Who’s the right choice in District 75: Kirkman Finlay III or Rhodes Bailey? We decide

You would be hard-pressed to find two candidates more different than District 75 state Rep Kirkman Finlay III and his Nov. 3 opponent, Rhodes Bailey.

Finlay is a middle-aged Republican small business owner and farmer with a long history as an elected official: he’s a former Columbia councilman now seeking a fifth term as District 75’s representative.

And Finlay has cultivated an image as a low-profile lawmaker who is simply focused on getting things done.

Bailey, meanwhile, is a millennial Democrat and a Columbia attorney making his first run for public office.

And Bailey is proudly more “in your face” than “low profile” when it comes to style: he has run a high-energy campaign that has sought to brand Finlay as a lazy political insider who’s a captive of special interests.

But the most relevant difference between Finlay and Bailey is Finlay’s proven ability to tackle tough legislative issues in an effective manner.

That’s why Finlay should be re-elected by the voters of District 75, which includes Columbia’s historic Shandon neighborhood.

Pragmatic lawmaker

While Finlay, 50, rarely grabs headlines for his work in the State House, he has developed a reputation as a pragmatic lawmaker who looks to solve problems rather than exacerbate them.

For example, Finlay played a key role in pushing a successful legislative compromise that provided the state’s small businesses — including minority- and female-owned firms — with a greater share of the CARES Act relief funding that South Carolina received in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

As our state continues to recover from the pandemic and the daunting challenges it will continue to pose, Finlay’s practical “I’m a workhorse, not a showhorse” mindset will be needed more than ever.

In an interview with The State Editorial Board, Finlay — whose late father, Kirkman Finlay Jr., served as Columbia’s mayor from 1978 to 1986 — said he would continue to take a constructive, solutions-oriented approach to governing.

“It is hard for people to negotiate and interface with government in an effective way,” Finlay said. “And I’m really proud of our ability to cut through and help on that.”

The voters of District 75 should reward Finlay accordingly.

A spirited challenger

Finlay has easily won re-election in recent years, but Bailey is likely the toughest challenger he’s faced as a state lawmaker.

One reason is because Bailey has done a good job of striking a balance between taking shots at Finlay and making the case that District 75 needs the reform-oriented zeal he’d bring to the State House.

“My two priorities (will be) fighting COVID and public education,” Bailey told The State Editorial Board.

“We need people (in the Legislature) who will not only fight for the citizens of this state — and district — but who will do oversight,” Bailey said.

“And I will do actual oversight.”

The 39-year-old Bailey, who has taken a brief leave from the Richland County Public Defender’s Office while seeking the District 75 seat, is a spirited and worthy candidate.

And Bailey’s impressive bid to unseat Finlay suggests that win or lose next month, he’s a promising figure to watch in the future.

But on Nov. 3 the choice is clear:

Finlay should be re-elected by District 75 voters.

This story was originally published October 15, 2020 at 9:38 AM.