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Stories about South Carolina

South Carolina legislature considering amendment to make comptroller an appointed rather than elected position

By Jackie Mitchell
In State
March 23, 2023 at 11:57 AM

South Carolina legislators are considering a constitutional amendment to make the state comptroller appointed by the governor rather than elected. If passed by both chambers of the legislature, it would appear on the 2024 ballot for voter approval.

The amendment was introduced as Senate Joint Resolution 95 on Jan. 10, 2023. The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee unanimously sent the amendment to the full committee on March 21, 2023. To put a legislatively referred constitutional amendment before voters, a two-thirds (66.67%) vote is required in both the South Carolina State Senate and the South Carolina House of Representatives.

A comptroller, also known as a controller, is a state-level position in 19 states. Most controllers and comptrollers share duties similar to state treasurers, exercising varying powers related to budgetary and management matters. The controller is popularly elected in nine states and appointed by the governor in seven. The controller is appointed by the state legislature in Tennessee, by the state finance director in Alabama, and by the executive director of the Department of Personnel and Administration in Colorado.

Richard Eckstrom (R) is the South Carolina Comptroller General. He assumed office after winning his first election to the office in 2002 and was re-elected in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022. His current term ends on Jan. 13, 2027.

The State wrote that legislators “want to strip powers from Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom after he notified legislators in February that his office had miscounted money for 10 years, inflating cash on hand by $3.5 billion.”

Sen. Chip Campsen said, “When you’ve had this kind of failure, I don’t think you would have had that with an appointed comptroller general because the governor’s office would and his staff would be on top of what’s going on in that office.”

Eckstrom said, “My team and I worked tirelessly to identify the cause of a complex problem. Once we identified the cause of the problem, we worked with stakeholders to correct it. I have made this clear to those who have asked and I will continue to. We remain committed, more than ever, to collaborating with state agencies, and legislators to make sure the work taxpayers elected us to do is done efficiently, effectively and transparently. I will not be distracted by anyone from the work ahead of us, work voters elected me to do during this term. I have long been an advocate of restructuring state government to make it more responsive to the people. Going forward, I will advocate to make the comptroller’s office an appointed position.”

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2024 presidential candidates campaign in New Hampshire, Iowa, South Carolina, and Ohio

By Ellen Morrissey
In 2024 elections
March 21, 2023 at 2:42 PM

As of March 15, 2024, five noteworthy candidates are running in the 2024 presidential election, including one Democrat and four Republicans.

Below is a summary of each candidate’s campaign activity from March 8 to March 15.

  • Author and 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson (D) held campaign events across New Hampshire from March 8 to March 13.
  • Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley (R) campaigned in Iowa from March 8 to March 10 and held a rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on March 13. During a townhall in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on March 8, Haley announced she was in favor of raising the retirement age for younger Americans.
  • Entrepreneur and author Vivek Ramaswamy (R) campaigned in Cincinnati, Ohio on March 11. He also published several op-eds. On March 8, he wrote an op-ed for the Daily Mail, and on March 12, wrote an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, titled “SVB Doesn’t Deserve a Taxpayer Bailout.”
  • Former President Donald Trump (R) held a campaign event in Davenport, Iowa, on March 13, marking his first official campaign visit to the state this cycle. He spoke about education policy, saying he supported universal school choice, electing school principals, and eliminating the U.S. Department of Education. 
  • Former Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton (R) announced he would be campaigning in New Hampshire on March 15.

At this point in the 2020 cycle, 17 noteworthy candidates were running for president. Sixteen were seeking the Democratic nomination, and one (Trump) was seeking the Republican nomination.

Notable stories at the time included Beto O’Rourke’s (D) campaign announcement, Andrew Yang (D) reaching the donor threshold to participate in the Democratic primary debates, and the Democratic National Committee’s selection of Milwaukee to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention. The 2024 Republican National Convention will be held in Milwaukee, along with the first Republican presidential primary debate.

