Thank you to South Carolina Republican blogger Earl Capps for the very kind blog post:

When voters go to the polls in next month’s Republican primary in York County, their vote to decide a nominee for House District 47 is one which shouldn’t be taken lightly. They have three candidates to choose from, but one of those candidates stands above the others.

Former Solicitor Tommy Pope is an exceptional candidate who deserves their vote and their support.

Pope’s slogan simply identifies the one quality that sets him above the rest: “Proven”. He alone has a record of dedicated public service, conservative leadership, and proven electability.

In 1992, Pope challenged the local Democratic political machine, scoring a major upset and becoming the first Republican to hold the 16th Circuit Solicitor’s office. He has the proven ability to take on the Democrats and win, an important quality for Republicans who hope to claim the seat in the November election.

Once elected Solicitor, Pope moved quickly to clear a staggering backlog of cases, moving dangerous criminals into the state prison system and respecting the right of all parties involved to a fair and speedy trial. This included prosecuting a number of high-profile cases, including cop killers and the infamous Susan Smith trial in 1995. His no-nonsense approach resulted in prompt prosecutions without compromise, putting many killers away for life and death row.

Pope’s leadership was shown in the lack of opposition, as well as how well he prepared his successor, current Solicitor Kevin Brackett, to take over.

Tommy Pope is well-prepared for the task of winning the seat in the fall, as well as the hard work of working in the State House. With important issues where his experience can be crucial, such as the overhaul of how the state approaches criminal sentencing, he’ll be a voice for sensible, conservative reforms.

Republican voters have three candidates to choose from next month in the race for District 47. All are decent citizens who claim allegiance to conservative principles. While we don’t doubt the sincerity of all three, only one is a proven conservative with a track record of public service: Tommy Pope.