Dr. Garrett Barton
On June 14, Marlboro County voters will have a chance to vote for a candidate to represent them in the U.S. House of Representatives District 7.
Incumbent Tom Rice (R) faces competition from Barbara Arthur (R), Dr. Garrett Barton (R), Russell Fry (R), Spencer A. Morris (R), Ken Richardson (R), Keenan Dunham (L), and Larry Guy Hammond (L).
The Herald-Advocate emailed questionnaires to candidates to allow the voters to get know them and what they hope to achieve for District 7. No responses were received from Arthur or Fry.
Name: Tom Rice
Education: I attended the University of South Carolina in Columbia, where I earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in accounting in 1979 and a law degree in 1982.
Residence: Myrtle Beach
Occupation: Retired tax lawyer, Congressman
What current or past offices have you held? I was chairman of the Horry County Council in 2010 and have been the U.S. Congressman for the 7th District since 2012.
What are your past/other areas of service? (church, civic organizations, etc.)
I have been fortunate to serve this community through many charitable and civic organizations including the Myrtle Beach Haven Homeless Shelter (President), Grand Strand Sertoma Club (Secretary, President), Ocean View Foundation (President), Trinity Episcopal Church (Vestry), YMCA, and York Place. I have had the opportunity to sit on several community advisory boards as well, including the Horry County Probate Court Advisory Committee and the Myrtle Beach Board of Zoning Variances (Chairman).
Why do you feel that you are qualified to be elected to this position?
I moved to Myrtle Beach when I was four years old. I was raised here, my wife and I raised our three sons here, and built our businesses here. We have a deep-rooted connection to the Grand Strand and Pee Dee areas. I entered Congress with a commitment to give everyone, regardless of race, sex, or age a shot at the American dream. From our country’s regulatory policies to tax rates, I have spent my time in Congress advocating for common-sense reforms to spur economic development and restore America’s competitive edge in the world. I am the first South Carolinian in 40 years to serve on the Ways and Means Committee, which means the 7th District is strongly represented as the committee debates some of the most consequential legislation that comes before Congress. On this committee, I use my experience as a CPA and tax lawyer to tackle issues that matter to the 7th District, including job creation, reforming our tax code, and growing our economy. If re-elected, I will continue to push for pro-growth policies that put Americans first and provide opportunity for everyone.
What do you feel are the top three priorities for District 7?
My top three priorities are jobs, jobs, and jobs. I want to remove barriers to growth in our markets and unleash American innovation. Business in the US can be helped by the federal government, as it was during the pandemic, or it can be hindered, as we frequently see with overburdensome regulations. By clearing the way for American industries to grow and compete on an international level, we can level the playing field. Since being elected, I’ve helped lower the unemployment rate in my district by over 75%. I helped draft the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that restored US competitiveness and put the 7th District back to work.
Another top priority of mine is to restore law and order in our country. It is essential that we have good, competent men and women in our police forces. This is often difficult, particularly in rural areas. I visited law enforcement officers across the district to hear about their concerns and came up with a plan. I have drafted legislation designed to offer incentives for rural law enforcement agencies to hire the officers necessary to provide adequate public safety. This legislation will provide a block grant that law enforcement agencies can then use to hire new officers and increase the wages of current officers. The grant will be designed to benefit the small and rural agencies that have historically struggled to reach full employment or provide competitive wages.
Name: Dr. Garrett Barton
Education: I earned a bachelor’s degree from Pittsburgh State University in 2009. I earned an M.D. from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 2015.
Residence: Cheraw
Occupation: I am a family doctor.
What current or past offices have you held?
None were listed
What are your past/other areas of service?
He served on the SC Med PAC, is a member of the Chesterfield County SC GOP and has a master of business administration from the University of South Carolina Aiken.
Why do you feel that you are qualified to be elected to this position?
As a physician, I have demonstrated profound judgment in life-or-death situations, brought others together to accomplish goals and established a reputation in my community of leadership and compassion. My training has provided me with the ability to work as a team, analyze problems and find solutions—traits greatly needed in Congress today.
What do you feel are the top three priorities for District 7?
Putting America First
I will promote policies that put the American citizen first, our American economy first, and American interests first, such as increasing our domestic energy supply and regaining our energy independence, giving veterans and military the support and care they need, fixing our broken immigration system.
Fixing our Health care
Healthcare is just too expensive. Access to quality basic medical services that the citizens of South Carolina desperately need has declined over the last ten years. Immediately, I will introduce policies that will bring down healthcare and prescription drug cost for the people of the 7th.
