Contact: Kerry Wood, 864-431-8401

INMAN, S.C., March 14, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- The following is submitted by Det Bowers:

This past Wednesday evening I was asked to attend the pledge signing with four other candidates seeking the US Senate seat for South Carolina. The pledge states: "We, the undersigned genuine conservative Republicans, agree to endorse whichever one of our fellow signers advances to the run-off election against incumbent Senator Lindsey Graham following the South Carolina Republican primary election for the U.S. Senate on the 10th of June 2014."

I declined to participate in that pledge and refused to attend the gathering for two reasons:

1. I am running to become your next United States Senator -- and to sign a pledge of surrender before the campaign process has culminated would be admitting defeat before the battle has even begun; and
    
2. At this point, the candidates have not engaged in a single debate on the complex issues facing this nation. I believe in the necessity for a smaller federal government, reduced regulatory burden on small business, free enterprise and strong immigration reform.

Furthermore, I reject the statement made yesterday by one of the candidates about Senator Graham. That comment exemplifies part of the problem with Washington today. Debasing a man's name and character is not our path forward to prosperity and will only leave us wallowing in the political malaise.

I pledge to you today that our campaign has always been and will always be built on trust, integrity and optimism for the future of America.

Respectfully,
Det