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PRIMARY 2026
1st District candidates outline priorities Candidates share concerns over affordability, growth; divided sharply on immigration, climate policy, insurance reform By Delayna Earley The Island News As voters prepare for South Carolina's June 9 primary election, candidates seeking to represent the state's open INSIDE 1st CongressioCandidate nal District seat op-eds ahead largely agree on of the June the challenges 9 primary, Pages A11–15 facing the Lowcountry but differ sharply on how to address them. The race has drawn a crowded field of Republican and Democratic candidates seeking to succeed U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, who is running for governor rather than reelection to Congress. The Island News distributed a questionnaire to candidates appearing on the Republican and
South Carolina Rep. Shannon Erickson welcomes the first visitors, Ricky and Pam King from Aiken, S.C., into the Hunting Island Lighthouse during its re-opening just after the ribbon cutting on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Amber Hewitt/ The Island News
The light is back Hunting Island Lighthouse re-opens after 4-year closure for restoration
By Luke Frazier The Island News It might or might not be an obvious inquiry, but it jumped to mind shortly after arriving at Hunting Island State Park on a sweltering Tuesday, May 26 morning. A group of musicians were setting up to play and the question, “What kind of music goes with grand re-opening festivities at
the iconic Hunting Island Lighthouse?” occurred to me. The answer, according to Stephanie Askew of the musical group Lowcountry Strummers, is sea shanties, and soon the ukeleles twanged into the classic shanty “Drunken Sailor.” What was interesting is how well it fit, due primarily to the belted-out chorus of, “Way hay and up she rises, early in
the morning!” Because that is exactly what all the assembled dignitaries, state administrators, park rangers, preservationists, media types, and lighthouse fans were there to see: a glorious beacon rising 136 feet into the clear blue sky on this long-awaited morning amid the
SEE PRIORITIES PAGE A8
Check your polling place before June 9 primary
SEE LIGHT PAGE A6
LOWCOUNTRY LOWDOWN
O
Beaufort voters turn out for early voting
BEAUFORT ne highlight from last week’s news was the fact that a record number of registered South Carolina voters went to the polls on the first day of early voting and that held true in Beaufort County. Fifty-six thousand ballots were LOLITA HUCKABY cast on Tuesday, May 26, the first day of early voting – 2,278 of those were from Beaufort County. majority were 1,560 Democratic And of that number 2,278, the ballots, 718 Republican.
Going into the primaries, there are 140,749 registered voters in the county. The significance of that early voting turnout was a key reason state senators, sparked by two of Beaufort County’s leaders, Sen. Tom Davis of District 46 and Sen. Chip Campsen, District 43, were among the 12 Republican senators who crossed over and joined with the Democrats to block the proposed congressional redis-
Election officials urge voters to verify polling locations before heading to the polls
tricting map which would have diminished the re-election chances of the state’s only Black democratic senator, Jim Clyburn of the 6th Congressional District . The Senate, after debating for most of the Memorial Day weekend, agreed since the early voting had already begun, it was too late to change the congressional maps. But they agreed to return
By Delayna Earley The Island News With South Carolina's June 9 primary election approaching, Beaufort County election officials are encouraging voters to double-check their polling locations after several precincts were temporarily relocated and a new precinct was added for the upcoming primary and any runoff election scheduled for June 23.
SEE LOWDOWN PAGE A3
SEE PLACE PAGE A10
PRIMARY 2026
EDUCATION
MILITARY
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Outside spending sparks questions in Beaufort County Council races; Alliance for Lowcountry Balance spends more than $10,000 supporting five candidates.
Battery Creek celebrates 146 graduates in Class of 2026; Dolphins earn nearly $1 million in scholarships.
Dandridge continues to rally support for Fisher House Charleston.
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