Prominent Lowcountry Vets Endorse Bostic

MOUNT PLEASANT —Curtis Bostic scored endorsements from two high-ranking retired military officers on Tuesday.

Retired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. James E. Livingston, a Medal of Honor recipient, and Adm. James Flatley III, a decorated combat pilot and key figure in the development of Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum, lent their support to Bostic's candidacy on Tuesday.

Standing with the familiar USS Yorktown, the retired WWII-era aircraft carrier in Mount Pleasant, as the backdrop, the retired military officers said Bostic's military record and his commitment to family values make him a friend to veterans.

"We need to send a person to Washington who can lead," Gen. Livingston said at a 4 p.m. press conference. "Curtis Bostic is a Marine. ... He's a man of great integrity. He's a man that understands what America needs at this time."

Livingston said Bostic would be strong on defense, would work to repeal Obamacare, lower taxes and be a strong conservative voice on world affairs.

Livingston appeared in campaign commercials for State Rep. Chip Limehouse, who finished 7th in the 16-person race last week. Both he and Flatley endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 Presidential race.

Livingston touted Bostic's "high moral values," and Flatley stated twice that Bostic's "family values" were attributes Congress is lacking. Those were not-so-subtle jabs at Mark Sanford's admitted extramarital affair four years ago.

"We need to get veterans in Congress, but we need to get members that carry strong traditional family values," Flatley said.

Bostic, who served in the first Iraq War, addressed veterans directly, stating he would be a friend to their cause, and that he would work to ensure the government upholds its promise on veterans' benefits.

"I can't tell you how profoundly honored I am to share this podium with these men of great courage and stature," Bostic said. "They have been honorable in their leadership, a characteristic desperately needed again in this great nation."

Whomever wins next week's Republican runoff will face Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch, a former shipping executive and Clemson University adminstrator.