By S.C. Rep. James Smith, special to Statehouse Report | South Carolina is a state with enormous potential. From the people who live here to our unparalleled natural heritage, the Palmetto State is blessed abundantly. And yet, our state has been stunted in its economic growth and progress because political leaders have been too willing to accept the status quo.
I have served the people of House District 72 for 22 years and I have been honored by their confidence and trust in me. Yet I have watched, year after year, as partisan bickering and posturing by the Republican Party has halted real advancement.
A recent report revealed that 194,000 South Carolinians, up from 125,000, are without access to health care because the last two Republican governors — for political reasons — refused to accept the federal health care funds that would have provided coverage for our citizens.
The impact of this decision has been devastating. As I have campaigned around the state, I have met citizens in every county who have been directly affected by this decision. From the elderly couple who has had to decide between paying their mortgage or buying their medicine to the parents who have to drive their child across two counties to access urgent care due to yet another rural hospital closing.
These outcomes are unacceptable. Your ability to access quality health care should not be dependent on how much you make or where you live, and yet for many of our neighbors, that is their reality. Healthcare should never be a partisan issue. For those who are without it, I can tell you that it’s anything but political. It is a matter of life or death.
If we are serious about moving South Carolina forward, we should be working to move South Carolina forward for everyone. We should not accept the fact that anyone working full-time should live in poverty.
At the end of the day – in order to fulfill our greatest potential and build an economy that works for everyone – we must provide access to high-quality education and workforce development opportunities. We must enact education reforms that modernize our public education system and elevate the status, role and importance of our teachers. For too long, we have been failing the children of this state, but together I know that we can change that. I look around this state and I see the potential in every student. From the students who organized the March For Our Lives rallies to the students in teacher cadet programs, we need to prioritize our future by modernizing our education system and focusing on the students themselves, rather than their test scores.
I don’t claim that a Democratic governor can fix things overnight, but I do think our party is focusing on the right issues that affect real people’s lives. And I don’t claim to be the candidate with all the answers, but I think my years of experience have taught me how to ask the right questions and listen for answers with open ears and an open mind.
I am running for governor because I believe in the greatness of our state, and I am tired of seeing too many South Carolinians struggle. We can and must do more to meet the needs of the people in our state. We must focus on policies that build healthy families and strong communities in urban and rural areas. As South Carolinians, we must ensure our state moves forward – together. That is why I ask for your vote in the Democratic Primary.
Columbia attorney James Smith is a member of the S.C. House of Representatives who is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor. More: JamesSmith.com.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: In recent weeks, Statehouse Report has offered opinion pieces by gubernatorial candidates with primary challengers. Five Republicans and three Democratic candidates for governor submitted messages they wanted to share with voters.
Recent candidate contributors
- GOP, McGill: South Carolina is worth fighting for(April 19)
- GOP, Templeton: “The called me the ‘Buzzsaw’”(May 3)
- GOP, Warren: “We deserve better from our leaders” (May 10)
- DEM, Willis: People run for office for lots of reasons(May 16)
- DEM, Noble: “It is never too late to do what we know is right” (May 21)
- GOP, McMaster: Fighting to achieve our full potential (May 25)
- GOP, Bryant: S.C. still awaits true ethic reform (May 31)
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