In a presidential election that most expect will be all about the economy, South Carolina is a state where economic issues are front and center. The state’s unemployment rate is 9.9 percent, well above the national rate. But even that number is deceptive. There are pockets around the state where the conditions are much more severe. In Lancaster County, for example, the rate is above 12 percent.
When Springs Industries packed up and left Lancaster County, it took thousands of textile jobs with it. Before most people had a chance to recover, the recession hit hard. Sandra Geiger says life in Lancaster hasn’t been the same since.
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