Longest-serving African American legislator in SC will not seek reelection
South Carolina’s longest-serving legislator and African American lawmaker, Sen. John Matthews, announced Tuesday he is retiring from office at the end of his term to open up his seat to a “new generation of leadership.”
The Orangeburg Democrat, who turns 80 in April, said in a statement that he has been “incredibly blessed” to serve in the State House.
“I am very fortunate to have served in the General Assembly for 46 years at the end of this session, and after much deliberation, have decided that the best way to continue the momentum my colleagues and I have worked so hard to build over these many years is to open my seat in the South Carolina Senate to a new generation of leadership,” Matthews wrote.
Filing for his Senate seat opens noon Monday, March 16.
Matthews’ retirement ends a long career in the State House, where he serves as the Senate’s assistant minority leader. He’s represented Senate District 39, which includes parts of Berkeley, Calhoun, Colleton, Dorchester and Orangeburg counties, since 1985.
Before his election to the Senate, Matthews served in the S.C. House where he took office in 1975, making him the longest-serving legislator in the General Assembly.
In the Senate, Matthews serves on five committees, including education, ethics and the finance. He is a graduate of South Carolina State University, a public historically black college in Orangeburg, and is a former chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus.
State Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, called Matthews’ retirement a tremendous loss for the county, “a loss that will be felt for a very long time.”
“His shoes will be extremely hard to fill. Lack of seniority is certainly something on the Senate side that is troubling. But I wish him well. He’s had a good run, made a lot of difference in the district and in this state, and I can appreciate him deciding after all of these years it’s time to hang up his shoes.”
Cobb-Hunter said Matthews’ tenure in the General Assembly will be remembered by his efforts to bring infrastructure to his district for business and industry and his impact on public education, particularly his support to consolidate school districts.
State Sen. John Scott, D-Richland, who has served with Matthews altogether more than 30 years, agreed.
“It’s been great serving with him,” Scott said. “He’s been the go-to guy for education for a lot of years. And I guess like anybody else, after a long period of time, this place becomes your second home, and you just have to make up your mind and make a real tough decision sometimes when it’s time to say goodbye.”
Cobb-Hunter said she will not run for his seat.
“Absolutely not, under no circumstances,” Cobb-Hunter, vice chairwoman of the House’s powerful budget-writing committee, told The State on Tuesday. “I have made it clear for years that I have no desire to be in the Senate. I’m interested in power, not position, and it’s important to know the difference. I like being in the House. I like the pace of the House. And quite frankly, it would be senseless in my view for me to trade my No. 1 status in here, my relationships with the leadership, to go over there and be one of 46.”
Senate Minority Leader Nikki Setzler, D-Lexington, said in a statement that Matthews, who is a retired elementary school principal and businessman, has worked “tirelessly advocating for the people he represents.”
“As our assistant minority leader, he has shown tremendous guidance and wisdom in each challenge we face, and continues to be an invaluable resource to myself and other members of the Senate. His kindness and determination have made him one of the greatest legislators the State of South Carolina has ever seen,” Setzler said. “It has been a true pleasure to work alongside my wonderful friend and colleague.”
In December, the Senate unveiled a portrait of Matthews that will hang inside the Senate chamber.
“When I first looked at it, I said, ‘You know, it looks better than I do,‘ ” Matthews joked when during the unveiling ceremony.
During the ceremony, Senate President Harvey Peeler said imagine what Matthews thought when he first walked through the Senate doors, with the portraits of “South Carolina’s political giants” staring down at him.
“What were his goals? His dreams? His constituents’ wishes?” asked the Cherokee Republican. “What I do know is that in the 34 years of his service, since that day, Sen. Matthews would have made these political giants just as proud as he’s made us.”
This story was originally published March 10, 2020 at 2:50 PM.
