PROSPERITY — With the race for the U.S. House of Representatives District Five underway, candidate Thomas Mullikin recently received an endorsement from former Senator and presidential candidate Rick Santorum.
Mullikin was unable to attend the event at Hawg Heaven Barbeque due to Wednesday’s severe weather and his duties as the Commander of the South Carolina State Guard.
“He is the commander of our State Guard, and works for the Military Department of South Carolina. He was called off not too long ago to report in for a meeting with the Military Departments,” said Prosperity resident Glenn Hamm. “He sends his deep regrets for not being here.”
Although Mullikin was unable to attend, Santorum was still happy to take part in the event.
Santorum met Mullikin in 2011 while he was campaigning during his first presidential bid. He said while he campaigned in South Carolina, he was able to get to know a lot of the political folks and active community members.
“I know four of the candidates who are running in this race, usually when you have those relationships you sort of keep your head down, because you do not want to get involved, but when Tom told me he was running, I said I do not care who else is running, I am going to support you,” Santorum said. “That is the kind of guy he is, an outstanding Patriot on every level. He is exactly the kind of person we need in Washington, D.C., to represent the values of this state, and to fight to get Washington to be more responsive to the people out there across America.”
Santorum said Mullikin is like the guy in the Dos Equis commercial — the most interesting man in the world. He said he has never seen a guy who does more things, and does them well, adding he is passionate about the things he does.
“He is passionate about everything he gets involved with, and does it as well as you can possibly do it. Don’t you want someone who is passionate about the people he represents? He is going to go there and throw himself into this job and make sure the interest and needs of this community are taken care of,” he said.
When Santorum and Mullikin first met in 2011, Santorum said they hit it off. Santorum said that Mullikin told him he had followed his political career for years.
“Always funny for me that people from other states would follow you when you are in the Senate, but he did. He offered to support me, and he did. He actually did an event for me at his home in Camden during the campaign. We have really stayed friends ever since,” Santorum said. “I have known and really grown to respect him, worked with him on some projects in the energy field. He’s one of the most interesting guys I have ever met, someone who is a Patriot, active in the military, in particular with veterans. He is a blue collar guy.”
According to Santorum, 74 percent of Americans over the age of 25 do not have a college degree. He said that very few politicians talk about what kind of opportunities there will be for those workers to not just survive, but thrive.
“Used to be we had a lot of jobs they could do and be successful, less so today. Tom understands the importance of energy and manufacturing and making that happen,” he said. “This is a very competitive race, a lot of good people in this race. We need to make sure we get the right guy in there, and Tom is the right man.”
Hamm also voiced his support for Mullikin, saying he has known Mullikin for about four and a half years, before he was running for office, and before he was commander of the S.C. State Guard.
“I had the opportunity to work underneath him time and time again. One of the things I can tell you about Tom Mullikin, when he says he is going to do something, this is a man that does what he says he is going to do. He is a man of virtues, ” Hamm said.
Hamm talked about the October 2015 flooding when about 60 roadways and bridges were washed out. He said that Mullikin sent members of the State Guard into Newberry County to help with search and rescue efforts, evacuating residents out of their flooded homes.
“Amazing thing, he sent in his contingent of engineers from the State Guard into Newberry County, and performed the damage assessment that got Newberry County put on the FEMA Disaster Declaration,” Hamm said. “During Hurricane Matthew this past October, once again he sent people into Newberry County, sent out teams to support local law enforcement, emergency services in order to keep the roadways safe, free, clear and moving.”
Mullikin campaign
Brandt Tomlinson, Mullikin’s son-in-law, said his father-in-law is running for office so he can leave a lasting footprint and a better future for the next generation.
“Coming from the mouth of his son-in-law, he got asked by a few different people if he would pursue the candidacy for the Fifth District, he talked and prayed hard with his wife, Virginia Ann Mullikin, and our family and said that after long and hard thought, Virginia Ann said I think you should do it Tom, you have built a lifetime of success in your career,” Tomlinson said.
Mullikin started to think about something his father told him growing up, that you have to live your life, and you have to define your success. Mullikin started to think what he has really done to define his success to leave a lasting footprint.
“He said my generation will be the first generation that did not pass down more opportunities to live the American dream to the next generation,” Tomlinson said.
Tomlinson said his father-in-law is not running for the title, but strictly to do the job. He wants to go to Congress and start to build the stepping stone to give the future generations more opportunities for the American dream.
He added Mullikin has been to the coldest places and the warmest places on the planet, and has studied the issues that Congress is facing, and he can use that real world experience to help give more opportunity to the next generations.
Mullikin is currently running against six other candidates in the primary. Tomlinson said what sets Mullikin a part is his real world experience.
“A lot of the platforms are the same, conservative values, strengthen economy, strengthen boarders. What sets him apart is real world experience, legal expert for over 30 years, he has represented manufactures, industry, environmental companies, natural gas companies, steel manufactures all across the United States. Fighting for job creation and sustainable jobs, not just a job, but a career for families,” Tomlinson said.
He added Mullikin has experience fighting the issues that are currently facing Congress and our nation, and that his experience goes hand in hand with the issues currently being handled in Congress.
“He will be our voice for the Fifth District of South Carolina, for our small communities, big communities, our state and our nation,” Tomlinson said.