In the 2016 election cycle, no noteworthy candidates were running for president as of March 15, 2015. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was the first noteworthy candidate to announce his campaign on March 23 of that year. At this point in the 2016 cycle, candidates who would eventually declare were preparing to do so. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) hired new staff in preparation for a run, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) discussed fundraising with The Washington Post. Discussion of Hillary Clinton’s (D) private email server was in the news as well, with The Washinton Post reporting on 2020 Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush’s use of a private email server while in office as governor of Florida.

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Federal three-judge panel rules South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District unconstitutional

By Dave Beaudoin
In Federal
January 13, 2023 at 11:47 AM

On January 6, 2023, a federal three-judge panel ruled that South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District was unconstitutional and enjoined the state from conducting future elections using its district boundaries. The panel’s opinion said, “The Court finds that race was the predominant factor motivating the General Assembly’s adoption of Congressional District No. 1… Plaintiffs’ right to be free from an unlawful racial gerrymander under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment has been violated. Defendants have made no showing that they had a compelling state interest in the use of race in the design of Congressional District No. 1 and thus cannot survive a strict scrutiny review.”

The panels’ ruling ordered the General Assembly to submit a remedial map for its review by March 31, 2023. It said, “the Court hereby enjoins the conducting of an election under congressional District No. 1 until a constitutionally valid apportionment plan is approved by this Court.”

Caitlin Byrd of the Post and Courier reported that South Carolina House Speaker Murrell Smith (R) expected lawmakers to appeal the ruling. After the court’s order, Smith said, “I maintain that the House drew maps without racial bias and in the best interest of all the people of this state.”

The panel’s’ three judges were 4th Circuit Appeals Court Justice Toby Heytens—who President Joe Biden (D) appointed—and district court judges Mary Geiger Lewis and Richard Mark Gergel—who President Barack Obama (D) appointed.

The three-judge panel also determined that the state’s 2nd and 5th Congressional District boundaries were constitutional and dismissed the plaintiffs’ claims regarding those, saying, “Plaintiffs have failed to carry their burden to prove that race was the predominant factor in the design of Congressional District Nos. 2 and 5.”

On February 10, 2022, the South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP and a South Carolina voter had filed an amended complaint in their lawsuit against State Senate President Thomas Alexander (R), four other state legislators, and the members of the South Carolina State Election Commission challenging the constitutionality of the state’s congressional district boundaries. The complaint argued that South Carolina’s enacted congressional map “discriminates on the basis of race by appearing to preserve the ability of Black voters to elect in Congressional District 6 (“CD”) while working adeptly to deny the ability of Black voters to elect or even influence elections in any of the other six congressional districts.

South Carolina enacted new congressional district maps on January 26, 2022, when Gov. Henry McMaster (R) signed a proposal approved by the South Carolina House and Senate into law. Both state legislative chambers approved the congressional map strictly along party lines, with Republicans supporting the proposal and Democrats opposing it.



All candidates for South Carolina Treasurer complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey

By Ballotpedia staff
In 2022 elections
October 24, 2022 at 4:08 PM

Both of the candidates running in the November 8, 2022, general election for South Carolina Treasurer— incumbent Curtis Loftis Jr. (R) and Sarah Work (D) — completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office. 

The Treasurer of South Carolina is an elected executive position in the South Carolina state government. As the state’s chief banking officer, the treasurer is responsible for the investment, cash management, and safekeeping of South Carolina’s general and restricted funds.

Here are excerpts from candidates’ responses to the question: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?    

Loftis:

“My tenure as Treasurer has brought much needed and significant change to the office and it is now widely regarded as exceptionally capable and professional. The best practices are employed to manage, invest and custody approximately $45 billion. As State Treasurer, I am committed to reducing costs and eliminating waste and fraud for South Carolinians, including adopting new technologies for more efficient, secure electronic fund transfers.”

