CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – A Democratic candidate for President was in Horry County for the second day in a row, as former Vice President Joe Biden held a rally on Coastal Carolina University’s campus Thursday evening.
About 650 supporters packed into the Williams-Brice Building to hear the former vice president, who’s hoping to win his first state of the Presidential campaign and re-energize his campaign.
“This is what we need back in the White House, someone who knows what they’re talking about,” said TV and movie actress Vivica A. Fox, who was campaigning with the former VP.
Biden is presenting himself as a moderate alternative to Democratic frontrunner Sen. Bernie Sanders.
“This nation isn’t looking for revolution,” Biden said, during the rally. “It’s looking for results. It’s looking for results to improve people’s lives.”
Before Thursday’s rally, News13’s Chris Spiker spoke to the former VP about what his policies would do for people in the Grand Strand and the Pee Dee. One of those questions was about how his plan to build on the Affordable Care Act would benefit rural areas.
Vice President Biden said he would double the amount of money available for community health centers.
“They’re closing down because Medicare reimbursement is not sufficient, so I propose that we give them the extra, added advantage to being able to pay for keeping those hospitals open,” he said.
Spiker and Biden also spoke about federal funding for major infrastructure projects like Interstate 73. I-73 construction remains unfunded, as Horry County’s hospitality tax battle continues and state funding is in jeopardy. Supporters of the project say it would bring jobs to the region, increase tourism and provide a hurricane evacuation route.
The former VP says he’s looking to invest $1 trillion towards infrastructure.
“Not just for highways, but for all infrastructure,” he said. “I’m going to put $20 billion into broadband. For example, in rural South Carolina, they don’t have broadband and access to high speed internet. It’s going to change the way things work.”
You can click here to see Sen. Sanders and businessman Tom Steyer’s interviews with Spiker at their campaign events on Wednesday.
