Attorney Joe Cunningham to run against Rep. Mark Sanford

 Attorney, small business owner and ocean engineer Joe Cunningham announced June 21 that he will launch a bid to seek the Democratic nomination for South Carolina’s First Congressional District, currently held by Republican Mark Sanford.
The youngest of five brothers, Cunningham has prosecuted criminals and pursued justice on behalf of those who have been taken advantage of, stated a press release. Before becoming an attorney, he worked as an ocean engineer, ensuring coastal development did not hurt the environment.
“Washington doesn’t work,” said Cunningham. “It has been failing us for a very long time and we can no longer rely on the same old career politicians who caused the problems to now fix them. I’m running for Congress for every person in the Lowcountry who feels like they’ve been left behind and for anyone who is tired of the dysfunction in Washington. It’s time for new leadership that will bring people together and focus on getting things done for South Carolina.”
According to Cunningham, “the disconnected politicians in Washington can’t fix people’s problems because too often they can’t see their problems.”
“I know student loans are too high because I’m still paying mine back,” he continued. “I know healthcare is expensive because my family had to purchase ours. And I know starting a small business is tough because my wife and I have started several.”
The Lowcountry needs a congressman who can keep President Donald Trump in check, added Cunningham. Rep. Sanford, he claims, “votes with (Trump) nearly 90 percent of the time.”
“I have no political debts to pay and my decisions will be made with one and only one consideration in mind - what’s best for the lives of my neighbors in the Lowcountry,” said Cunningham.
“Politics is ultimately a contest of ideas and I look forward to the upcoming debate,” added Rep. Sanford, in reference to Cunningham’s statement about his voting record. “I think what most folks would say is that I’m simply doing what I said I would do in looking out for the taxpayer, advancing a common sense perspective in Washington and in looking for ways to protect our region’s unique look, feel and character.”
South Carolina’s First Congressional District runs from northern Charleston County down the coast to the Georgia state line and includes parts of Charleston, Dorchester, Berkeley, Colleton and Beaufort Counties. Donald Trump received 53 percent of the vote in SC-1 in 2016, his worst showing of any GOP-held congressional district in South Carolina, according to Cunningham.
Cunningham and his wife, Amanda, live with their dog, Teddy, in West Ashley. For more information on his campaign, visit www.JoeCunninghamForCongress.com or www.facebook.com/joecunninghamsc.