The place to start is with two of our leaders in Washington: Senator Lindsey Graham and Representative Jim Clyburn. In many ways, Graham is an enigma. He has shown flashes of statesmanship by crossing the aisle on some important issues. Yet, during the last presidential campaign and even continuing today, he appears to be a lap dog for Republican Senator John McCain and has lapsed back into a highly partisan mode. There may be political reasons for this backslide. Graham is articulate, clean cut and quickly became a media favorite in the Washington, D. C., appearing on numerous talk shows on virtually every network. His conservatism bodes well for a long tenure from a conservative state. His influence and mentorship could be important in lifting South Carolina out of the hole that the Sanford administration has left.
The same is true for Jim Clyburn. The I-95 corridor is South Carolina's opportunity for an economic renaissance and Representative Clyburn has and will continue to focus on that. His powerful position in a democratic administration is a real platform to help the state.

However, if we focus on emerging leaders who might lead us out of our doldrums, the impact of the two gentlemen mentioned above will be as mentors, guiding lights and suppliers of resources. Let's take a look within the state and local government for leadership in a time of great need.

State Senator Tom Davis, a close friend of Governor Mark Sanford, has demonstrated the ability to collect facts and articulate them effectively in the General Assembly. It still is not clear if he shares the same narrow libertarian philosophy as the current governor. If he can reconcile his beliefs with the job of administering government in a poor state, he may be able to take an effective leadership role.

Anton Gunn is a first term member of the South Carolina House of Representatives and a true progressive. He gained notoriety as President Obama's campaign leader in South Carolina and was featured in Time magazine for that effort. He has exhibited a passion for improving the lot of the underclass in South Carolina and has a vision for where he would like to see the state go.

Rob Miller, a Beaufort attorney, ran well as a democrat against incumbent Representative Joe Wilson in a strongly conservative district. Who knows if a democrat can ever win in that district? Maybe Miller should lower his sights and look for a local office to run for as a way of establishing himself. An Iraq veteran, he could emerge as a fresh new face in South Carolina and Beaufort County politics.

It is hard not to draw a parallel between Bakari Sellers from Bamberg County and Barack Obama. Both are attractive and compelling African-Americans leaders. Both entered politics at a young age. Both are articulate and have a lot of political charisma. Obama emerged from the political hot house of Chicago while Sellers is from Bamberg County, a poor rural county without a lot of political clout.

Vincent Sheheen, a democrat from Kershaw County, has announced his intention to run for Governor in 2010. He comes from a politically popular family and has demonstrated leadership ability in the Senate. His early announcement actually contained a clear vision for the state - something rare in South Carolina politics. (We will look at what a vision for South Carolina should encompass in a subsequent blog).

Henry McMaster, another announced gubernatorial candidate has performed well as a federal prosecutor and as an even-handed attorney general for the state of South Carolina. It is unknown at this time if he can make the jump to governor in a strong field and in the wake of the Sanford debacle.

Another individual to watch in the years ahead is Jeffrey Graham, the young mayor of Camden. Just four years out of college he beat an entrenched incumbent by knocking on doors and exercising the tried and true "shoe leather" campaign.

It may be important to note who is not on this list. Gresham Barrett is another announced candidate for the governor's post and has served in Congress, but with nothing substantial to show for that tenure. Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer possesses great political skills, but has not demonstrated a vision or the capacity to lead the state.

Without a doubt the 2010 elections will be the most important contest in recent South Carolina history. We can only hope there will be a Dick Riley or a Carroll Campbell in the field.

You can read about other members of the South Carolina State House HERE.

Visit my previous post "Where Have all the Leaders Gone?"