Rene Ann Tewkesbury, manager for Senator Graham

The Midlands office for U.S. Senator Lindsey O. Graham (R- S.C.) at the corner of Huger and Hampton is staffed with four people, and Rene Ann Tewkesbury is in charge.

Tewkesbury was born in Aiken, S.C., where her father was in the electrical equipment business. Her mother managed the house. Her brother was born one year and eight days earlier. He is an Honors College graduate at USC and has his PhD in English from LSU.

Her grandfather on her father's side, Paul Tewkesbury, was an accomplished competition golfer originally from Tewkesbury, Mass., near Boston. In those days on what became the PGA tour, about the time the great Bobby Jones came along, the tournament winners were awarded silver mementoes instead of money. The green jacket given the winner at the Master's, for instance, began when there was little cash or silver.

Tewkesbury picked up golf from her father at the Aiken Golf Club in the Highland Park neighborhood. The club has been there since 1912, and it's where her grandfather played, too.

Having finished kindergarten at Aiken's First Presbyterian, Tewkesbury attended Eustis Park Elementary, Mead Hall, and St. Mary's before she entered Aiken High School.

From the first grade through the eighth, she practiced the piano for an hour a day, but she graduated from piano to competition church basketball for her four years of high school. Golf has since replaced basketball, and distance running has come into play in the past three years.

Also in her off- hour time during high school, she worked at her cousin's bed & breakfast, the Pine Knoll Inn. For her senior year of high school, Tewkesbury was elected "Wittiest" in her class.

Tewkesbury was in attendance at the College of Charleston when Hugo hit. She graduated in political science and history at USC Aiken.

She began working for Lindsey Graham in 1994 when he was elected to Congress. Graham first won his seat in the U.S. Senate in 2002, and again he was successful this past November.

As director of the Midlands office for Senator Graham, Tewkesbury has little need to appear in Washington. Her job's domain is mostly constituent service. Overall, she is the senator's eyes and ears in the Midlands. There is someone similar doing about the same things in the Lowcountry and in the Upstate.

Albeit far west of Columbia, the Savannah River Site and the interests of the Department of Energy also fall under Tewkesbury's vigil.

As a means to recharge her batteries, Tewkesbury began distance running competitively about three years ago when she raced five miles for the first time. This past August, she ran the half- marathon in San Francisco. In September, she ran the 5k Harvest Hope Run, and soon after that she ran the Governor's Cup 8k race. Over the Thanksgiving weekend, she ran the Turkey Trot. The half- marathon at Myrtle Beach is coming up.

As a means to recharge her mind, Tewkesbury reads, but there's little in fiction on her reading lamp's table. Between her job and her education, Tewkesbury has a keen appreciation for non- fiction works in history and politics - mostly politics.