Horry County GOP officials conduct meet and greet

By: Thema Ponton | SCNOW
Published: October 21, 2009

Local elections will be held in two weeks for many cities in our area and the candidates are making the rounds.

Tuesday in Myrtle Beach, at T-Bonz Restaurant, The Grand Strand Young Republicans Club and The Myrtle Beach Republican Club hosted a meet and greet for city and council candidates.

The candidates said events like the one at T-Bonz are an opportunity for them to talk with people in a more informal setting.

Many of the candidates said they believe young people in Myrtle Beach can have a big impact on this election, if they get out and vote.

Joanne Vogelsong, candidate for city council said, "They can help us make it a better place for when the little ones grow up, I mean you know they're younger, they have fresh ideas, absolutely, I would use them."

Adam Cates, with The Grand Strand Young Republicans Club said, "Whoever gets elected will implement polices and vote on things that are going to affect the young people for years to come, so whoever we elect now is going to affect things for the next twenty years, the political footprint can be huge."

Mayoral candidate Mark McBride said the young people he’s spoken with mostly ask him about the city’s financial future. “The economy and the month of May and how they've lost their shifts in the restaurants and in the hotels and in the bars and all the places they've worked, you know the younger people for the most part aren't the owners of the businesses and they've lost their income, hopefully they'll realize that they can get out and make a difference in the election.”

The event was sponsored by Mayor John Rhodes, council members Wayne Gray, Chuck Martino, and Randal Wallace and candidates Vogelsong, Keith Compton, Mike Lowder, Adam Parness, Beatrice Catalano and Matthew McCarty.