Voters’ Guide for District 7 primary
Provided by the League of Women Voters of Darlington County
Race: U.S. House of Representatives, District 7
Candidates:
Bruce Fischer
Party: Dem
Biographical Info:
Mailing Address: 1026 Snowberry Dr. Longs, SC 29568
Campaign Phone: (843) 902-9867
Campaign email: drbrucefischerforcongress@gmail.com
Current job: Candidate
Campaign Website: www.drbrucefischerforcongress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BruceFischerForCongress/
Questions:
Q: What do you think are the most important issues in this election?
A: Healthcare, education, jobs, environment, gun safety, civil rights (women’s, racial LGBT, religious), social safety nets, immigration reform, real tax reform. Giving people real hope for the future.
Q: What will you do to support a vibrant economy in our area?
A: Improve the educational system so that it leads to 21st century jobs with real livable wages. Do whatever it takes to attract businesses with good-paying jobs, working with state and local governments.
Q: Explain your stand on offshore drilling.
A: Absolutely opposed to seismic testing and drilling. We cannot afford the risk (certainty) of a major spill off our coast. Accidents can and WILL occur. The effects on our economy would be devastating.
Q: Would you support any changes to our country’s gun laws? Explain.
A: Yes. Universal background checks, no matter how long they may take. Impose a ban on fully automatic weapons, and “assault-style” high-power rifles, as well as kits that would make semi-automatic act like fully automatic rifles by increasing the rate of fire, and banning high-capacity magazines.
Q: Why do you believe you are well-qualified for this office?
A: I am intelligent, caring sensitive, and passionate. I also believe I have the skills to reach across the aisle, and negotiate with the opposition. Although I have no experience in politics or elective office, I have spent my life serving. I served in the Army, flying CH-47 helicopters in combat in Vietnam. I served as a clinical psychologist for over 30 years, helping people sort out a variety of problems in their lives. I bring that same ethos and ethic with me in this latest endeavor. I am committed to making this district, this state, and this country a better place than what I see around me now. I have no illusions about how daunting this job is. I pledge to do my level best.
Larry Guy Hammond
Party: Rep
Biographical Info:
Mailing Address: PO Box 51654 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29579
Campaign Phone: (843) 902-0083
Campaign email: Larry@LarryGuyHammond.com
Current job: Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives SC 7
Campaign Website: www.LarryGuyHammond.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LarryGuyHammondforCongress
Questions:
Q: What do you think are the most important issues in this election?
A: South Carolina’s educational ranking is at #48 in America. We have got to start investing in our children’s future. If we decide to do this and get our ranking to the top 10, prosperity will follow with wealth and opportunities. This means Jobs, Jobs Jobs! If I am a CEO looking to invest I am going to look at my labor pool first. Do I have qualified, educated hard-working people to work. Second thing I will look at is infrastructure. Which we are ranked at #33. Can get my goods and services to market fast and efficiently. The third thing I will look at is there tax credit incentives. Overall South Carolina is ranked #42 out of 50 states. This is unacceptable! Our leaders are letting us down!
Q: What will you do to support a vibrant economy in our area?
A: Our President with his lower corporate taxes and fair-trade agreement programs is paving the way for industry and manufacturing to be re-established in SC and the district. Working with other leaders I will meet with CEO’s of corporations to bring jobs to our district. I will fight to bring back the lost textile industry that we once relied on for so many years. We lost over a million jobs to China, Brazil and Mexico because of higher corporate taxes, an imbalance of trade and low wages for workers from these countries. “Norma Rae’s” grandchildren will be put back to work as computer operators skilled in robotics in an industry that is now high tech. Our cotton is still here!
Q: Explain your stand on offshore drilling.
A: No to “Drill Baby Drill!” Being on the coast, South Carolina needs to protect its waters like we protect our lands. I will not support Off-Shore drilling off of our beautiful coast. I believe it’s unsightly to the visitors who come to enjoy our beaches, spending their hard-earned money. The second reason is that the waters of the great Atlantic are different than the shallow waters in the gulf. The Atlantic is more susceptible to Hurricanes, Tropical Depressions, and tidal fluctuations. I know in the short term, we must maintain energy by fossil fuels. But, we also need to start embracing solar energy, wind energy, hydro-power, geothermal energy, wave energy and biomass energy.
Q: Would you support any changes to our country’s gun laws? Explain.
A: Guns have been around for centuries. Guns are a tool just like a rock, a knife, a rope even a car which can all kill. I believe in our 2nd amendment. Key words are “NOT BE INFRINGED.” The causes of crime are complex. Most people today accept that poverty, parental neglect, low self-esteem, alcohol, and drug abuse are all connected, and rationalize why people commit crimes. Some people are simply at greater risk of becoming offenders because of the circumstances into which they are born. I feel today’s violence is caused by homes without discipline, schools without prayer and hearts without God. Gun laws will not change bad disturbed people from using them and killing.
Q: Why do you believe you are well-qualified for this office?
A: I am not a lawyer, a millionaire or even a politician. I am just FED up! I set my course in college to business. I climbed the all-important corporate ladder to executive management in my thirties. I then started several successful companies from the ground up. I have learned lessons the hard way, struggling to meet payrolls, paying high rents and loan payments. I have an entrepreneurial spirit and think outside of the box, learning to adapt quickly. Life is my experience to doing the job in Congress. I am not beholden to anyone, company, PAC or party, I am my own man. True, I have no experience in politics but how has experience worked so far? Vote: Larry Guy Hammond for Congress!
Bill Hopkins
Party: Dem
Biographical Info:
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1977 Pawleys Island, SC 29585
Campaign Phone: (843) 979-9300
Campaign email: info@billhopkinsforcongress.com
Current job: Attorney at Hopkins Law Firm
Campaign Website: www.billhopkinsforcongress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/billhopkinsforcongress
Questions:
Q: What do you think are the most important issues in this election?
