Submitted Article
Citizens from all over the Pee Dee Region will be gathering at the State Capital in Columbia on July 26th. This demonstration of comradeship is to show members of the State Legislature the people of the Pee Dee Region want to be the new 7th Congressional District.

“We believe this action, which we are calling the Pee Dee Push, is necessary because the South Carolina Senate insist on playing games. The Great Pee Dee Region is and should remain a cohesive region. We are not asking for anything that is not simple common sense and fair.” states Bill Pickle, Chairman of the FCGOP.

Pickle also states, “PEE DEE PUSH is a protest against raw political moves. Unlike some of the other redistricting proposals, It is not about Democrat vs Republican or racial motivated. This day is about saving the PEE DEE Region of South Carolina. The goal is to have hundreds of Pee Dee residents and those who support the region from all across the State to converge on the South Carolina State House on the day the legislature goes back into session. Our goal, express the Pee Dee’s desire to remain intact and have the 7th Congressional District in the Pee Dee Region of SC.”

Currently, some members of the South Carolina Senate want to divide the Pee Dee region of South Carolina into four (4) different Congressional districts. This leaves the Pee Dee once again an unrepresented area of the state. We believe it is time for the Pee Dee to take a stand in opposition to this decision by the South Carolina Senate Leadership. Why should a natural Region (that will pass the test of the judicial review) be split up just so other districts can be held intact, or strengthened, just to protect already well represented areas of the State?

Printed materials, including statements from citizens, city and county elected officials, State office holders, business leaders and educators will be available for participants to hand out and to discuss with legislators. All participants will be encouraged to share a personal Pee Dee story with these legislators. Our goal is to assure that every elected official has to look in the faces of the people of the Pee Dee when they make these important decisions which will adversely impact our Region.

We need to begin arriving in Columbia at 8:30am. We will meet at Magnolia Mall in Florence (just outside of Barnes and Noble) at 7am. Carpools will be formed and then we will become a caravan heading to Columbia, SC. We need as many volunteers who are willing to drive to sign up and list how many you can have ride with you. We are asking everyone who rides with someone to please make a donation to the driver for gas.

We need a lot of PEE DEE WANTS THE 7TH signs! There will be a sign making event the night before this event.

Pee Dee Rush leadership is working on a press conference which will take place that day at the statehouse event.

This will be a full day in Columbia, South Carolina. We would like to have citizens from all over the Pee Dee fill the house and senate balconies, the lobby of the state house. We also need citizens to picket outside on the sidewalks and near the statehouse parking garage.

We are asking the people of the Pee Dee to stay at the SC State house until the Pee Dee gets the 7th District on July 26th. This will be a very long but historical day!

For more information concerning Pee Dee Push contact Bill Pickle at 843-260-7806 or Stephanie Rawlinson at 843-229-1551.