By Rob Novit
For Ted Felder, the political arena could not have come more naturally.
The new Aiken area director for U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., Felder has some formidable political roots.
His great-uncle, L. Marion Gressette was a legend in the S.C. General Assembly. First elected to the S.C. House in 1924, Gressette was sent by Calhoun County voters to the S.C. Senate in 1936 and remained there for 48 years until his death in 1984. For the last 12 years in the Senate, he also served as President Pro Tem. The Gressette Senate Office Building is named after him.
But he wasn't the only elected official in the family. Felder said his grandfather, T.M. "Babe" Nelson, served in the House in the early '50s. Felder's father, John Felder, also was a state representative from 1974 to 1998.
Ironically, the older men were Democrats - elected initially when South Carolina was still a one-party state. Felder's dad did switch in the mid-1990s.
"My three brothers and I were always involved in his campaigns," said Felder, who grew up in St. Matthews in Calhoun County. Perhaps not surprisingly, he received a degree in political science from the University of South Carolina. While in college, he was a page for the late S.C. Sen. Isadore Lourie, who also hailed from Calhoun County.
Felder then worked at the S.C. Employment Security Commission before taking a lobbying job with Ogburn and Associates.
When Wilson was elected to the 2nd Congressional District in 2002, he hired Felder to his staff to work in Orangeburg County. Later, Felder moved to Beaufort to represent Wilson in that county, as well as Jasper and Hampton Counties.
"One of the things I like about working for Congressman Wilson," Felder said, "is that he's the same genuine person in private as he is in public. He cares about his constituents and it's not an act. He's been that way since I've known him."
In 2007, Felder took an economic development position with the City of Hardeeville. He was named city manager in February 2010 before leaving late in 2011 to go into consulting work. He returned to Wilson's staff about two months ago.
With the addition of a 7th Congressional District in the Horry County area, all the districts were reconfigured. After representing a portion of Aiken County, Wilson now has the entire county in the 2nd District. Felder said he couldn't pass up this latest opportunity.
"My wife Beth and I always wanted to move back close to the Midlands," he said. "My family is excited about that, and Aiken has been such a welcoming community."
Felder also will serve Barnwell County and the western portion of Orangeburg County. He'll provide constituent service, community relations and public outreach. His Aiken office is located at 1555 Richland Ave. East, Suite 700. Felder can be reached at 608-9747.![]()
For Ted Felder, the political arena could not have come more naturally.
The new Aiken area director for U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., Felder has some formidable political roots.
His great-uncle, L. Marion Gressette was a legend in the S.C. General Assembly. First elected to the S.C. House in 1924, Gressette was sent by Calhoun County voters to the S.C. Senate in 1936 and remained there for 48 years until his death in 1984. For the last 12 years in the Senate, he also served as President Pro Tem. The Gressette Senate Office Building is named after him.
But he wasn't the only elected official in the family. Felder said his grandfather, T.M. "Babe" Nelson, served in the House in the early '50s. Felder's father, John Felder, also was a state representative from 1974 to 1998.
Ironically, the older men were Democrats - elected initially when South Carolina was still a one-party state. Felder's dad did switch in the mid-1990s.
"My three brothers and I were always involved in his campaigns," said Felder, who grew up in St. Matthews in Calhoun County. Perhaps not surprisingly, he received a degree in political science from the University of South Carolina. While in college, he was a page for the late S.C. Sen. Isadore Lourie, who also hailed from Calhoun County.
Felder then worked at the S.C. Employment Security Commission before taking a lobbying job with Ogburn and Associates.
When Wilson was elected to the 2nd Congressional District in 2002, he hired Felder to his staff to work in Orangeburg County. Later, Felder moved to Beaufort to represent Wilson in that county, as well as Jasper and Hampton Counties.
"One of the things I like about working for Congressman Wilson," Felder said, "is that he's the same genuine person in private as he is in public. He cares about his constituents and it's not an act. He's been that way since I've known him."
In 2007, Felder took an economic development position with the City of Hardeeville. He was named city manager in February 2010 before leaving late in 2011 to go into consulting work. He returned to Wilson's staff about two months ago.
With the addition of a 7th Congressional District in the Horry County area, all the districts were reconfigured. After representing a portion of Aiken County, Wilson now has the entire county in the 2nd District. Felder said he couldn't pass up this latest opportunity.
"My wife Beth and I always wanted to move back close to the Midlands," he said. "My family is excited about that, and Aiken has been such a welcoming community."
Felder also will serve Barnwell County and the western portion of Orangeburg County. He'll provide constituent service, community relations and public outreach. His Aiken office is located at 1555 Richland Ave. East, Suite 700. Felder can be reached at 608-9747.