Work:

“Educating constituents from cradle to grave is a personal passion of mine. It is never to early to learn about the power of the dollar and understand how to save for your future or the future of those you love. I also think it is imperative that the state treasurer be able to do the math, understand monetary trends, engage in the broader world, and be open to new ideas and emerging technology. We can only move forward together if we seek to understand each other.”

Click here to read their full responses to this and other questions.

We ask all federal, state, and local candidates with profiles on Ballotpedia to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Ask the candidates in your area to fill out the survey.

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All candidates for South Carolina House of Representatives District 85 complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey

By Ballotpedia staff
In 2022 elections
September 26, 2022 at 3:58 PM

Both of the candidates running in the November 8, 2022, general election for South Carolina House of Representatives District 85 —Jay Kilmartin (R) and John Davis (L) — completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office.

Eighty-eight of the country’s 99 state legislative chambers will hold regularly scheduled elections in 2022. The Republican Party controls both chambers of South Carolina’s state legislature. South Carolina is one of 23 states with a Republican trifecta.

Here are excerpts from candidates’ responses to the question: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?            

Kilmartin:               

“I am 100% pro-life. With Roe v. Wade poised to be overturned, there is no reason that South Carolina shouldn’t outlaw abortion immediately. In 2020, I spoke on the state house steps to end the lockdowns. Our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness doesn’t end due to a pandemic. Citizens including students should never be forced to wear masks. I believe in healthcare freedom. Nobody should be forced to take a vaccine to make a living and go about their every day lives.”

Davis:           

“One of the primary points of my campaign is the legalization of marijuana. First off, there is a growing body of research that shows medical use of marijuana has a profound beneficial effect on the lives of those suffering from a variety of illnesses. Far too many people would benefit from medical marijuana, whether it’s to help a veteran through PTSD or depression, a young child reduce the number and frequency of seizures, or to help cancer patients with their post Chemo nausea, there’s proof that allowing marijuana use for medicinal purposes would be a major benefit to our communities.”

Click on candidates’ profile pages below to read their full responses to this and other questions.

We ask all federal, state, and local candidates with profiles on Ballotpedia to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Ask the candidates in your area to fill out the survey.

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All candidates for South Carolina House of Representatives District 66 complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey

By Ballotpedia staff
In 2022 elections
September 26, 2022 at 3:55 PM

Both of the candidates running in the November 8, 2022, general election for South Carolina House of Representatives District 66 —Carla Litrenta (D) and David O’Neal (R) — completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office.

Eighty-eight of the country’s 99 state legislative chambers will hold regularly scheduled elections in 2022. The Republican Party controls both chambers of South Carolina’s state legislature. South Carolina is one of 23 states with a Republican trifecta.

Here are excerpts from candidates’ responses to the question: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?            

Litrenta:               

  • “Our Economy – preserving and protecting our economy to ensure prosperity for our district, county, and State. Enacting legislation that helps keep small businesses open and allows families to succeed.”
  • “Our Safety – protecting our community members and children. Enacting legislation that helps support law enforcement and allows for gun sense laws.”
  • “Our Future – funding our school systems and supporting our educators. Enacting legislation that supports our school systems and helps retain the teachers and educators.”

O’Neal:           

  • “While our community continues to grow, it is important that public safety remains a top priority. During my time as Mayor of Tega Cay, I was a strong supporter and advocate of our law enforcement.”
  • “Our students are our greatest assets, and our schools are the foremost fountain of knowledge children are exposed to.” 
  • “For every $1 of gas taxes York County sends to Columbia we get 56 cents in return! I will work with SCDOT and York County to ensure ample funding is available to address our regional and local road issues.”

Click on candidates’ profile pages below to read their full responses to this and other questions.

We ask all federal, state, and local candidates with profiles on Ballotpedia to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Ask the candidates in your area to fill out the survey.

