It was a big night for the Laurens Democratic Party as South Carolina gubernatorial candidate Senator Vincent Sheheen made a stop at The Village Cup to meet supporters on Monday.

Sheheen, a Camden native, said his experience in the legislature for the past five years has given him the experience necessary to be governor.

“I’ve had a first hand view of the things that need to be done in South Carolina,” said Sheheen. “I have the energy, commitment level and understanding to bring a new perspective of leadership.”

Sheheen is a graduate of Clemson University and the University of South Carolina School of Law. He currently practices law in his hometown. He was formerly a city prosecutor and has served in both legislative houses in SC.

Sheheen said the most critical role the next governor will play will be reversing unemployment trends in the state. With the support of the SC Department of Commerce, Sheheen said he would work to bring more economic development projects to the state.

“That is a critical role for the governor to play,” he said of economic development. “The biggest thing is to have a governor involved in that process and we have not had that in a while.”

Sheheen also said the state had to work together as a whole to move forward and not fall back on the tendency to divide. “Regionalism is something that has held us back,” he said. “But, we have to be partnered as a unified whole and move together as a whole state.”

As a Senator that represents three counties in his district, Sheheen said he has had the opportunity to witness many issues that plague SC citizens and he has a plan to make things better. “I’m in a unique position and I bring a perspective that understands there are some severe social and economic problems that have to be corrected,” he said.

Sheheen is running on a message that if SC citizens work together, many of the state’s problems can be resolved. He said he was running on a platform of reversing unemployment, funding public education, the cost of health care and bringing accountability to the state’s government.

“There are many things a governor can accomplish if he has the vision to make things happen for SC and I have that vision,” said Sheheen.

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