NEW POLITICAL PARTY WILL GIVE EXTRA BALLOT LINE TO 5 SC CANDIDATES

Working Families Party Emphasizes
Health Care, Education and Creating New Jobs

CHARLESTON, SC – Five political candidates will appear on the ballot on November 7th twice because they have been endorsed by a new political party, leaders of the party announced today. South Carolina Working Families (SCWF) has been recognized as a political party in South Carolina and designated two congressional candidates, two state legislative candidates and one candidate for the Charleston County Council as its 2006 standard bearers.

“South Carolina Working Families is a grassroots coalition of community organizations, labor unions and independent voters that emphasizes health care, education, raising wages and creating new jobs,” said party chair Erin McKee. “We’re endorsing candidates that have pledged to make our goals a central part of their agenda.”

The candidates endorsed by the SCWF this year are:

• State House of Representatives:
  • District 79 - Anton Gunn
  • District 115 - Eugene Platt
• U.S. House of Representatives:
  • District 1 - Randy Maatta
  • District 3 - Lee Ballenger
• Charleston County Council:
• District 9 - George Temple

Each is also running as a candidate of the Democratic Party.

“Voters in the districts where South Carolina Working Families is fielding candidates can send a message of support for the Working Families agenda by casting their vote for the candidates with the words ‘Working Families’ next to their name, instead of voting for the candidates just as Democrats,” said McKee. “With enough votes for Working Families, politicians will know they have to make the needs of working families a priority – affordable health care, stronger schools and new jobs improving our infrastructure.”

The SCWF’s Six-Point 2006 Issues Platform:

Our party was organized to hold elected officials accountable on issues that matter most to South Carolina’s working families. Our priority issues for accountability in 2006 are:

• Health care. Support for small businesses that want to provide health care to their employees. Expansion of the successful State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Accountability to ensure that large employers like Wal-Mart pay their fair share.
• Education. Quality schools and education for all South Carolina children.
• Jobs. Investing in ports, roads and other industrial infrastructure to create jobs and attract industry. Support for best value contracting to ensure that tax money is being spent wisely.
• Making work pay. Raising the federal minimum wage and introducing a state Earned Income Tax Credit.
• Environment. Investing in renewable energy to create jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
• Public transportation. Ensuring that working families have access to affordable transportation.