Democrat Kent Williams won the highly contested District 30 seat in a long campaign that included two primary elections. Amid accusations of voter fraud in the June 2004 primary, the results of the first primary were thrown out and a second primary election for the seat took place in October. In the second election, Williams defeated his two opponents, including the incumbent, who had held the seat for the previous 12 years. He then captured the seat in the general election.
The title of Williams’ speech is “Dr. Martin Luther King: His Day, His Dream, His Legacy.”
Williams is one of 10 children. Born in Marion, S.C. in 1960, Williams grew up on a 150-acre farm where his family grew soybeans, tobacco and corn, and raised pigs.
Politics is a family affair for the Williamses. Williams began his involvement in politics as a youth, managing his brother Alvin’s campaign for student body president. Another brother, Armstrong Williams, is a well-known conservative television and radio political commentator.
In addition to being elected to the state senate, Kent Williams is serving his third term as the chair of the Marion County School Board and served seven years on the S.C. Agriculture Commission. He is a member of a regional Rural Community Development Board and the Marion Chamber of Commerce.
Williams’ speech at SCC is free and the public is invited. The college is located at 3395 Airport Road in Pinehurst. For more information about SCC’s Martin Luther King Day celebration, contact Alfreda Stroman at 910-695-3872.
