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
: 2/3/2010
If Lindsey Graham can pretend to be a republican why can't James? Do we even really care? Anyone with a brain knows its a bunch off bullhockey anyway.
: 2/3/2010
The way I see it James Sanderson was doing his job. The so call republicans in georgetown county is a joke. What are they doing?
: 2/2/2010
The way that he bashed Republicans,and then hypocritically jumped ship proves he would be a great politician,very trustworthy!!
: 2/2/2010
Thanks to Col. Robert Burton for his service to our country; but why in heavens name is he in the democrat party? Strange a retired officier would be in the party of appeasers and socialists.
: 2/2/2010
Who is this guy? Col. Robert Burton or people for him seems to show up on a lot of posts claiming that
he's the answer to all our problems if elected.Sorry, but i've got to ask you, when was the last time a politician kept his word to the people about anything??
: 2/1/2010
I find the comment about republicans and labor not mixing a interesting topic. I feel the opposite is true. Does anyone have any specifics why they don't go together? Just currious.
: 2/1/2010
Republicans have done nothing but give South Carolina a nation leading 12.6% unemployment rate, a useless Luv Guv, a Lt. Gov.that wants to starve poor children, and a couple senators that do not know how to bring it home for this state.
This man has lost his senses obviously, and should not, nor ever have been taken seriously.
To maintain South Carolina's future, we need to look no further than Col. Robert Burton, (former Chief of North American Combat Forces, USAF Ret.)
The 1st district, from Myrtle Beach to Charleston needs the best..
Deeds not Words
http://www.robertburtonforuscongress.com/Home.aspx
: 2/1/2010
Labor and Republicans don't mix..
To maintain South Carolina's future, we need to look no further than Col. Robert Burton, (former Chief of North American Combat Forces, USAF Ret.)
The 1st district, from Myrtle Beach to Charleston needs the best..
Deeds not Words
http://www.robertburtonforuscongress.com/Home.aspx
: 1/31/2010
If I have this right, Mr. Sanderson urged workers to take the deal offered by the company. They refused. Their decision hurt the entire area. Greediness usually brings problems for everybody.
: 1/30/2010
This is America where you have to vote for whom ener and "What Ever". The members were permitted to vote on the proposal. Didn't a City Council member attend one of those meetings and tell the members that the company was going to shut the plant down and open after 2 years without a union. Why did she say this? One of the comments below asks how can you be pro business and pro labor? He said it was like being pro cat and pro mouse. Could you call this being a animal lover. This person must feel you have to like business and hate labor or hate business and like labor. In this case I agree with Mr. Sanderson's comments. He is pro business and pro labor. They are both humans and deserve respect and treated as such. I think Mr. Sanderson's vision and commitment is what the Georgetown County Republican Party needs to become more successful. Time and his actions will dertermine if he is a true conservative. Other than being attacked by his Union position I haven't seen any other negative comments about him. I do know that Mr. Sanderson stands up and fights for his convictions.
james sanderson changing parties : 1/30/2010
america is a free country for the right to vote for whom ever. unions are mostly back by democratic voters you are the reason the steel mill closed down trying to get it both ways putting alot of people out of work,trusting in your leadership.beware voters
: 1/30/2010
You must be kidding. Lets see if James is willing to renounce his attacks and lies about the republican party. Ain't gonna happen and he ain't gonna be a republican. He is free to call himself a republican but that don't make him a republican. Just like always. More lies from the headquarters of lies.
: 1/30/2010
"A Man in the know" is blaming Mr. Sanderson for the steelworkers being unemployed. Does he truly believe this? He thinks Mr. Sanderson has all this power. What a hoot. I was there and I do know what was said and how the membership voted. Our leader urged the membership to vote yes. They voted no twice. End of story. We all see the results from the action of the membership. That's old news. I do know what happened because I was there.
OH PLEASE : 1/30/2010
Surprising how you Mr. Sanderson could not help keep our steel worker employed as a demorcrate but now you want to change to another party. Once a crook always a crook, it's only about you. You will change to anything as long as it benefits you. Try helping Georgetown and not your pocket. Don't you yhink you've robbed our steel workers enough....
: 1/30/2010
Let's see, didn't Alan Walters, Kenny Johnson, Lane Cribb, R.J. Port, Benny Elliott,Elaine Elliott and Waldo Maring,to name a few switch from being a democrat to republican? I retired and moved to Pawleys Island to enjoy the quality of life this area offers. I am a stauch republican and see nothing wrong with people coming to our party. My God people isn't this what we preach. Make James Sanderson see that he made the right decision. Before you are so quickly to judge him for being a democrat in the past judge him now on his actions in the Republican party.
