After much thought, I am standing for election to another term in the South Carolina House. Representing Blue Ridge, Greer and Taylors remains an honor and a responsibility that I do not take lightly.
When you elected me in the June 2008 primary, we could never have predicted the coming stock market crash, widespread unemployment, huge drop in tax collections, massive cuts to our state budget, attempted impeachment of Gov. Sanford, lingering recession, resignation of the Lt. Governor, our Senate’s leadership crisis, resignation of the Speaker of the House, and countless other smaller events that have slowed reform and renewal of our state government’s core functions.
As those events rolled over us, I voted in a conservative manner on the issues as they arose. I also offered realistic conservative solutions to existing problems before they became crises – problems such as tax reform, infrastructure renewal and our underfunded state retirement plan for state workers.
These days, the two standing committees on which I serve – Education and Public Works Committee and Legislative Oversight Committee – reveal accelerating problems in our educational systems and other state agencies. Uneven student achievement in our k-12 system, huge tuition increases in our college system, lack of oversight in DHEC, DSS, and DJJ. The list goes on.
Thankfully, we have new leadership in the House committed to solving these problems and creating the small yet efficient state government that has been promised for years. If elected again, I believe that I can have an impact on those reforms.
I remain, as I have from the beginning, conservative in my voting record, devoted to our Constitution, protective of our First and Second Amendment rights, and defender of the unborn. As importantly, I remain committed to this beautiful place that we call South Carolina and especially to my neighbors in Blue Ridge, Greer and Taylors.
I would appreciate your support in the June 14th primary.