Underdog plays defense, offense in runoff with Wilson for SC attorney general
Asked Thursday about a mailer to voters from Wilson supporters saying, "
If Wilson wants to talk corruption, he should look at himself, said Atwater, 52, a lawyer who is giving up his District 87
In 2016, Wilson tried but failed to stop special prosecutor
Meanwhile, questions have been raised about Atwater's ethics during his eight years in the
Atwater, now an attorney in private practice, says the half dozen or so votes in question mostly involved matters of patient safety and, in any case, were not anything that either he or the
"I never voted on conflicts," Atwater said. "None of those things ever benefited the association or any doctors."
Atwater also has drawn scrutiny for his reporting of his salary on
On those forms, Atwater reported he was paid roughly
However, Atwater says state law only required him to report the portion of his compensation that was attributable to the
Atwater says he knows he faces an uphill battle against Wilson, a two-term incumbent who is better financed. As of
"I'm definitely the underdog -- no doubt about it," said Atwater. "But I can win."
In the
The third-place finisher --
"I felt like Todd would embody the anti-corruption platform that I felt so strongly about," said Herlong, who also raised questions about Wilson's ties to the Quinns. Also, said Herlong, eight years in office is enough for someone like Wilson "unless he can make a really compelling case why he deserves a third term. He has not done that."
"You take the Quinn stuff away and Alan would probably have won in the first round," said Thigpen, who has been watching Palmetto State politics for 40 years.
Thigpen predicted Wilson will have the support of party regulars in Tuesday's runoff and likely win.
But, he added, "Who knows? Stranger things have happened."
Meanwhile, last week, Wilson supporters sent out an oversized post card with photos of Wilson and President
Atwater is not unfazed.
"If people want to enforce the rule of law and clean up corruption, then they should vote for me," he said. "A new broom sweeps clean."
___
(c)2018 The State (Columbia, S.C.)
Visit The State (Columbia, S.C.) at www.thestate.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
EDITORIAL: City of Seattle cannot abandon critical Magnolia Bridge
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News