Grady Patterson
Party: Democrat
Age: 78
Occupation: State treasurer
Family: Married, six children
Education: Bachelor's and law degrees, University of South Carolina
Political Experience: State treasurer, 1967-94 and 1999-present

Greg Ryberg
Party: Republican
Age: 56
Occupation: Chief executive officer, REI Inc.
Family: Married, three children
Education: Bachelor's degree in mathematics, Marquette University
Political Experience: State Senate, 1993-present

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Steve Benjamin
Party: Democrat
Age: 32
Occupation: Assistant prosecutor for Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon and Marlboro counties and in private legal practice
Family: Married
Education: Bachelor's and law degrees, University of South Carolina
Political Experience: Director of the state Department of Probation Pardon and Parole Service, 1999-2001

Henry McMaster
Party: Republican
Age: 55
Occupation: Private attorney
Family: Married, two children
Education: Bachelor's and law degrees, University of South Carolina
Political Experience: Chairman, state Republican Party 1993-2002; ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor, 1990; lost bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Ernest "Fritz" Hollings in 1986

COMPTROLLER GENERAL

Richard Eckstrom
Party: Republican
Age: 54
Occupation: Chief financial officer, Columbia Business Equipment; CPA
Family: Married, three children
Education: Bachelor's and master's degrees, University of South Carolina
Political Experience: State treasurer, 1995-99; ran unsuccessfully for House District 88 in 2000

Jim Lander
Party: Democrat
Age: 72
Occupation: State comptroller general; retired chief of staff, South Carolina Air National Guard
Family: Married, six children
Education: Bachelor's degree, Lander College
Political Experience: Comptroller general, 1999-present; state senator, 1993-1998

EDUCATION SUPERINTENDENT

Dan Hiltgen
Party: Republican
Age: 38
Occupation: Associate professor of physics, Presbyterian College
Family: Married, one child
Education: Bachelor's degrees in mathematics, physics and astronomy, University of Wisconsin; master's and doctoral degrees in astrophysics, University of Texas
Political Experience: First political race

Inez Tenenbaum
Party: Democrat
Age: 51
Occupation: State education superintendent
Family: Married
Education: Bachelor's and master's degrees, University of Georgia; law degree, University of South Carolina
Political Experience: Education superintendent, 1999-present; ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor, 1994

AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER

John Long
Party: Democratic
Age: 54
Occupation: Farmer
Family: Divorced, two children
Education: Bachelor's and master's degrees in agricultural engineering, Clemson University
Political Experience: Member, state Agriculture Commission.

Charles Sharpe
Party: Republican
Age: 64
Occupation: Printer and farmer
Family: Wife, three children
Education: Attended Georgia Tech and Midlands Technical College
Political Experience: State House, 1985-present

U.S. SENATE

Alex Sanders
Age: 64
Party: Democrat
Occupation: Former judge and college president
Family: Wife, Zoe, one daughter
Education: Bachelor's and law degrees, the University of South Carolina; master's from the University of Virginia School of Law
Political Experience: State senator, appeals court judge

Lindsey Graham
Age: 47
Occupation: Attorney, U.S. representative
Family: Single
Education: Bachelor's and law degrees, the University of South Carolina
Political Experience: Elected 3rd District representative in 1994

3RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

J. Gresham Barrett, 41
Party: Republican
Occupation: Business owner
Family: Wife, Natalie, three children
Education: Graduate of The Citadel
Political Experience: State representative

George Brightharp
Party: Democrat
Age: 57
Occupation: Funeral home owner and school guidance counselor
Family: Wife, Dorothy; two children
Education: Graduate of North Carolina A&T University

Political Experience: Previous 3rd District candidate

AIKEN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD

District 2

Reb Sutherland
Age: 48
Occupation: Savannah River Site
Family: husband, Jim, two adult children
Education: Master's degree in education/science, University of South Carolina
Political Experience: First political race

Valerie Towles
Age: 41
Occupation: Cytotechnologist, studies cancerous cells
Family: husband, David, two children; Nathan, 12 and Elizabeth, 10
Education: Bachelor's in biology, College of Charleston; bachelor's in cytotechnology, Medical University of South Carolina
Political Experience: First political race

District 3

Jeff Jones
Age: 40
Occupation: Shift relief manager, Savannah River Site
Family: Wife, Donna, three children
Education: Accounting degree, University of South Carolina
Political Experience: First political race

Larry Murphy
Age: 64
Occupation: Retired bus driver
Family: Wife, Betty, two grown children
Education: Two years' college
Political Experience: Four years on school board

District 6

Steve Cartin
Age: 44
Occupation: business manager at Reid Memorial Presbyterian in Augusta
Family: wife, Wanda, three children
Education: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary master's of divinity, bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, University of Texas
Political Experience: First political race

Christine Sanders
Age: 53
Occupation: Retired principal
Family: Husband, Ed, two grown children
Education: Doctorate in education, University of South Carolina
Political Experience: First political race

Andrew Yaun
Age: 73
Occupation: Retired Graniteville Co. manager
Family: wife, Helen, one grown child
Education: B.S. business administration, USC
Political Experience: Four years on school board

House District 86

Everett Chandler
Age: 30
Occupation: Prosecutor
Family: Single
Education: Law degree, University of South Carolina
Political Experience: First political race

Jim Stewart
Age: 51
Occupation: Builder
Family: Wife, Sharon, three children
Education: Attended Clemson University
Political Experience: First political race