GEORGETOWN, S.C. — James Sanderson confirmed to the Georgetown Times late Thursday night that he is switching to the Republican Party.

Sanderson, a long-time Democrat who has run for a couple of local offices, said “I just feel like right now, the biggest thing people need to understand is that the Republican Party best represents my values.”

“We need to get jobs on the minds of people in the county and the state.

“The Republican Party is the party trying to do what it can to create economic development and jobs.”

“I want to be part of what I can to move Georgetown County and the state of South Carolina into the future,” he said.

Sanderson is president of Local 7898 of the United Steelworkers of America.

The labor union represents the workers at the idled ArcelorMittal steel mill at Georgetown.

‘Need for jobs’

He said he and many of his fellow union members have been talking about the need for jobs, and finding a way for the steel mill to reopen.

About 30 to 40 percent of the approximately 300 steel workers have said they plan to join him in becoming active in the Republican Party.

His son Jamie Sanderson is a former chairman of the Georgetown County Democratic Party.

When Sanderson previously ran as a Democrat for Georgetown County Council, jobs and dealing with illegal aliens were among his priority issues.

He also announced about six years ago that he would run for probate judge, but ended up not filing for that election.

While he said he’s not yet ready to say what office he might seek as a Republican, he’s interested in offering his services to help address economic development, jobs, and people who are not legal residents of the country.

“We’ve got illegal aliens doing jobs our members could be doing, instead of drawing unemployment,” Sanderson said.

Whatever elected position he may seek as a Republican would be a county-level office, he said.

He also said he believes dredging the Port of Georgetown is a key element in helping the steel mill to reopen.

Pro-business and pro-labor

“We need to be working together as a team.”

“My core values and beliefs have always been more in line with the Republicans. The main reason I’ve been a Democrat is because of labor,” Sanderson said.

“I am 100 percent pro-business. I am pro-labor,” he said, adding that the two sides of issues can get along.

“I believe this county has to have more involvement in what’s going on.

“You can agree to disagree. But the goal should be everybody working together, moving forward.”

Party chairman

Tom Swatzel is chairman of the Georgetown County Republican Party.

He provided the following statement Thursday night:

“James Sanderson has contacted me to express his desire to join the county Republican Party and asked if we could meet next week to talk about it.

“I have agreed to meet with him and plan to bring a copy of our party platform to make sure he understands where we stand on the issues, particularly the GOP support of right-to-work laws.

“I will be listening carefully to where he stands on the issues and am hopeful that he is now truly aligned philosophically with the GOP and willing to part with his liberal Democrat past.

“I certainly understand the regrets many Democrats are experiencing now as they see the results of giving socialists-masquerading-as-Dems control of both the White House and Congress.”

By Tommy Howard

thoward@gtowntimes.com