SC chamber sticks with Dem Sheheen endorsement

http://www.lakewyliepilot.com/2010/07/07/782497/sc-chamber-sticks-with-dem-sheheen.html

COLUMBIA, S.C. --

South Carolina business leaders are sticking with a decision not to endorse state GOP gubernatorial nominee Rep. Nikki Haley as her campaign Wednesday called the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce "a big fan of bailouts and corporate welfare."

State chamber board member Ted Speth said Wednesday that he's backing Democrat Vincent Sheheen because the next governor needs to get along with the GOP-controlled Legislature, something that has been missing for eight years under Republican Gov. Mark Sanford. They "certainly have not had much harmony there within the past eight years," said Speth, managing shareholder in Ogletree Deakins, one of the state's largest law firms.

The chamber endorsed Sheheen, who won the Democratic nomination, earlier this year along with Republican U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett. On June 18, days before Barrett lost a runoff with Haley, the chamber decided it would stick with that decision even if Haley won. This year's endorsements were the first ever in a governor's race for the state chamber.

"These candidates had a particularly favorable focus on business," said Reed Byrum of The Byrum Innovation Group Inc. in Greenville.

I hope this endorsement makes a difference.