Steve Benjamin In 2002, when Republican Henry Dargan McMaster won his title and job as South Carolina Attorney General, he defeated Democrat Steve Benjamin, another Columbian. Benjamin is 20+ years younger than Mc-Master. There's time.

In the meantime, while Benjamin ponders the possibilities for public office, he is the chair- elect for the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce.

Benjamin was born in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, where his father was a painting contractor, later becoming foreman for L&L, the largest painting contractor in New York State. His parents migrated to New York City from Orangeburg, S.C., in the 1960s.

Benjamin's first six years in public education were spent at New York Public School 223, also known as LBJ. He was the school spelling champ, but he didn't make the grade in the citywide championship bee.

After two years of bussing to Howard Beach for seventh and eighth grade, Benjamin attended August Martin High School, where he was an honor student. His brother, three years older, left for the University of South Carolina and later transferred to S.C. State in Orangeburg.

During his high school summers, Benjamin worked as a foodservice porter at the Belmont Park Race Track, opened since 1905 and home of the Belmont Stakes.

After high school graduation, Benjamin came to USC's Columbia campus. His declared major was business, but Econ. 221 helped him redirect himself to a political science major, where he wouldn't have to absorb macro- economics and micro- economics in the same course.

For the summer after his freshman year, Benjamin went back to Queens to work for Continental Baking Company, the Wonder Bread people. He worked 70- hour weeks for the entire summer, and he returned to USC for his sophomore year flush with walkaround money.

Inside the political science department, Benjamin blossomed. His favorite required reading was Machiavelli's The Prince, the ultimate straight- shot- to- success guide without sweating the small stuff.

For the academic year 1990- 91 at USC, Benjamin was the student government president, which put him on the search committee for a new president after the departure of Dr. Jim Holderman. The result was Dr. John Palms.

Out of college and into law school at USC, Benjamin worked part-time for trial lawyers Luther Lee and Gary Popwell. While still in school, he also worked for Lt. Gov. Nick Theodore. And he clerked for the McNair Firm, answering to Jim Fields and Ed Yarborough.

In spring 1999, when he was 29 years old, Benjamin was asked by Gov. Hodges to run the S.C. Dept. of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, a cabinet- level position with over 950 employees and a $43 million budget.

Benjamin has been attending church services at St. John Baptist at the corner of Farrow Road and West Beltline Blvd. since he was in school. He met his wife, DeAndrea Gist, at St. John Baptist. They were married in June 2002, pretty much the middle of Benjamin's campaign for S.C. Attorney General when he was always talking to people in all 46 counties.

DeAndrea Gist Benjamin is also a USC Law graduate. She was a prosecutor for S.C. Attorney General Charlie Condon, and then she became a municipal judge. The Benjamins have two daughters: Bethany (4) and Jordan Grace (1).

Benjamin and his wife would like to think they could try for one trip abroad every year. Last year, they visited South Africa, next year is Ireland, and China is also targeted for the near future.

Benjamin ran his own law firm for five years. He shifted recently to join McAngus Goudelock & Courie on lower Gervais Street in the Vista. He works in the areas of governmental strategic planning, municipal finance, procurement, and general business matters.