1.) Kerry Wood – SC Senate District 11, Spartanburg County
I’m thrilled to offer my support to Kerry Wood for the South Carolina Senate in Spartanburg County. Kerry is a committed conservative, with whom I have worked on School Choice reform, as well as a whole host of economic and social reforms in our state. Kerry is seeking to replace the ultra-liberal Senator Glenn Reece, who claims to be a moderate Democrat representing a Democratic District. Neither is the case. Glenn is a tax-and-spend economic central planner who hasn’t met a spending bill he didn’t like, a tax reduction he did like or an opportunity to grow government he didn’t take. Additionally, as to claims of representing a Democratic district, there is no such thing in rural Spartanburg County; both U.S. Senator Jim DeMint and Congressman Trey Gowdy carried Senate District 11 with at least 58% of the vote. It’s time the State Senator for this district represented its values for a change.
*Note: Kerry is running as a petition candidate, so don’t vote straight GOP ticket this year. I am an unabashed Republican, but the real conservatives in this election cycle aren’t always on the GOP ticket. I adhere to the Mike Pence philosophy of conservatism, that I’m a “Christian, Conservative, and Republican, in that order.” Kerry Wood shares this philosophy.
2.) Lee Bright – SC Senate District 12, Spartanburg County
There are few members of the South Carolina Senate that have the same commitment to core conservative principles as Lee Bright. I have known Lee for years, and have come to count on his consistent, conservative and Christ-centered philosophy of leadership for our state. From fighting for educational freedom for every South Carolina family, to standing up to special interests that seek to grow government and drive-up debt, Lee Bright has led the charge. Lee is a member of the famed “William Wallace Caucus” of conservative senators in Columbia, and he is a fitting member. There is no more committed conservative champion in Columbia than my friend Senator Lee Bright, and I happily offer my endorsement for his reelection.
*Note: Lee is the GOP Nominee in this race, and he is the real conservative choice.
3.)Gaye Holt – SC House of Representatives District 34, Spartanburg County
Gaye Holt was born to be a conservative reformer, and her passion for real change in Columbia is downright infectious. Gaye is a dream candidate of sorts for a fiscal and a social conservative like me, because she cares equally about affording every citizen of this state economic opportunity and a culture that embraces faith, family and freedom. Gaye and I have discussed a whole range of issues, ranging from School Choice to fundamental tax reform, namely the SC Fair Tax Act, and have found ourselves in complete agreement. It is a real honor and a pleasure to endorse the true conservative in this race, petition candidate Gaye Holt for SC House District 34.
*Note: Gaye is running as a petition candidate, so don’t vote straight GOP ticket in this race. I adhere to the Mike Pence philosophy of conservatism, that I’m a “Christian, Conservative, and Republican, in that order.” Gaye Holt shares this philosophy, and her Republican challenger Mike Forrester has a voting record, particularly on economic issues, that’s better suited for the Democratic ticket.
4.) Rita Allison – SC House of Representatives District 36, Spartanburg and Greenville Counties
I’ve known and worked with Representative Rita Allison since I was a sophomore in college. I took a summer job after my sophomore year at North Greenville University working in then-Governor Mark Sanford’s office in Columbia. Rita Allison was, at that time, a former SC Representative who had joined Governor Sanford’s senior staff as an education policy advisor. Rita shares Governor Sanford’s commitment to the taxpayer’s bottom line and to fundamentally restructuring our hopelessly inefficient state government in Columbia. In addition to being a conservative reformer, I have come to trust Rita’s unimpeachable integrity. While Rita and I may not agree on 100% of the issues all the time, I never doubt her sincerity and integrity on any position that she takes. The folks of House 36 couldn’t do any better than my friend Rita Allison.
*Note, Rita is the Republican nominee in this race, and she is the clear, conservative choice. I WOULD NOT vote petition in this district.
5.) Mike Fair – SC Senate District 6, Greenville County
Years ago George Strait had a hit single titled “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool.” Well, in keeping with that line of thinking, Mike Fair was red before South Carolina was a red state; he has been a lifelong conservative who is equally committed to personhood and property rights. I’ve known Mike for years, and have come to trust his integrity and consistency from our days gobbling down pancakes at the Stax Diner in Cherrydale when I was in college. I believe in Senator Mike Fair, as he has taken tremendous hits, and shown uncommon courage, to fight for South Carolina’s conservative values. From standing up for the dignity of every life, to the rights of every entrepreneur to pursue success, Senator Fair has been our advocate in the Senate. I’m honored to offer my support to Mike Fair for Senate District 6 in Greenville County.
*Note: Mike is the Republican Nominee in this race, and he is the clear, conservative choice. His opponent, Tommie Reece has taken to calling herself a “Petition Republican,” when she isn’t even a non-petition Republican. Tommie is on the record supporting abortion, opposing School Choice, and voting in the 2008 Democratic Primary. Ms. Reece is running now as a “Petition Republican” because the good people of Greenville County won’t send her to Columbia if they know what she really believes. I WOULD NOT vote petition in this race.
6.) Jane Kizer – SC Senate District 7, Greenville County
If John F. Kennedy had written Profiles in Courage near the 2012 election cycle, his book would’ve almost certainly contained an entry on GOP SC Senate candidate Jane Kizer of Greenville. Jane is a Furman graduate, has a background in financial management, and is a committed fiscal and social conservative. She is unapologetically pro-life, pro-market and pro-reform, and she’s running in the only heavily Democratic state senate district in the whole of Greenville County: Senate 7. This is the district that was long held by Democratic Senator Ralph Anderson, who is retiring after this term. The special-interest trial lawyer vying to replace him, however, makes Senator Anderson look like a Reagan conservative. Jane has demonstrated tremendous courage to stand up for South Carolina values in this Democratic district, and I hardily add my endorsement of her candidacy.
*Note: Jane is the GOP nominee in this race, and is the clear, conservative choice in this district.
7.) Rex Rice – SC Senate District 2, Pickens County
Rex is my kind of Republican, though, in this race, he’s not on the Republican ticket. That’s because Rex, like so many good conservatives I’m supporting in this cycle, was removed from the ballot during the debacle between the SC Legislature and the SC Supreme Court earlier this year. Regardless if he’s the Republican nominee, Rex is the only conservative Republican in this race. I am absolutely thrilled to endorse Rex Rice, as he has not only lipped support for conservative economic and social policies, he’s put these principles into practice. During his time in the SC House of Representatives, Rex fought tirelessly to balance our state budget, reform the outdated practices of an inefficient state bureaucracy, end targeted tax incentives that allow Columbia to pick winners and losers, and protect the right to personhood for the pre-born. He is a good man, and he’d make an excellent state senator for Pickens County.
*Note: Rex is running as a petition candidate in this race, so DO NOT vote straight GOP ticket in this district. Larry Martin, the incumbent senator for District 2, and the 2012 GOP nominee, has a voting record that would nearly match Democratic Senator Glenn Reece, discussed above. Larry is the ultimate RINO (Republican in Name Only), and reelecting this pseudo-conservative would ensure business-as-usual in the SC Senate. VOTE PETITION FOR REX RICE IN SENATE 2.
I recognize that these endorsements do not cover every contested race in South Carolina or even the Upstate; however, I do not make a habit of endorsing a candidate in every race. It is my practice to endorse the strongest conservatives I see in the field, thus working toward the goal of seeing a “farm team” of real reformers take their places in state government.
If I have not addressed a race you’re particularly interested in here in South Carolina, simply email me a joshSC1@gmail.com and I will do my best to provide my take on the race you’re watching.
God Bless,
-Josh
Evert’s Electables:
