The only Republican woman running for SC governor opposes equal pay law, abortion

Speaking mostly to women activists Tuesday, Catherine Templeton said she supports ending abortion and opposes requiring employers to pay women the same as men.

The only woman seeking the Republican nomination for governor, Templeton was one of four candidates for governor, competing in June's Democratic and GOP primaries, who took part in a forum hosted by WREN, the Women's Rights and Empowerment Network.

The Mount Pleasant attorney's positions contrasted sharply with Marguerite Willis, the only woman seeking the Democratic nomination for governor.

Willis, a Florence attorney, railed against so-called "Personhood" legislation that effectively would ban abortion by defining life as starting at conception. Templeton said she would sign that legislation.

Willis said she would support an equal pay law to protect women in the workplace. Templeton said employers should pay women the same as men if they have the same job, the same experience and the same education, adding diversity happens "naturally" when employers hire competent people.

Employers, Templeton added, should not be forced to give women special treatment: "I don't think it's appropriate for companies to pay us the same if we're not working the same or take care of our children if we can't make other arrangements."

Republican Lt. Gov. Kevin Bryant of Anderson took a similar hands-off approach to workplace pay, saying the free market can fix the pay gap between men and women if businesses are freed from regulation.

Democratic state Rep. James Smith of Columbia pledged to fight for an equal pay law, vowed to recruit the most diverse Cabinet in the history of the state and said he would prevent an all-out ban on abortion from becoming law.

Templeton and Willis drew on personal stories to connect with the women's group.

Early in her law career, Willis recalled, "People, men, my superiors and my clients thought that they could touch me. It is almost inconceivable for anybody, who it hasn't happened to, to know how demeaning that is: to know how it feels to have someone think that you are bought and paid for."

Willis said she would push her Cabinet agencies to eliminate sexual harassment in state government. "You let a strong woman stand up and say that, and that message resonates," she said.

Explaining why she opposes abortion, Templeton repeated how, while pregnant with twins, she refused tests to decide which fetus to abort to save the other twin's life. (Both survived.)

Speaking about workplace challenges for mothers and women, Templeton said she once took a step back from her legal career to focus on her children after her secretary did the same. If her secretary, who made a lot less money than Templeton, could step away from work, so could she, Templeton said, adding, "Women have choices."

Asked whether single mothers also have choices, Templeton said: "Their choices are harder."

'Content with the status quo'

After the forum, former Columbia City Council member Anne Sinclair, a Democrat, said she was glad candidates from both major parties addressed the forum, hosted by WREN, a nonpartisan group that, typically, promotes progressive policies.

But Bryant “seems very content with the status quo” for women, she said. Templeton’s comments were “dismissive” of the choices many S.C. women have available to them, she added. Instead, Templeton views issues facing S.C. women through the lens of her own, privileged experiences, Sinclair said.

Mika Gadsden, a Charleston-based activist, said Templeton's idea that diversity in the workplace will come naturally — as employers hire the most qualified candidates — echoes the same trickle-down philosophy that conservatives apply to other issues.

There's just one big snag, she said: "Diversity can’t trickle down."

This story was originally published April 10, 2018 at 1:12 PM with the headline "The only Republican woman running for SC governor opposes equal pay law, abortion."