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Gov. Henry McMaster sues Occupational Safety and Health Administration over increase of civil penalties in state plans

By Molly Byrne
In Federal
August 16, 2022 at 9:46 PM

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster (R) filed a lawsuit on August 8, 2022, in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina that aimed to block the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) attempt to increase civil penalties against employers in state plans. OSHA announced a proposal in April 2022 to compel the Arizona State Plan to enforce policies and penalties that were as effective as the federal policies established by OSHA. The lawsuit aims to protect South Carolina against similar action. 

Gov. McMaster argued that OSHA’s proposed rule exceeded statutory authority and violated the Administrative Procedure Act by failing to provide an opportunity for public notice and comment. He also contended that requiring a change to state law based on federal regulations would infringe on the state’s sovereignty. The governor filed a motion for a preliminary injunction and requested the defendants be enjoined from requiring the South Carolina State Plan to enforce civil penalties equivalent to the federal penalties. 

Gov. McMaster posited, “This attempt to unlawfully demand the state plan change the civil penalties sets a dangerous precedent not just for South Carolina, but for every other state managing its own plan. This is yet another example of federal bureaucrats – rather than elected officials – trying to make law outside of the constitutional process. We will do everything in our power to protect South Carolinians from this kind of overreach.”

OSHA and the Department of Labor had not issued a response to the lawsuit as of August 12, 2022. 

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Nancy Mace defeats Katie Arrington in the Republican primary for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District on June 14, 2022

By Roneka Matheny
In Federal
June 17, 2022 at 10:19 AM

Incumbent Nancy Mace (R) defeated Katie Arrington (R) in the Republican primary for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District on June 14, 2022, winning about 53% of the vote.

Arrington won the district’s Republican primary in 2018, defeating then-incumbent and former governor Mark Sanford (R) before losing the general election to Joe Cunningham (D). Cunningham was the first Democratic U.S. House candidate to win election in the district since 1978. Mace defeated Cunningham in 2020 and said she is better-positioned to win the general election. Former President Donald Trump (R) opposed Mace after she voted to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election. His endorsement of Arrington focused national media attention on the race.

Mace represented South Carolina’s 99th House District from 2018 to 2020. Her campaign focused on electability. Mace said, “It’s the 10th fastest growing congressional district in the country…That makes the dynamics a lot different. You’ve got to be able to win your primary but you also have to be able to win a general election…Nancy Pelosi would love nothing more than to win it back.” Mace was endorsed by former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley (R), former White House chief of staff and U.S. representative from South Carolina Mick Mulvaney (R), U.S. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R), and others.

Arrington served as an information security officer in the U.S. Department of Defense during the Trump Administration. She also represented South Carolina’s 94th House District from 2016 to 2018. Arrington’s campaign focused on positioning her as the true conservative in the race. Arrington said, “Nancy Mace, she’s not a conservative…[she] turned her back on us, and she turned her back on President Trump.” Arrington also said that Mace, “read the room wrong; she thought this district was a moderate district, and we are not. We are conservative.” In addition to Trump, former candidate Lynz Piper-Loomis (R) withdrew from the primary and endorsed Arrington during a debate on May 20, 2022.

Arrington criticized Mace’s effort to enact federal marijuana legislation, saying, “That’s not what conservatives are concerned about right now…We’re concerned about the economy, we’re concerned about our children and we’re concerned about national security.” Arrington also criticized Mace’s stance on abortion, tweeting, “Abortion is murder. Anyone in favor of exceptions, Nancy Mace included, are complicit in the systematic killing of millions of unborn babies. I am 100% pro-life with no exceptions.” Mace stated publicly that she was a rape victim and has advocated for federal exceptions to abortion bans in cases of rape or incest.

Mace’s response to Arrington’s criticisms was twofold. She spoke about her conservative voting record in Congress and highlighted her scorecard from the conservative nonprofit The Heritage Foundation. Additionally, she spoke about working with Democrats to pass legislation and said the district was independent. Mace said, “This district is different…I don’t think it’s like the rest of the country. We march to the beat of our own drum. We want someone who’s going to be an independent voice.”

