Mike Anthony Figures to Provide Mick Zais With Strong Challenge in Ed Race

On Thursday, Rep. Mike Anthony (D-Union) embarked on a three-city tour to mark the beginning of his campaign for State Superintendent of Education. The second leg of the tour was a media availability in front of Hand Middle School in Columbia. Anthony began the day by making his candidacy official at Union County Stadium.

The former Union High School teacher and three-time state champion football coach figures to provide a formidable challenge to Mick Zais, the incumbent.

Anthony was first elected to the House in 2002, and the following year he was named Legislator of the Year by the South Carolina Education Association.

Anthony also has over thirty years of experience in the classroom, experience which he figures to emphasize against Zais, who has grown unpopular among some classroom teachers. 

“I never thought I’d be announcing a campaign for anything – let alone statewide office,” Anthony said. “But our schools are in desperate need of new leadership, and who better to lead our schools than a teacher with over thirty years of in-the-classroom experience.”

“As a high school football coach, I taught kids about accountability,” said Anthony. “If someone wasn’t working hard enough or doing their job, they got benched and replaced by someone who could do better. The current administration isn’t getting the job done and it’s time to bring in someone new.”

Anthony added that education has become too politicized and tainted by special interests.

“Educating our children shouldn’t be a partisan issue,” Anthony said. “If I'm elected Superintendent, you won’t be getting a Democrat or Republican. You’ll be getting a lifelong public school teacher who has a passion for seeing kids succeed.”

In a press release, South Carolina Republican Party Chair Matt Moore said that Anthony has stood in the way of education reform:

"State Representative Mike Anthony has been in the pocket of big labor unions and the education establishment for a decade. His time in Columbia has been marked by no legislative leadership and standing against education reform. As a failed state legislator, Anthony has continually shown that he lacks the skills necessary to transform education in South Carolina. By standing against legislation to give parents more school options, even wildly popular public charter schools, it is evident that he is out of touch with South Carolinians. If Representative Anthony is the Democrats’ choice for State Superintendent of Education, I’m confident he will strike out with voters."

Zais has not formally announced his candidacy, but he is expected to run. When Palmetto State politicos were asked last February which statewide incumbents were most vulnerable to defeat, Zais topped the list.

Despite his status as an incumbent, Zais does not have a fundraising advantage. According to his most recent filing, he has less than $2,000 on hand. Anthony has slightly more than $6,500 in his legislative account. He’ll need donors’ permission to move that money to his fund for the Superintendent of Education race.