Hartsville physician to serve as delegate to Democratic National convention

By Jim Faile

Published: May 14, 2008

A Hartsville physician is preparing to go to the Democratic National Convention as a delegate from South Carolina.

Dr. Aqil Surka will represent the state’s 5th Congressional District at the convention in Denver, Colo., in August as a delegate for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.
Surka was elected as a delegate during the state Democratic Party Convention on May 3 in Columbia.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Surka said.

The Hartsville pediatrician said he has always voted in elections since he has been old enough to vote and has always followed politics. “I’ve always been interested in it,” he said.

But he never got directly involved in party politics until this election when he got involved with the Obama campaign, he said.

“I saw his speech at the 2004 Democratic convention,” Surka said. “I said then, that guy needs to be president.” But he added he did not think Obama would be a leading contender for the presidency just four years later.

“I think he’s got something different to offer the country at a time when the country needs something different,” Surka said.

Surka said he has never considered himself Democrat or Republican. “I’ve always voted for the candidate,” he said, adding that includes Democrats and Republicans.

He said he went to the state convention as a delegate from Darlington County never expecting to be elected as a delegate to the national convention. “I was very surprised,” he said. “There were about 300 people whose names were in the hat.”

“I think it’s historic, I think it’s an amazing thing that could have the first woman or the first African American president,” Surka said. “But I think if you focus on that alone, then you ignore where America is right now.”

He said he believes a general election between Obama and Arizona Sen. John McCain will raise the level of national conversation about the nation’s direction for the future.

Surka said his involvement in politics has brought other rewards as well. “I’ve gotten to meet some of the most wonderful people, people I never would have gotten to meet otherwise,” he said.

The Democratic National Convention will take place in Denver Aug. 25 - 28.