: 1/29/2010
This confirms what I suspected all along. I saw a Ronald Reagan bumper sticker on Mr. Sanderson's pick up truck years ago before he was involved with the union. I've had several conversations with Mr. Sanderson and he always presented himself as conservative individual. I know that during the county council race in 2008 he was more the Republican candidate than Ron Charlton. I still have one of his platform cards listing his positions. He pledged to vote against a tax increase, Vote to make English the official language in Georgetown to name a few conservative issues. I am glad to see him make it official. We will do everything to make him feel welcome here in the Republican Party.
: 1/29/2010
"Tom Swatzel and James Sanderson will be a dynamic duo kicking up dust." Now that sounds like something James Sanderson would say. I can promise you this. Swatzel is man of principle and will not be kicking anything with James except his butt. Have you people forgotten how Swatzel and the repuclicans beat on James when he ran for county council? They will not be hypocrites.
: 1/29/2010
I'm a Republican, a retired executive, and can't stand unions. However, I for one am willing to give this gentleman the benefit of the doubt. Other than his grossly misplaced support for extortionist labor unions; perhaps deep down he is a patriot who truly loves his country and can't stand by while the democrat party tries to turn it into a bankrupt version of France. Until proven otherwise; I'll cut him some slack...but I will keep one eye wide open.
: 1/29/2010
I was listening to Rush (James Sanderson's hero) Limbaugh today and they had several people call bashing unions, talking about how they have ruined the world. This is James's party he now supports. He is a union thug who supports the party that hates unions.....This is the pure comedy.
: 1/29/2010
NEWS FLASH-NEWS FLASH: Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden has announced he wants to become a Lutheran.
: 1/29/2010
How can one be: "Pro Business and Pro Labor"? Isn't that kind of like, being Pro Cat and Pro Mouse? **shakes head and takes two aspirin with glass of water**
: 1/29/2010
Is getting your name in the paper a bad thing or a good thing? It seems some of the negative comments are directed at being in the media. The media's job is reporting the news. Does having your name in the media increase a person's favorable rating? This has to be the reason why people get upset seeing someone's name in the media or tv. It's helping the person. Get over it already. I agree with M. Goude comments.
: 1/29/2010
This doesn't make sense. A union thug wanting to join the Republican Party? Well, maybe he's actually against socialism; slapping the faces of our military men by allowing perverts to serve openly in the service; cap and tax businesses because of some insane hoax; forcing American citizens to buy health insurance under threat of prison time; treating terrorist as if they were US citizens with our OJ court system and taxpayer funded lawyers; or maybe he's against spending the country into bankruptcy by trillions and trillions of dollars. You know, maybe it does make sense after all.
: 1/29/2010
Jamie, you are the one that made this father/son thing an issue. What kind of father would text news like this to their son? A decent dad would drive to their son's house or at least pick up the phone. Good luck campaigning against your dad when he runs.
: 1/29/2010
O.K. This is where I have to say something. For anyone to speculate that my father and I don't have a good relationship shows you know nothing about my father and/or I. What? Because we disagree on things means he hates me or I hate him? That's pure BS.
: 1/29/2010
There is really a sad story here. Jamie (James's son who thinks Republicans are maggots) says he learned about his dad's decision when his dad sent him a text. What does this say about their relationship. Before you say I should not bring family into this, let me point out Jamie is the one who made the comments about how he learned what his dad was doing. This is really sad. Politics driving a wedge between a father and son is heartbreaking.
Today's Joke : 1/29/2010
The only thing more ridiculous than Fire, Ready, Aim Sanderson's announcement, is the fact that it would generate a news article. Clearly he hopes to wrangle a new job from it, maybe a job he can perform.
: 1/29/2010
I am a fiscal and social conservative Republican and have been since I erroneously voted for Jimmy Carter. I think it would be beneficial for Tom Swatzel to share our party's platform with all the citizens of Georgetown. I don't really know Mr. Sanderson that well so I I have no reason to doubt his motives. The liberals (or progressives is the new trial ballon like climate change instead of global warming) have hi jacked the party of John F. Kennedy and they are not going to stop until socialism, under the guise of liberalism, is forced down our throats. The State of the Union speech makes it clear President Obama is not changing course. He threw us a few bones in that speech but if he felt that was the correct course, why wait a year. This is Chicago politics. The mindset is we are too stupid to know what is good for us so they we will have to teach us. I said many times this nation will rise up against this ideology and the good people in the blue state of Massachusetts proved me right. This is a center right country.
Unless this administration does as Clinton did and moves to the center, they will see a house cleaning in this next election. There is no place for ego and pride in either party. We need to come together with a common sense approach or this nation is headed for destruction. As far as our party's stand on issues, we can work together and respect each other's views. I am pro life. The problem I have with many of those who differ and claim to be pro choice is they seem to only be satisfied if the choice is abortion. If this is not the case then why is there so much resistance to letting the mother know the clinical and emotional pro's and con's of aborting a healthy child. I only give this as an example of why my party must stand up for these conservative isssues and keep it a part of our platform. If we are going to be sooooo open minded and sooooo inclusive, we might as well be a liberal party also. The party name will make no difference and that is exactly what happened to us last election. Our party looked so much like the tax and spend liberals, the American voter decided they wanted change. But obviously not the change we got. We can debate what caused the economy woes. It is not exactly as the liberal media and this administration would like you to think. I welcome Mr. Sanderson. Time will tell if he genuinely has the ideology of the Republican party.
