Watch South Carolina closely - their ports are gaining on us

Washington state leaders need to keep an eye on South Carolina. It is a state that is becoming a strong magnet to attract business.

A couple of years ago, the front-page news was the competition between Seattle and Charleston to lure Boeing’s 787 assembly production. Now, it has grown to include international trade and the associated economic development and jobs.

Washington and South Carolina are among our nation’s leaders in international trade. Our state’s ports process roughly $150 billion in imported and exported products annually and 40 percent of all Washington jobs are tied to internat...