I got a call today around lunchtime from my friend, Representative Ted Pitts, who told me “I’m heading to Afghanistan!”
Obviously, I was shocked.
We talked first about family and his personal job for a while and then I had to ask him about his political future. He told me “not gonna run for Lt. Governor. Not gonna run for the House again. This is more important!”
Like others in the House ( James Smith and Jim Harrison to name two), Ted will serve our state/country in larger ways while in office. He heads to Fort Stewart this weekend until late November before coming back for a month and then off to Indiana and then Afghanistan in January 2010.
I knew Ted joined the SC National Guard after 9/11 but didn’t know he’d actually get the opportunity to fight the war on terror, overseas. A war we can’t afford to lose and a war much bigger than the “battles” we have in state politics.
Obviously representing GOP voter-rich Lexington County, Ted was seen by many to have a formidable advantage in next year’s Lieutenant Governor’s race. With him no longer on the ballot, it leaves the race wide-open between current-announced GOP candidates Ken Ard , Bill Connor , and Tim Scott .
Please join me and the rest of our citizens in prayers for Ted, his family, and the other men and women putting service above self for our country!