: 1/29/2010
The comments remind me about what people have stated about Tom Swatzel. Tom Swatzel may be controversial but like James Sanderson he is representing the Party or in Mr. Sanderson's case the union. They both do a great job. Now maybe the issues that need to be worked on will be. Tom Swatzel and James Sanderson will be a dynamic duo kicking up dust.
: 1/29/2010
"What a bunch of bull. James is just trying to grab headlines and cause dissent in the repub party. This is exactly why I have not officially joined. Between this and letting Marty Tennant run as a republican the local party is in shambles. I guess I will remain independant."
************* And now we have Ron Charlton's opinion? The city party is in shambles because they support the falandering Ron Charlton by the way.
: 1/29/2010
What steel workers union is James the president of? The mill is closed for good. There is no union left for him to be president of. Jack Scovile will be tearing the mill down any day now and building condos anyway.
: 1/29/2010
People keep moving. Nothing to see here. Have you all forgotten Tom Swatzel filed the ethics complaint to fine the democrat party for using the union hall free of charge and not reporting it? Tom Swatzel is not going to accept or endorse James Slanderson. James is grasping for straws. More specifically James is grasping for a job. James needs a job and he thinks a countywide elected job is his meal ticket. This won't work James. We know the real you. Go sit with you son on the computer and dream on.
: 1/29/2010
I could not care less what Jamie thinks. He is of no importance. His daddy and Tom Swatzel are the real issues here. Remember, just over a year ago, Tom Swatzel asked the world to boycott James Sanderson? Thanks to Google, I found the article: http://georgetowngop.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.html. Paste it in your address bar and you will see. Tom, what happened to you? Why are you now supporting this guy? And James has bashed Republicans for decades. Yes, someone mentioned the sheriff and Maring switched. They did BUT they did not spend their entire previous life bad mouthing and trashing Republicans like James has. I don't think James had any credibility before this but, if he did, it's all gone now.
A
A dose of cold water : 1/29/2010
Why did the Times not ask Jamie Shamderson for a comment? That would have been interesting. James is not and will never be a republican. James thinks Ron Charlton will keep his word and not run for council again and he will be able to take that seat. Forget about it James. Ron is a liar and will run again. And to the person (we know Jamie) that said James did well in his first run are you that big a liar? Ron Charlton wiped the floor with James Sanderson in that race. That was the worst beating ever in Georgetown history.
: 1/29/2010
Hasn't Mr. Sanderson only once ran for a Political position. The position was County Council and if I remember for the first time did very well. Whether a person switches from a Repub to a Dem or a Dem to a Repub isn't a concern to me. I think that each political party has to welcome these people. Is there anything anyone can mention that Mr. Sanderson stands for other than labor they disagree with? I do know that he represents his membership well. Sometime too well. Mr. Sanderson has done a great deal of good deeds for Georgetown. I am always fascinated when I hear him discuss issues. He is very opininated and doesn't mind speaking up. This is what he has going for him. There will be people suspicious and question his motives for switching parties. I will welcome him and his dedication into the Republican Party.
: 1/29/2010
Don't be fooled by this. He thinks he can get elected to some county position by switching parties. It worked for Lane Cribb and Waldo Maring a few years ago but it won't work for Sanderson. He ran the mill into the ground and now needs a new income. He expects the entire voting public to believe he had an awaking and he now is a Republican. Please. Talk about a wolf in sheep's clothing.
: 1/29/2010
OK Mr. Swatzel, your tone in dealing with Mr. Sanderson is EXACTLY what is wrong and will continue to be wrong with this country. You must two the party line or get out. Why would you take the Platform to him? To do a checklist, to see if he is 30, 40 60 or 80% percent Repub. If he is not 100% supportive on every view do you plan to not let him in the club? This is what is wrong with America and will be the continued decline of this country. I am not happy with the Democrats and certainly am not referring to myself as one, on the other hand, I will not refer to myself as a Republican. I am one of the ones that make or break elections now. AN INDEPENDENT!!!! You fully tow your party line and have no room for dissent in any area then you alienate people who disagree with you. I am tired of Democrats giving fiscal conservatives like me a hard time and Republicans giving socially liberal people like me a hard time. You each hope the other fails, at this point I am hoping you both fail and a new party pops up.... Common Sense..
: 1/29/2010
And we are supposed to care about this? He is a washed up failed union leader and failed candidate. And, after all he has said while bashing Republicans, the only thing he is a success at is being a hypocrite.
: 1/29/2010
I don't know Sanderson (personally) but this is interesting.