cash the campaign had on hand because of issues with transferring money from Barrett’s federal account. Both Barrett and potential gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Henry McMaster reported more than $1 million on hand after the first three months of 2009.

Other candidates in the field include Berkeley state Sen. Larry Grooms, Lexington Rep. Nikki Haley and Furman University political scientist Brent Nelsen. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer is also weighing a run.

U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett, R-Westminster, has tapped former state GOP chairman Barry Wynn to lead his 2010 gubernatorial campaign’s fundraising efforts.

In an e-mail to supporters, Wynn said he signed on with Barrett because “character still counts and Gresham Barrett has got it in spades.” Wynn is president of Spartanburg investment firm Colonial Group Inc. and spearheaded former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani’s short-lived S.C. presidential campaign.

Joining Wynn on Barrett’s finance team are Greenville developer Bo Aughtry, and Columbia residents Peter Brown, a leader in former Massachussetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s S.C. presidential campaign, real estate executive Joe Edens and city councilman Kirkman Finley.

Barrett is one of a half-dozen GOP candidates seeking the GOP nomination.

– John O’Connor

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Congressional Baseball Game and Republicans are optimistic that we can keep our winning streak going. The opening pitch is just after 7pm tomorrow night in the Nationals’ Stadium and all the proceeds from the game go to the Adult Literacy Program for Washington, DC.

“…Jim DeMint and Gresham Barrett supported the solid initiatives to bring fiscal sanity back to Washington, but a majority of their Republican colleagues did not.” – The Greenville News, 7/6/04

“During his tenure, Barrett has sought to restrain the spending excesses of his own Party and his efforts earned him high ratings from the American Conservative Union.” – The Greenville News, 10/27/06

“…Gresham Barrett of Westminster [was] among the 38 Republicans to vote against the $820 Billion [Medicare Expansion] Spending Bill…” – The Greenville News, 12/13/03

The Barrett Record

• Named Defender of Economic Freedom by the Club for Growth
• 98% Lifetime Score from the American Conservative Union
• Six-time Recipient of the National Taxpayer Union “Taxpayer Friend” Award
• Repeatedly endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Business
• Previously endorsed by Citizens Against Government Waste PAC
• 4th Most Conservative Member of the U.S. House according to National Journal
• Vehemently opposed President Obama’s Stimulus Package
• Authored the Government Waste Reduction Act

“…Jim DeMint and Gresham Barrett supported the solid initiatives to bring fiscal sanity back to Washington, but a majority of their Republican colleagues did not.” – The Greenville News, 7/6/04

“During his tenure, Barrett has sought to restrain the spending excesses of his own Party and his efforts earned him high ratings from the American Conservative Union.” – The Greenville News, 10/27/06

“…Gresham Barrett of Westminster [was] among the 38 Republicans to vote against the $820 Billion [Medicare Expansion] Spending Bill…” – The Greenville News, 12/13/03

The Barrett Record

• Named Defender of Economic Freedom by the Club for Growth
• 98% Lifetime Score from the American Conservative Union
• Six-time Recipient of the National Taxpayer Union “Taxpayer Friend” Award
• Repeatedly endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Business
• Previously endorsed by Citizens Against Government Waste PAC
• 4th Most Conservative Member of the U.S. House according to National Journal
• Vehemently opposed President Obama’s Stimulus Package
• Authored the Government Waste Reduction Act

I learned my values at my family’s furniture store in Westminster and from The Citadel in Charleston: hard work, community, and commitment to causes greater than self. I have been blessed with an incredible family, friendship, and opportunity, and I believe in giving back.

My vision for the future of South Carolina is filled with prosperity and promise:
Make South Carolina a national model for job creation by incentivizing existing and new business to invest in our people and communities, creating thousands of high paying jobs, and getting our economy back on track.
Reduce government spending by restructuring, eliminating wasteful spending and making the tough decisions to cut government fat even when times are good.
Reforming health care with common sense, free market solutions that empower patients and doctors to make decisions and control costs.
Fixing K-12 education with new ideas for old problems – innovation, competition and accountability – that work for children and parents and rewards good teachers.
Respect our culture, promote our families, and protect life.  Government shouldn’t dictate our values, but it should reflect them.
I cannot put into words how humbled and honored I would be to have your support. If you ever have questions about my position on the issues or just want to get more involved with the campaign, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you, and I thank you for your time.

God Bless you and your family.

Sincerely,

Gresham Barrett

Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,

Gresham Barrett