Batchelder zings Brown for wasteful ways, anti-American trade votes

Republican Bob Batchelder today said Henry Brown's record on international trade jeopardized American jobs and hurt South Carolinians.

Today at a press conference, Batchelder said he would run against Brown for the Republican nomination for the First District congressional seat.

"Brown’s continued support of most favored trading status for China and existing trade laws is bad for the American worker, especially in South Carolina, which has seen the largest job loss per capita in the country as a result of these bad trade deals," Batchelder said.

He also criticized Brown for voting on major spending bills that swelled the federal deficit and negatively impacted the country's trade imbalance. Republicans in Congress, often touted as fiscal conservatives, have set new spending records and turned a budget surplus into a deficit in less than three years.

"They're like drunken sailors on the town," one congressional critic said. "Brown is in thick as thieves with this bunch and should be held accountable for his taxing and spending and wasting ways."

Batchelder castigated Brown's support of agriculture and energy bills that will cost billions.

"Quite simply we just can’t afford Henry Brown anymore. He is out of touch with his constituents , in my view.”