Southern Political Report

DHEC Board Sides with Bluffton Medical Facility

By Sarita Chourey

A Bluffton medical facility, St. Joseph's/Candler imaging center, has survived an initial challenge to its right to acquire new scanning technology.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control Board voted Thursday not to hear an appeal from Hilton Head Health System, L.P., which objected to an earlier decision by agency staff not to require the Bluffton facility to pursue a coveted "certificate of need" for its new equipment.

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Lawmakers Wrap up Budget Hearings by Looking at Healthcare Spikes

Walter Jones

Saving the trickiest problems for last, legislative budget writers wrapped up three days of hearings on state spending needs learning about looming gaps in healthcare resources.
The House and Senate appropriations committees met jointly this week to get broad overviews of the money demands of the state's largest agencies while the rest of the General Assembly was in recess. Monday, the House Appropriations Committee's subcommittees will begin weeks of in-depth hearings to pore over the details of what Gov. Nathan Deal has recommended spending in each area.

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	*2/9/2012 — Walter Jones:* S.C. Chief Justice: Stable Judiciary Attracts Investment**
	A strong court system should also be viewed as an economic development draw, said South Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Jean Toal during her State of the Judiciary address before the General Assembly Wednesday. The core mission of the system -- to provide a fair, efficient forum for the resolution of disputes -- hasn't changed, said Toal.

	*2/7/2012 — Martin Frost:* Can GOP Ever Win Latino Vote?**
	Now that the Florida primary is well behind, it is important to take a longer look at the battle for the Latino vote in the general election. This growing voting bloc could be the deciding factor if the results prove as close as expected.

Around the South

VA, FL & NC

Virginia: Kaine, Allen neck and neck. It’s 45 percent for former Gov. Tim Kaine (D) to 44 percent for former Gov. & US Sen. George Allen in this fall’s US Senate battle in the Old Dominion, according to the latest Quinnipiac poll.

Florida: West draws a foe. Businessman Patrick Murphy (D) switched to the same district conservative favorite US Rep. Allen West (R) has moved to, giving West a well-financed foe and allowing former West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel (D) to avoid a tough primary battle with Murphy. That helps the Democrats in both districts. For the record, West has raised $5.8 million so far, Murphy $1.4 million.

North Carolina: Etheridge ahead in poll of Democrats. In the fast-developing contest for the Democratic nomination for governor of the Tar Heel State, it’s 21 percent for former US Rep. Bob Etheridge, 13 percent for state Sen. Dan Blue, 10 percent for Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton, 8 percent for US Rep. Brad Miller, 7 percent for former state Treasurer Richard Moore, 6 percent for US Rep. Mike McIntyre and 2 percent for state Rep. Bill Faison. Etheridge, Dalton and Faison have announced. None of the others have said they will run.

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