Rebuilding Main Streets
Much of the 7th district has been in economic turmoil and career politicians have done nothing to stop the closing of our main streets. I plan to rebuild our main streets by bringing new opportunities and business to the 7th district.
Name: Keenan Dunham
Education: I graduated from the University of South Carolina, Cum Laude with a BS in experimental psychology.
Residence: Myrtle Beach, SC
Occupation: Business Owner
What current or past offices have you held?
I have been the current chairman of the Horry County Libertarian Party for the past three years. I was the vice chairman of the Horry County Libertarian Party from 2016-2019.
What are your past/other areas of service?
I have volunteered with Adopt a Highway, Lighthouse Mental Health Center, and Bibles for Babies.
Why do you feel that you are qualified to be elected to this position?
Check out my website at Dunham2024.com for my policies. I have 10 plus years of political experience. I am a Liberty Candidate for second amendment, low taxes, and smaller government.
What do you feel are the top three priorities for District 7?
The priorities are lower taxes, infrastructure, and the second amendment.
Name: Larry Guy Hammond
Education: I graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1975.
Residence: Myrtle Beach
Occupation: I am a retired/business owner
What current or past offices have you held?
None
What are your past/other areas of service?
None
Why do you feel that you are qualified to be elected to this position?
First, how has experience worked out so far? Second, my business experience qualifies me to understand the concerns of the district. I think outside of the box for solutions to the issues. I have answers.
What do you feel are the top three priorities for District 7?
They are education, incomes/opportunities, and economy.
Name: Spencer A. Morris, Pharm.D., BCPS
Education: I have a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) from the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy. I did a clinical pharmacy residency at McLeod Family Medicine Center in Florence in 2001-2002.
Residence: Georgetown
Occupation: I am a hospital pharmacist/small business owner .
What current or past offices have you held?
I previously represented Congressional District 7 on the SC Board of Pharmacy from 2013 to 2020.
What are your past/other areas of service?
I have been a volunteer for the United Way. I have provided numerous educational programs to various church, civic and senior citizens groups on medication safety.
Why do you feel that you are qualified to be elected to this position?
I believe the extensive regulatory and public health policy experience I gained while serving on the SC Board of Pharmacy would help me to better serve the citizens of Congressional District 7 as their representative in Congress vs. other candidates who are running that have never held public office. I have lived in the Pee Dee Region of SC almost my entire adult life. I and my family have strong ties to the district and I am completely invested in my local community and strive to make it a better place to live and work.
What do you feel are the top three priorities for District 7?
I would like to preface my answer that it is difficult to narrow down the district’s challenges to just three priorities. The first is job growth and improvement of our local economies in all eight counties comprising Congressional District 7. The next is to balance population growth and residential development within the limits of our existing public infrastructure. The third is to elect public officials at the federal, state and local levels who will be truly accountable to the citizens of Congressional District 7 and represent their will in all governmental and public policy matters.
Name: Ken Richardson
Education: I graduated from Horry Georgetown Technical College
Residence: Conway
Occupation: I am a retired Mercedes Benz, BMW, Cadillac and Jeep dealer in Myrtle Beach Area.
What current or past offices have you held?
I am a former board member of Coastal Carolina Advisory Board, where I served for four years. I am a former board member of Horry Georgetown Technical College for 20 years with 16 of those as chairman. I now hold the title of “Chairman Emeritus”. Currently I serve as the chairman of the Horry County Board of Education.
What are your past/other areas of service?
I served as a trustee of the United Carolina Bank board. I served as a trustee of the BB & T Bank board. I served on the SC State Automobile Dealer Association Board, National Cadillac Dealers Association Board, and the Southern Region of the Mercedes Benz Dealers Association Board. I was selected to the Conway High School Alumni Hall of Fame.
Why do you feel that you are qualified to be elected to this position?
I feel after 45 years in the automobile business I know how to negotiate and work with people. We need businessmen, not lawyers in Washington. We should work to reduce laws, not increase them. We don’t need career politicians who go against the wishes of the people. I will listen to the people and not the special interests who buy off other politicians.
What do you feel are the top three priorities for District 7?
Education. We need to do away with the Department of Education and send the children’s education back to the local level. Let the parents and local school boards decide the direction the children should be taught.
Infrastructure. We need a comprehensive plan to fix our local roads, bridges and flooding issues before we try to push I-73 on the people. I-73 is a pipe dream of the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce.
Jobs. We need real jobs with good pay and benefits. This can only be accomplished by working with our technical colleges and trade schools to produce skilled labor. Skilled labor will be the key to the future in the 7th district of South Carolina.