Collins vies for Senate
Former Journal Scene owner petitions to get on ballot
The Post and Courier
Collins
SUMMERVILLE — A former journalist hopes to take on a lawyer in what could be a highly contentious election for state Senate in November.
Bill Collins, former editor, publisher and owner of the Summerville Journal Scene for 35 years, launched an effort during the weekend to get his name on the November ballot as a petition candidate to run against lawyer and businessman Mike Rose for Senate District 38.
Rose, a state senator from 1989 to 1997, defeated Sen. Randy Scott in the June 10 Republican primary following Scott's April DUI arrest and the controversy surrounding his actions.
Rose won 52 percent of the vote to Scott's 48 percent in the district that includes Summerville, Ridgeville and Lincolnville.
Collins must get about 3,200 registered voters to sign a petition by July 15 to get his name on the November ballot, said Chris Whitmire, public information officer with the State Election Commission.
Collins said he would not have launched the petition drive if Scott had won the primary.
"I want to give the people in District 38 another option," Collins said. "I think I am more representative of the people in this community and have more grasp of the issues we are facing and am more able to form a consensus to get things done."
Of Collins' possible candidacy, Rose said it will be an interesting race.
"This is America, and he is free to exercise his rights," Rose said. "If he succeeds, it's up to the voters to decide who they want to represent them."
This is not Collins' first time trying to get elected without running in a primary. In 1990, he ran against state Rep. Annette Young, R-Summerville, as a write-in candidate and lost.
"I learned that if you want to get elected, you have to have your name on the ballot," he said.
Collins, 65, said he wants to focus on controlling growth and bringing people together to seek solutions. He sees public transportation, school funding equity and broader power for local governments as key issues.
If elected, he said, he would ask the Senate Republican Caucus if he could join them.
Reach Warren Wise at 745-5850 or wwise@post andcourier.com.
E-mail this story
Printer-friendly version
Comments
concernedlocal (anonymous) says...
Collins said he would not have launched the petition drive if Scott had won the primary.
This statement speaks volumes about this petition candidate.
June 17, 2008 at 7:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bushnell (anonymous) says...
As an active Republican, I am amazed by the audacity that Mr. Collins would ask to join the Republican Caucus.
June 17, 2008 at 8:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Floger76 (anonymous) says...
concernedlocal - just curious, what are some of the volumes that Collins statement says to you?
bushnell - Your statement is no surprise. Everyone knows you are in the bag for Rose.
June 17, 2008 at 9:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Floger76 (anonymous) says...
BTW, bushnell. You said "I make it a practice to speak to "all" candidates." Posted at - 'Picky' ruling ends Scott's DUI trial - Posted on May 30 at 11:09 a.m.
Since you are obviously against Collins (judging by your posts yesterday) it begs the question. When was the last time you talked with Bill Collins about his political views. Wait, before you answer, let me guess. Yesterday???
June 17, 2008 at 9:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zoomru (anonymous) says...
Obviuosly.....this former journalist is not telling everything he knows. What specific solutions does he have for the problems we face? WHAT?? We want specifics. In PRINT for the WHOLE STATE to see. He must be MAD about something to run? Well.... Bill...what are you so mad about?? What solutions do you have??
"Collins, 65, said he wants to focus on controlling growth and bringing people together to seek solutions. He sees public transportation, school funding equity and broader power for local governments as key issues."
...WELL..how are you going to specifically DO IT?? ...public transportation...OK, what solutions do you have and who will they benefit?.....school funding equity ...OK, YOUR for public school VOUCHERS.. RIGHT??!!.....broader power for local governments...WHAT?!, how much more POWER do you want?? They raise taxes at will ALL READY?!! What..NEW ..power do local governments NEED?? We want specifics?? WHAT????
June 17, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Floger76 (anonymous) says...
zoomru - passionate post!!! I am wondering the same thing about the other guy (Rose) and he has been on the campaign trail for a while. But since he is in bed with Dana Beach and the Coastal Conservation League, I already know what he wants to do.