A: I believe the most important issues facing our area are –
Jobs and Trade: Unfair trade laws have devastated our area. Good jobs are shipping out and too often are being replaced with low paying jobs without benefits.
Roads and Infrastructure: Our roads are in horrible shape and are dangerous. This is unsafe and discourages new industry. Instead of huge tax breaks for companies who move jobs overseas, I’ll champion infrastructure investment right here. This will make us safer, attract jobs, and put people to work.
Education: Schools in our area continue to be underfunded. I’ll fight to bring federal education dollars here so that our schools are modern and safe.
Q: What will you do to support a vibrant economy in our area?
A: In many places around the country, the economy is doing very well. In the 7th district of South Carolina, too many are struggling. From my time working in a textile mill, I know first-hand that unfair trade policies have driven away good jobs. I’ll work for better trade deals and serve as an economic ambassador for our area to attract new and clean industry. We don’t just need jobs, we need good jobs that people can raise a family on.
Q: Explain your stand on offshore drilling.
A: I oppose off shore drilling off the South Carolina coast. Our coast is too critical to our economy and our way of life. An accident could prove absolutely devastating to our community and is not worth the risk.
Q: Would you support any changes to our country’s gun laws? Explain.
A: I am a gun owner, a hunter, and supporter of the Second Amendment. That said, I would back common sense gun laws like comprehensive background checks and a new sales ban on certain military style assault weapons often used in the current epidemic of mass-shootings in this country. We can’t just sit back and do nothing as tragedy after tragedy unfolds.
Q: Why do you believe you are well-qualified for this office?
A: For the past twenty-five years I’ve stood up for people who have to work for a living. I took on pharmaceutical companies that were overcharging our state’s Medicaid and Health Plan Programs, and helped recover tens of millions of dollars for South Carolina taxpayers. Along with families in Lee County, I stood up against a multi-billion dollar garbage company that was dumping out-of-state waste, including human waste from New York and chemical sludge from Delaware, in Bishopville. Ultimately, we forced them to make major improvements. And, I helped expose life insurance companies that were charging African Americans higher premiums simply based on race.
Mal Hyman
Party: Dem
Biographical Info:
Mailing Address: 309 Deerwood Dr. Hartsville, SC 29550
Current job: Coker College Professor
Campaign Website: www.malhyman.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Mal4Congress/
Questions:
Q: What do you think are the most important issues in this election?
A: Jobs. Opportunity. Security. Creating jobs through a renewed commitment to improving infrastructure. Creating opportunity by investing in early childhood education and making college affordable. Creating long term and short-term security by enhancing access to affordable healthcare, investing in social security and committing to improving our relationship with the environment.
Q: What will you do to support a vibrant economy in our area?
A: We must invest in infrastructure. This will create jobs, and improve our tourism industry. We must invest in sustainable energy. This will create employment opportunities, protect the environment and boost our competitive advantage nationally and globally.
Q: Explain your stand on offshore drilling.
A: We must protect our beautiful coastline. Off-shore drilling threatens tourism and fishing industries and yields very few jobs in return. Continued dependence on oil is a step in the wrong direction. We must make strategic choices for the future of our planet’s resources. I’m strongly opposed to disrupting our oceanic ecosystem for short-term gains.
Q: Would you support any changes to our country’s gun laws? Explain.
A: Too many lives are lost as a result of gun violence. I believe it is common sense to require universal background checks for all gun purchases to better keep weapons out of the hands of felons, domestic abusers and others with dangerous backgrounds. I oppose the sale of automatic weapons, bump stocks, and high capacity magazines. Violence prevention efforts must be strengthened through conflict resolution training beginning in elementary school. Schools need funding for additional guidance counselors and resource staff in order to better identify and assist troubled students.
Q: Why do you believe you are well-qualified for this office?
A: I’m a good listener and I believe in common sense solutions for our state and nation. As a teacher for 40 years – in high schools, at Coker College, and for several years inside of a medium security men’s prison, I bring an experienced perspective regarding much needed improvements to both our educational system and prison system. Having performed human rights work in 8 countries, I also bring a first hand global perspective to the table. My campaign is not accepting corporate or banking donations, which allows me to freely and fairly represent the best interests of my constituents.
I pledge to serve with honor and transparency.
Tom Rice
Party: Rep
Biographical Info:
Mailing Address: 5100 N. Ocean Blvd. Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Questions:
Q: What do you think are the most important issues in this election?
A: – no response –
Q: What will you do to support a vibrant economy in our area?
A: – no response –
Q: Explain your stand on offshore drilling.
A: – no response –
Q: Would you support any changes to our country’s gun laws? Explain.
A: – no response –
Q: Why do you believe you are well-qualified for this office?
A: – no response –
Robert Williams
Party: Dem
Biographical Info:
Mailing Address: 2512 Holly Circle Darlington, SC 29532
Campaign Phone: (843) 229-0920
Campaign email: robertwilliamsforcongress2018@gmail.com
Current job: State Rep
Campaign Website: robertqwilliamsforcongress.com
Questions:
Q: What do you think are the most important issues in this election?
A: The most important issue in this election is economic development for rural S.C. This also include the issue of oil drilling along the coast.
Q: What will you do to support a vibrant economy in our area?
A: – no response –
Q: Explain your stand on offshore drilling.
A: – no response –
Q: Would you support any changes to our country’s gun laws? Explain.
A: Yes, we must up the age to 21 and do comprehensive background check on all purchases. We also must hold parents of shooter responsible to the death of others.
Q: Why do you believe you are well-qualified for this office?
A: I am well qualified for this office. I am a 12 years legislator with experience and political will to be the voice of the people.
