Robert A. Barber Jr. of

Charleston Charleston most commonly refers to: * Charleston, South Carolina * Charleston, West Virginia, the state capital * Charleston (dance) Charleston may also refer to: Places Australia * Charleston, South Australia Canada * Charleston, Newfoundlan ...

was the 2006 Democratic Party's Nominee for

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

of South Carolina. In November 2006, Barber faced off against incumbent Republican Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer, who sought a second term in office, defeating Barber in the General Election.

Early life and career

Robert Barber was born in

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...

on July 29, 1949. Having spent his earliest years on Folly Beach and nearby Bowen's Island, Barber moved to

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with his parents at the age of 10. After graduating from Columbia High School in 1967, he attended Wofford College and graduated in 1971. Barber later received a

Masters of Divinity For graduate-level theological institutions, the Master of Divinity (MDiv, ''magister divinitatis'' in Latin) is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is the most common academic degree in seminaries and di ...

from

Duke University Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James ...

in 1976. He then returned to his native state and served as a minister in two Laurens County churches before entering law school. Receiving his J.D. degree in 1982 from the South Texas College of Law, Barber engaged in a general practice of law in Charleston before being elected to the Charleston County School Board in 1984.

S.C. House of Representatives

Barber served for four years on the Charleston County School Board and from 1986 to 1988 served as its chairman. In 1988, he was elected into the South Carolina House of Representatives. Serving in the House from 1989 to 1994, Barber spent time on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, and Operations and Management Committees. In 1993 and 1994, he chaired the Joint Legislative Committee on Energy. In 1994, rather than run for re-election, Barber ran for the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

as the Democratic candidate for the First Congressional District, but lost to a political newcomer named Mark Sanford.

Later career

After leaving the SC House, Barber split his time between running Bowen's Island Seafood Restaurant, which his grandparents founded in the 1940s, and serving as a consultant for a range of predominantly not-for-profit public interest groups. A conservationist, health care advisor, and advocate for the state's elderly population, Barber has attempted to improve the lives of many South Carolinians through his work for organizations such as the South Carolina Wildlife Federation,

American Heart Association The American Heart Association (AHA) is a nonprofit organization in the United States that funds cardiovascular medical research, educates consumers on healthy living and fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and death ...

American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. Established in 1913, the society is organized into six geographical regions of both medical and lay volunteers operating in more than ...

, the College of Charleston, the Palmetto Conservation Foundation, the

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and the Association of Council on Aging Directors. In 2010, Barber ran for

Comptroller General of South Carolina The comptroller general of South Carolina is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the U.S. state of South Carolina. Forty individuals have held the office of comptroller general since 1800. The office has been held by Brian J. Ga ...

. He lost to

Richard Eckstrom Richard A. Eckstrom (born June 23, 1948) is an American politician from the state of South Carolina. A Republican, he served as the comptroller general of South Carolina from 2003 until his resignation in 2023. From 1995 to 1999, he served one te ...

, the incumbent.

The Barber Family

Barber met LaNelle Dominick in the 5th grade in Columbia. They dated throughout their high school years at Columbia High, as well as through college. They later married after Barber's graduation from Wofford. LaNelle, a graduate of Queens College, in Charlotte is now a public school teacher in Charleston, at Buist Academy. Robert and LaNelle have two children, Hope and Matt. Hope and her husband, Bill McIntosh, live in Summerville with their two daughters, Mary Lesesne and Frances. Matt and his wife Danielle, live in Summerville with their daughter, Madelyn. Barber's father, Bob Barber, worked for 35 years with the C&S National Bank in Charleston and Columbia. His mother, Cile, was a career homemaker who, with Bob's help, raised six children. After the children were grown, Cile opened antique shops in Columbia and Newberry. His parents have resided in Newberry since 1987. Robert has four brothers and a sister who live and work in Charleston, Columbia and Irmo.

References

External links