Former South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Andre' Bauer announced his candidacy for the Seventh Congressional District in North Myrtle Beach Tuesday afternoon.
Dozens of possible voters showed up at the Ocean Drive Pavilion to shake hands, talk about unemployment, Andre's run for Congress and maybe, most interestingly, sign an old school van to pledge their support.
"My Granddaddy was one of my heroes. He taught me so much, but he also taught me an unbelievable work ethic and he had that van. He bought it in 1967 and as a kid, I traveled around with him in it and in the early 90's he gave it to me and and I used it for my business," Bauer said.
Many of those who showed up to meet Bauer may very well never see Washington. But their name will travel there on the van, Bauer said he'll soon park it in front of our nation's capital to send a message. "We're ready for a change. We're ready for someone to get up there with the backbone to say generation and welfare, we have to discuss it," Bauer added.
Unemployment is at the top of Bauer's list. "How do you get these people out of the situation they're in? Job training, education, we're going to have to make tough decisions. We're going to have to make tough decisions on how we're going to spend as a country and ask, 'can we afford to continue to support these other countries when we can't afford our own bills?'"
Bauer stressed the importance of electing someone from the Pee Dee and Grand Strand to Congress who will be an ambassador for job creation in the district, and someone who will represent seniors. "Seniors are a big part of this district. When you look at the last ten years, the population of South Carolina went up 15 percent, but the population of seniors 60 and older went up 40 percent and a vast majority are moving right here and someone has to be their voice," Bauer said.
Tuesday's stop in North Myrtle Beach was the second of a two-day tour to announce his candidacy for the seventh congressional district.
