GOP likely to stay in control of House

Both parties agree Republicans will retain control, but their seat advantage is debated, politicians are saying

Web posted October 30, 1998

Associated Press

COLUMBIA -- Republicans likely will keep control of South Carolina's House for two more years, no matter who wins the 35 contested seats this year.

Democrats and Republicans agree the House will stay in GOP hands, but disagree whether the Republicans' 21-seat advantage will decrease or increase.

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For Democrats to get a 63-seat majority, one of two things would have to happen:

-- Twelve of the 21 Republicans running for re-election would have to lose.

-- Democrats would have to take all four open seats and beat eight Republicans.

In both cases, the Democrats could not lose any of their seats.

``I would be very, very, very surprised if that happens,'' said House Minority Leader Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg.

It will be a ``status quo'' election, with the overall numbers staying the same, despite large amounts spent by the video gambling industry to defeat its opponents, predicted Trey Walker, the state Republican Party's executive director.

Reps. Tracy Edge of North Myrtle Beach, Marion Kinon of Dillon, Becky Martin of Anderson, Joe McMaster of Columbia, Liston Barfield of Conway and John Felder of St. Matthews, all are industry targets, he said.

``When it's all said and done, we'll have our 72 seats or even more,'' Mr. Walker said.

Many of the powerful House members, like Cobb-Hunter; House Ways and Means Chairman Henry Brown, R-Hanahan; and Speaker Pro Tem Terry Haskins, R-Greenville, face no opposition.

However, House Speaker David Wilkins of Greenville, an 18-year veteran, has a Democratic opponent in Roy Osteen, who never has run for political office before and who said the Democratic Party tried to get him to withdraw.

``I'm still in an educational process,'' he said.

Two House members face each other for the third time in as many years, with the incumbent, a former Democrat turned independent now running as a Republican.

Rep. Jennings McAbee had held the District 12 seat in the western part of the state as a Democrat since 1975. When redistricting increased the number of potential minority voters, Mr. McAbee changed to an independent and won.

In 1996, he lost to Democrat Anne Parks by 124 votes, but then courts overturned the redrawn district and Mr. McAbee turned Republican. He won his seat back by 32 votes over Ms. Parks in a special election last year. Now he and Ms. Parks are tangling yet again.

And about his switch from Democrat to independent to Republican? ``I've always been extremely conservative,'' he said.

The Democrat-controlled Senate is not up for re-election this year, although there will have to eventually be a special election to replace either Republican Sen. John Courson of Columbia or Democratic Sen. Jim Lander of Newberry, both of whom are running for comptroller general.