The inaugural article in the new Commonviews 2002 series will focus primarily on the "experience" of one of the candidates running for Secretary of State in South Carolina this year.

“Experience” is a word that is often used by people running for political office to give themselves respectability in the eyes of the voters. It is a word that immediately lends credence to any candidate who chooses to use it.

Webster’s dictionary defines "experience" in several ways:

1. “practical knowledge, skill, or practice derived from direct observation of or participation in events or in a particular activity”

2. “the conscious events that make up an individual life”

3. “something personally encountered, undergone or lived through”

With current South Carolina Secretary of State Jim Miles stepping down to run for Governor, the battle for who will become his successor is now well underway.

In the 2002 race for South Carolina Secretary of State, there is one candidate running who has never held political office, but is touting his “experience” as a reason to vote for him. His name is Ed McMullen.

Over the past 12 years, Ed McMullen has served as the President of the South Carolina Policy Council, the largest public policy think tank in South Carolina. His work on statewide issues has been comprehensive. His "experience" in dealing with state government issues is well known across the state.

McMullen claims that he is the only candidate running for Secretary of State with "experience" as a businessman, policy leader and public servant. The other candidates have held public office, but do not have the statewide recognition of Mr. McMullen.

Evidence of Mr. McMullen's "experience" is found in the number of boards and commissions he has served on that dealt with a variety of state government issues. He has worked closely with local and state government leaders, state business leaders, taxpayer groups and conservationists.

One could conclude that Mr. McMullen's "experience" in state government is better than some of the candidates who are running for statewide office this year!

Ed McMullen says that all of this “experience” he has acquired has been a training ground for him to become South Carolina’s new Secretary of State.

What do YOU think?

Is Ed McMullen missing the right kind of “experience” from his absence of holding public office?

Or, does he have all of the skills necessary to become your next Secretary of State?

Click on the "Comment On This Article" button below and discuss why Mr. McMullen does or does not have the "experience" to become South Carolina's next Secretary of State.