The question arises: How will U.S. Rep. John Spratt's loss to Republican Mick Mulvaney on Tuesday affect the fiscal security of South Carolina's many military installations that pump well over $10 billion into the state's economy?

Not only is Mulvaney another freshman congressman for our state (four of our six will be freshmen this session), but Spratt was also the loss of a second-ranking Democrat on the House Armed Service Committee and chairman of the House Budget Committee.

The answer isn't entirely clear and no one's saying were dead in the water, but it does put a lot of variables up in the air. The State has a good rundown on what folks are thinking; take a read here.

Perhaps most immediately we may see the change play out in the ongoing battle between North Carolina and Beaufort for F-35B squadrons.

• Keep up with area military news on our topic page.