Aiken GOP Mayoral runoff: Endorsements roll in for Rick Osbon, Teddy Milner

Congressmen, state senators, state representatives, county officials and business leaders are among those who have made endorsements for the Aug. 22 Aiken Republican mayoral primary runoff between incumbent Rick Osbon and restaurateur Teddy Milner. 

The Aiken Association of Realtors endorsed Osbon last week. 

The association is a trade association representing Aiken County Realtors and others connected to the real estate trade. The association has around 1,000 members.  

Jacob Klarman, president of the association’s board of directors, said in a news release Aiken is as beautiful as ever and appears to be thriving.

“We feel that Mayor Osbon is the person for the job,” Klarman said. “Mayor Osbon needs another term to complete the important projects that are in the works and to continue the great job he has been doing.” 

Among the projects cited are the new housing developments on the city’s Northside, the Hitchcock Woods storm water project, the Powderhouse Connector, the acquisition of the Brunswick Tract, the new Aiken Steeplechase venue and public park upgrades. 

Milner, who has campaigned for accountability and transparency in government, has endorsements from: 

• Jack Wetzel; 

• Anne Campbell;

• Aiken County Clerk of Court Bob Harte;

• former City Council member Dick Dewar; 

• former Design Review Board member Lucy Knowles; 

• Dr. Rose Hayes

• Preston and Jerry Ann Rahe;

• John and Rebecca Veldman; 

• Wilkins Byrd;

• Martin Buckley;

• Lisa Smith; 

• David Stinson; and 

• Linda Knox McLean. 

Osbon’s endorsements also include: 

• U.S. Reps. Joe Wilson and Jeff Duncan; 

• S.C. Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, S.C. Sen. Tom Young and former S.C. Sen. Greg Ryberg; 

• S.C. Reps. Bill Hixon, Bill Taylor, Bart Blackwell and Melissa Oremus; 

• Second Judicial Circuit Solicitor Bill Weeks; 

• Aiken County Council Chairperson Gary Bunker, Vice Chairperson Andrew Siders and Council member Ron Felder; 

• Aiken County Sheriff Michael Hunt; 

• Aiken City Council members Ed Woltz, Ed Girardeau, Andrea Gregory and Kay Brohl; and

• Aiken Republican Club President K.T. Ruthven and former state party chairperson Matt Moore.