Analysts described this [primary] as a bellwether for Trump’s influence. As political science professor Gibbs Knotts said, “This is the type of district that’s going to decide who controls the House.” Before the primary, the Cook Political Report, Sabato’s Crystal Ball, and Inside Elections all rated South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District as a solid/safe Republican seat. This means that Nancy Mace, as winner of the Republican primary, is also likely to win the general election.



South Carolina Legislature refers two constitutional amendments to the 2022 ballot to increase General Reserve and Capital Reserve Funds

By Jackie Mitchell
In Ballot measures
June 17, 2022 at 9:59 AM

South Carolina voters will decide on two constitutional amendments in 2022. One of the amendments would increase the General Reserve Fund from 5% of state general fund revenue to 7%. The increase would be 0.5% percentage points each year until reaching 7%.

The state’s General Reserve Fund can be used to cover year-end operating deficits. If funds are used, the General Reserve Fund must be restored to the constitutionally mandated full amount within five years, with a minimum of 1% added back to the fund each year.

The other amendment would increase the Capital Reserve Fund from 2% to 3% of state general fund revenue and provide that the first use of the Capital Reserve Fund is to offset midyear budget reductions. Funds from the Capital Reserve Fund can be used to cover year-end operating deficits. The Capital Reserve Fund must be used to cover year-end deficits before the General Reserve Fund. If there is no year-end operating deficit and the General Reserve Fund is fully funded at the amount required by the state constitution (currently 5% of state general fund revenue), money in the the Capital Reserve Fund can be appropriated through a two-thirds (66.67%) supermajority vote of legislators for certain purposes. These purposes include:

  • to fund authorized capital improvement bond projects;
  • to retire the interest or principal on past bonds; or
  • for capital improvements or other nonrecurring purposes.

Money not appropriated from the Capital Reserve Fund are returned to the state general fund at the end of a fiscal year.

To put these legislatively referred constitutional amendments before voters, a two-thirds (66.67%) supermajority vote was required in both the South Carolina State Senate and the South Carolina House of Representatives.

The measures were referred to the ballot through Senate Joint Resolution 1106. SJR 1106 was approved in the Senate on March 17, 2022, by a 43-0 vote. On May 4, 2022, the House amended the proposal and unanimously approved it, sending it back to the Senate. The Senate concurred with the House’s amendments on June 15, 2022, by a 40-1 vote.

In South Carolina, a total of 54 ballot measures appeared on the statewide ballot between 1985 and 2018. Forty-five ballot measures were approved and 9 ballot measures were defeated.

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Russell Fry defeats Rep. Tom Rice and five others in SC-7 Republican primary

By Joel Williams
In Federal
June 15, 2022 at 2:47 PM

Russell Fry defeated six other candidates in the Republican primary election for South Carolina’s 7th Congressional District on June 14, 2022. The two candidates who received the most media attention were incumbent Tom Rice and Fry. Rice is the sixth U.S. House incumbent this cycle to lose re-election this cycle.

Rice was first elected to the U.S. House in 2012 and had represented the district since it was created following the 2010 census. Rice was one of 10 Republican members of the U.S. House who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump (R) in 2021, which he had defended during his primary campaign. During a June 5 appearance on ABC’s This Week, Rice said, “Defending the Constitution is a bedrock of the Republican platform, defend the Constitution, and that’s what I did. That was the conservative vote. There’s no question in my mind.” In response to the impeachment vote, the Republican Party of South Carolina censured Rice.

Fry was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 2015. Trump endorsed Fry in February 2021. Fry had called Rice a RINO (Republican in Name Only) over his impeachment vote. Following Trump’s endorsement, Fry said, “Radical Leftists, enabled by RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) like Tom Rice, are trying to erase President Trump’s legacy and move America towards socialism. We can’t let that happen.”