Top Priorities
Accessibility
I am committed to listening to the people of District 22, regardless of their political positions or if they voted for me. If elected, you will have a voice. I will let you know what I am doing, why I am doing it, and how it affects you. This position is not about me, it is about us. You will have my phone number, my email address, and my ear. Voices of dissent will have the same consideration as any other voice. If I am elected, I will be representing you, not just myself.
Affordability
Every day, our lives become more expensive. Our dollars do not go as far and our lives are harder. From the grocery store to the gas station, more money buys less. People in District 22 who make $60,000 a year often have to get a second or even a third job. The smallest unexpected expenses can drain savings and put people into debt.
It’s time to work together to find a solution. Tax reform is not enough. We need access to housing and jobs. We need working families to be able to take care of children without being stressed. We need to keep more of our money and spend less of it. Those solutions are possible, but only when government works for you.
Public Education
Opportunity is the key to making our lives better, and it starts with education. South Carolina is always ranked at the bottom of the country in education and it is time for that to change. Every single child in South Carolina should start with the same opportunity. I believe education of children is a right, not a privilege. It is a core function of government and government has let us down.
Healthcare
South Carolina is facing not just a shortage of doctors, but an unprecedented lack of competition in the medical field. Huge corporations have taken over the medical industry and consolidated providers to the point that South Carolinians have very little choice in medical care. The lack of competition breeds price increases that place routine medical care out of reach for many people. As private equity firms buy up physician practices, the problem will only get worse, and the biggest loser is always going to be the patient.
State government needs to work to support both physicians and patients so that our citizens can receive the best care at the most competitive prices. More importantly, your representatives need to be doing the hard work to determine how to make sure you are getting the best health care at the best price.
Instead of catering to big corporations and their money, we need to scrutinize every deal and every law or policy related to health care. I want to ensure we are creating a climate where doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals want to come to South Carolina and stay in South Carolina. I will make sure state government is taking every step possible to make healthcare accessible and affordable for every family in South Carolina.
Small Business
Small business is the real driver of our economy. My wife’s business has grown from a one person operation to multiple locations and employs nearly 50 people. Yet at each stage of growth there are more and more regulations, licenses, and forms. The more a business contributes to the local economy, the more layers of bureaucracy to deal with. It becomes harder and harder to work while meeting the numerous requirements the government imposes on small businesses.
Those taxes and regulations are keeping people out of business. They are limiting opportunity and stifling growth. It gets worse every year and your elected officials continue to ignore it.
We need to support small businesses by making it easier to do business in this state. Reducing layers of red tape. Streamlining the ability to start and continue businesses. Supporting business owners means more than just helping the owners. Employees, vendors, and customers all benefit from that support. I intend to work for those owners and the many people they employ and support by finding ways to make government less intrusive and more supportive of these important businesses.
Mental Health Reform
We are increasingly turning our back on our fellow citizens who suffer from mental illness. No one focuses on this vulnerable population until something tragic happens, and then the government either does nothing or turns to solutions that won’t help.
People suffering from mental illness need our help. Government needs to invest in systems to intervene and help people long before tragedy strikes. Families dealing with mental illness need support.
Stop Wasting Time
South Carolina has one of the longest state legislative sessions in the country. Yet year after year, nothing gets done for the people of South Carolina. Pet projects and performative politics dominate the lengthy session, while the people of South Carolina get left behind.
Over the last decade, nearly 9 out of 10 bills went nowhere. Simple laws related to crime, health care, and general safety take forever to pass or simply fail. Some of that percentage relates to thousands of bills being introduced as messaging vehicles instead of serious proposals. That harms you directly. Every bill introduced to send a message or play into party politics is time not spent making your life better. It is time wasted, and we need to stop that.
We have one of the longest legislative sessions in the country and one of the least productive. When government works for you, that stops. And I intend to work for you.