COLUMBIA --- In South Carolina's 2nd Congressional District, Republican incumbent Joe Wilson and Democratic challenger Rob Miller have different plans for the state's oil and natural gas fields.

Like virtually all candidates running for office, both call for a comprehensive energy strategy, one that includes options from nuclear power to energy-efficient light bulbs, but they differ over drilling off the South Carolina coast.

Mr. Wilson says he initially supported only deepwater drilling for natural gas, but since the recent spike in gasoline prices, he says, he has come to advocate oil drilling, too.

Mr. Miller says that won't lower gas prices. He says any extraction off the coast of South Carolina wouldn't happen for years, and even then, the amount might be negligible compared to the potential risks to tourism.

Mr. Wilson says royalties from drilling could be used for beach renourishment.

"Something a lot of environmentalists don't realize is the royalties received by Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas are used to enhance the environment and protect the coastline."

The Republican said he has also promoted alternative fuel research, including hydrogen fuel cells projects at the Savannah River National Laboratory.

Mr. Miller says restoring the strength of the American dollar is the most immediate solution to high gasoline prices.

"If we were as strong as we were in 2000 with our dollar, right now gas would be around $2 a gallon," he said.

Food and other commodities would be cheaper, too, if the price dropped for diesel, which is used by farmers and freight transit, he argued.

While he says offshore drilling should remain and option, he said. "Offshore drilling, shale, hydrogen, coal, nuclear. We need to look at the whole gamut."

As for our current dependence on oil, Mr. Miller said, there is a limited amount on the planet:

"We should be running away from oil as fast as we can."