UNION — The presence of University of South Carolina (USC) campuses in their communities is an opportunity for the cities of Lancaster, Sumter and Union to become college towns U.S. Fifth District Rep. Mick Mulvaney said during a tour of USC Union on Friday.
Until this year, Union County was part of the Fourth Congressional District which also included Spartanburg and Greenville counties and part of Laurens County. Population growth during the past decade, however, enabled South Carolina to gain a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, increasing its delegation from six to seven members.
To accommodate this growth, the state’s congressional districts were redistricted and Union County was shifted into the Fifth Congressional District represented by Mulvaney, a Lancaster resident serving his first term in the U.S. House. Mulvaney’s district is now composed of all or part of 10 counties including all of York, Lancaster, Union, Fairfield, Lee and Kershaw counties, part of Spartanburg County, half of Newberry County, and the majority of Sumter County.
Mulvaney’s district also includes three of USC’s four two-year campuses (Lancaster, Sumter and Union) and Mulvaney spoke about the importance of those campuses to the communities they serve and their potential for growth while touring USC Union.
“There are four two-year campuses in the USC system — Union, Lancaster, Sumter and Salkehatchie — and three of them — Union, Lancaster and Sumter — are in may district,” Mulvaney said. “I spent a lot of time in the state legislature learning about the two-year campuses, how they are funded, their strengths and their weaknesses. They are engines for economic development and are part of the heart of their communities.
“There is a tremendous opportunity to turn Union, Lancaster and Sumter into college towns which is a growing industry,” he said. “I feel my role in this process will be to serve as a champion for these campuses.”
During his tour of USC Union, Mulvaney toured the grounds, including the Center and Main buildings, and viewed an artist’s rendition the campus’ plans for future expansion and discussed the growth the campus has experienced in recent years. He attributed the growth of the Union campus and the other campuses in his district to their being an “affordable alternative” for residents who want to continue their education but can’t afford to go to Columbia.
Friday was Mulvaney’s third visit to the district in a little over a month and he said that it, like the two previous visits, was designed to help him get to know the community and introduce himself to his constituents. During his first visit in September, Mulvaney toured the ESAB and Gestamp manufacturing facilities and Union County High School. In his second visit later that month, Mulvaney hosted a town hall meeting at the Clemson Extension/4H Office.
Mulvaney, a Republican, is seeking a second term. He is opposed by Joyce Knott, candidate of the Democratic and Working Families parties.
For more information about Rep. Mick Mulvaney and the Fifth Congressional District, contact his Rock Hill constituent service office at (803) 327-1114 or his Washington, D.C., office at (202) 225-5501.
Editor Charles Warner can be reached at 864-427-1234, ext. 14, or by email at cwarner@heartlandpublications.com.
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