The State endorsement: Our choices for General Assembly in South Carolina

Once again, there just aren’t a lot of competitive races for South Carolina’s Statehouse. A September analysis in The State found only 17 of the 170 seats on the Nov. 5 ballot could be competitive. That’s sad, and it says a lot about how gerrymandered districts are in this state.

Republicans currently outnumber Democrats 88-36 in the 124-seat South Carolina House of Representatives, and the GOP is very close to that supermajority in the 46-seat state Senate, which has 30 Republicans, 15 Democrats and one former Democrat turned independent. Only 27 of the 46 state Senate races are even contested this fall. Only 54 of 124 House districts are.

But there are intriguing matchups. The State Editorial Board endorses these four candidates for General Assembly.

In state House District 75 in central Richland County, The State Editorial Board endorses Democratic Rep. Heather Bauer over Republican former Rep. Kirkman Finlay III. Finlay had 10 years of state House service when Bauer narrowly beat him in 2022, so the question now is what, if anything, has she done so badly that voters should look to the past and not the future. Nothing, in our opinion. Bauer has been a voice for holding state Treasurer Curtis Loftis more accountable in the wake of his financial mismanagement and a vote against sprawling energy bills that favor utility companies over the public. She has also rightly criticized Finlay for missing 20% of his votes in the House, including a final vote on a 2022 abortion bill he helped pass. While that issue helped her win in 2022, she has transcended it, showing she’s interested and involved in improving her district, from infrastructure and redevelopment to public education.

In state Senate District 10, which includes Greenwood County and parts of Saluda and Lexington counties, The State Editorial Board endorses two-term Republican Rep. Billy Garrett over Democrat Francie Kleckley. Single-issue voters may choose to cast their ballots because Garrett voted to strip exceptions for rape and incest from South Carolina’s abortion ban or because Kleckley says “Politicians have no place in our bedrooms or doctor’s offices.” Or they may vote for her because without any more women senators, the Senate will have only two. But we considered many complex issues and the district’s heavily conservative population. While we appreciated that both candidates understand the state’s complex energy situation and the need for an urgent, multifaceted approach to it, we were more impressed on balance with Garrett’s practical budget experience, calls for earmark reform and focus on technical and trade colleges. 

In state Senate District 26, which slices Calhoun, Lexington and Richland counties, The State Editorial Board endorses Democratic Rep. Russell Ott over Republican Jason Guerry to replace retiring Sen. Nikki Setzler in a newly drawn district. Guerry shared thoughtful, thorough answers in our interview. He cited the importance of addressing mental health when not many candidates did, and he showed holistic approaches to population growth and public education, where he said the state would benefit from looking at what the 10 best states in the nation do. But Ott has more experience. First elected to the House in a special election in 2013, Ott is very thoughtful as well. To illustrate his thinking, he said improving public schools can solve many problems statewide. Also of note? Ott’s primary election opponent criticized Ott’s previous votes on a 6-week abortion ban, but Ott eventually, eloquently voted against it in a speech notable for its complexity. That he sought to improve the bill at all shows us that character and compromise are too rare.

In state Senate District 35 in parts of Kershaw, Lee, Richland and Sumter counties, The State Editorial Board endorses Democrat Jeffrey Graham over Republican Mike Jones to replace outgoing Sen. Thomas McElveen. Graham, a former mayor and current council member in Camden who serves on the Santee-Lynches Regional Council of Governments, has the edge with his government experience. Some voters may appreciate Mike Jones’s Army and business background, as we do, but we also believe that Graham’s public service would allow him to better handle the learning curve awaiting new members of the state’s most deliberative body.

This story was originally published October 17, 2024 at 6:00 AM.