<strong>By Mike McCombs</strong>

If the county zoning board goes ahead with its next meeting, Monday, Sept. 28, will be the night of the showdown over the proposed development at Bay Point.

That won’t be the only fight in Beaufort that night.

Incumbent Joe Cunningham, D-S.C., and Republican challenger Nancy Mace will hold their first debate in the race for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District seat at SCETV’s Beaufort studio.

<a href="https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/NancyMace2017.jpg"><img class="wp-image-45889 alignright" src="https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/NancyMace2017-1024x936.jpg" alt="" width="532" height="486"></a>Monday, Sept. 28 also happens to be the day same day in-person absentee voting for the general election begins in South Carolina.

The hour-long debate – sponsored by The Charleston Post and Courier, SCETV and S.C. Public Radio – begins at 7 p.m. and will be aired live statewide on SCETV and SC Public Radio. The coverage will also be streamed live on scetv.org and postandcourier.com, as well as on SCETV’s various social media platforms.

The debate will be moderated by SCETV’s Gavin Jackson and The Post and Courier’s Jamie Lovegrove.

Jackson and Lovegrove, along with SC Public Radio’s Thelisha Eaddy, will be busy again Oct. 21 as the same three news outlets will also sponsor a debate between U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and his Democratic challenger Jamie Harrison at SCETV’s Columbia studio.

That debate, as well, will be aired live statewide on SCETV and SC Public Radio and streamed live on scetv.org and postandcourier.com, as well as on SCETV’s various social media platforms.

“For decades, SCETV has covered elections, public policy and government officials, providing South Carolinians with unmatched government transparency,” SCETV President and CEO Anthony Padgett said in a news release. “Through this partnership with The Post and Courier, we’re proud to host and broadcast both of these debates, helping the citizens of this state be informed as they head to the polls this fall.”

<em>Mike McCombs is the Editor of<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>The Island News and can be reached at<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>TheIslandNews@gmail.com.</em>