June 17, 2008 at 9:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bushnell (anonymous) says...
Floger76- You are correct that I proudly support Mike Rose. I am not in anyone's bag. Sorry, you guessed wrong - I have not spoken to Bill Collins. He is currently not a candidate. I will if he becomes a candidate. Should I be honored that you are actually keeping up with the things I post? I believe everyone has something to input and that no one is 100% correct but there are some that actually have something of value to contribute to our community and they should be working together.
June 17, 2008 at 9:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
concernedlocal (anonymous) says...
"he has been on the campaign trail"
and available to answer your questions in public forums or private meetings if you choose. I am sure he would welcome a call or email from you.
June 17, 2008 at 9:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Floger76 (anonymous) says...
concernedlocal - Oh, I know what he wants to do. His actions and his associations speak much louder than any words that may come out of either side of his face. I wouldn't vote for Mike Rose for Dog Catcher!
June 17, 2008 at 10:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bkeelin (anonymous) says...
So does this mean that Collins, supports abuse of power and demeaning spouses? Does he support the good 'ol boy system like Scott does? That statement about not running if Scott would have run does speak volumes. It sounds like he is for the same things Scott was for, which seems to be mainly for himself.
June 17, 2008 at 10:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bkeelin (anonymous) says...
Also, where does he stand on the murder of innocent unborn children and the perverse homosexual lifestyle? He will ask if he can join the republican caucus? Usually newspaper people are very liberal, is this true for Mr. Collins as well? We don't need another RINO as another poster put it.
June 17, 2008 at 10:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
carolinadude (anonymous) says...
The prevailing thought here is absolutely correct. Mr. Collins is a known democrat and if elected, he'll choose to join the GOP caucus which means that he's a fraud from the "gitgo". Mr. Collins if you're ideology is libreral, and we know that it is, you should have run in the democratic primary and if elected, join the democratic caucus. From the post here, you're not fooling many folks at all. Your fellow dorchester county democrats should be ougtraged.
June 17, 2008 at 10:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
realdealsummerville (anonymous) says...
i think that him entering this race is crazy. he has run before and did not win. he is a liberal any way that you look at it. he sees the problems but has no answers. i was 50/50 on rose before, but now he is my candidate.
June 17, 2008 at 11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CaptPete (anonymous) says...
Does anyone know where the petition can be signed?
June 17, 2008 at 11:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
concernedlocal (anonymous) says...
Yes we know where the petition can be signed.
June 17, 2008 at 11:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
educ8edguy (anonymous) says...
I'll say what I said last night when the P&C first broke this story...this appears to be an effort to circumvent the primary process. Mr. Collins has not given a good reason for not competing in the primary process as a Republican (if he is) or as a Democrat.
I don't know him, so I'm not going to make a personal attack on him or his character. As a voter in District 38, though, I recognize that the voters spoke last Tuesday and that they chose the former Senator over the current Senator. If Mr. Collins has an issue (no pun intended, given his newspaper background) with that, then he needs to be straightforward about the fact. If he has another reason or reasons for running, then he needs to be much more specific than he is currently being. All he's given so far is political mishmash -- more representative of the people, better grasp of the issues, etc. Those are opinions...not facts.
- ed
June 17, 2008 at 8:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bkc6 (anonymous) says...
Anyone wishing to support Mr Collins by signing his petition can do so at the following address ...
125 Orangeburg Road
Summerville
This is located just off the corner of Orangeburg Rd. and Dorchester Rd. Just follow the signs. Signing starts at 11 am.
June 18, 2008 at 4:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Postandcourier.com is pleased to offer readers the enhanced ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. Postandcourier.com does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not postandcourier.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website.
Users can now build user-to-user connections, follow friends' recent posts, add an avatar that fits their personality, and more. If you have posted here before you'll need to sign up again, or if you've never posted before, start now by signing up!
Full terms and conditions can be read here.