The final stretch for Ceips vs. Davis

Republican party infighting between Sen. Catherine Ceips and former governor's chief of staff Tom Davis should be over come Tuesday, when Beaufort County voters choose a Republican nominee in the Senate District 46 race.

Ceips, who has was a House representative for Beaufort before moving to the Senate in a special election last year, frequently points to her emphasis on constituent service as the bedrock of her political life. She ascribes that emphasis to her work as a local staffer for U.S. Reps. Joe Wilson and Floyd Spence before she took office herself in 2003.

Among the recent laws she touts as her accomplishments are several tax relief efforts, immigration reform that requires employers to verify their employees are in the country legally and tougher DUI laws. Ceips also highlights her support of pending public safety bills that deal with DNA sampling of arrestees and abolishing parole.

Davis said he got into politics by way of his college friendship at Furman University with now-Gov. Mark Sanford. Davis, a lawyer by trade, campaigned for the governor and joined his staff when he took office in 2003. Davis resigned as the governor's chief of staff in March to run for Senate.

Davis, a former Democrat, said his political leanings changed over time under Sanford, and he now spreads "the gospel as told by Mark." Davis tells crowds that the two conservative principles that guide his policy-making decisions now are home rule and small government.

Cyndy Carr, 37, of Beaufort, said she's undecided and will "probably cram at the last minute" before deciding Tuesday.

Carr, a loan processor at a local bank, said she doesn't personally know Ceips but is acquainted with Davis.

"It would be nice to have a woman in office," she thought out loud.

Ceips is one of only two women in the 46-member Senate. The other female senator, Democrat Linda Short of Chester County, is not seeking reelection this year.

Bill Evans, a 63-year-old retiree from Lady's Island, said he had voted for Ceips in the past but is for Davis this time because he likes Sanford.

When it came to light that the Ceips campaign used dead people in a list of supporters in a campaign mailer, Evans said he was really turned off.

"She needs new blood in her campaign," said Evans, no relation to the former principal and Beaufort County School District athletics director of the same name.

Evans said his wife is likely to vote for Ceips; "We'll counteract each other."

Sharon McRae, a grandmother and retired nurse from Beaufort, said she has tried to ignore the political shenanigans, but also prefers Davis.

"He's young, straightforward, honest and very knowledgeable," she said. "He represents a lot of what I think."

Tuesday's winner will face Democrat Kent Fletcher from Bluffton in the Nov. 4 general election. Potential petition candidates who meet a July 15 deadline may also be on the November ballot.

The district covers all of southern Beaufort County and in the north, Beaufort, Port Royal, Lady's Island, parts of Burton, parts of St. Helena Island,Dataw Island, Hunting Island, Harbor Island and Fripp Island.