Posted on 10/23/2024 4:44:56 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Republican incumbent Senator Billy Garrett faces Democratic challenger Francie Kleckley within the redrawn Senate District 10.
With the boundaries having been redrawn, the district has ousted McCormick County and now includes part of Lexington County, in addition to Greenwood and Saluda counties.
The two have different perspectives on what the district needs in the next 4 years.
Both candidates told WIS News 10 they are focused on addressing infrastructure concerns throughout the district but specifically in Lexington County.
Garrett claims his record as senator speaks to his ability to ensure goals are reached should he be elected in November while Kleckley argues new leadership within the district is needed.
“I‘m here, I’ve got a record, I’ve performed, promises made promises kept, I’m going to do the same thing for Lexington County,” said Garrett.
Garrett told WIS News 10 his track record within the last four years goes to show the work he has put in and what he hopes to continue to do within the Senate.
Kleckley sees Garrett’s record in a different light.
“I find it interesting that he’s running on his record, because his record, which is a public record demonstrates that he is about political gain and self-interest for the good ole’ boys,” she said.
Garret told WIS News 10 when it comes to infrastructure, he is committed to creating a 25-year plan for Lexington County roads, including a push for additional road improvement companies in South Carolina.
He argues there are only a few servicing the state and the impacts from Hurricane Helene are even more pressing.
“I think there is plenty of money, under our gas tax to refurbish and take care of those roads,“ said Garrett.
Kleckley, however, claims the funding raised by the gas tax isn’t being allocated in the needed areas within District 10. She told WIS News 10 that current state leaders have failed on road improvement projects, arguing that she will “tirelessly work to address infrastructure concerns.”
“There are so many important things that particularly our extreme Republicans have not focused on, and one of them is infrastructure,“ said Kleckley.
Kleckley, who worked nearly 36 years with the U.S. Department of Treasury, claims her experience will aid her in achieving her goals if elected to the Senate. Her goals include defending reproductive rights, providing high-quality education regardless of zip code, recruiting and retaining school teachers and expanding Medicaid, something she claimed her opponent failed to do despite sitting on the Senate Medical Affairs Committee.
”345,000 South Carolinians are without affordable health care because of my opponent," said Kleckley. “Now, if Medicaid was expanded by 2025, we can look to cover about 20,000 folks just in District 10.”
Garrett told WIS News 10 he’s advocated for nearly $549 million for Senate District 10, money that has contributed to education. He said funds have been distributed among the district, including $70 million for Lander University and $65 million for Piedmont Technical College.
He said, among many other areas, that money has contributed to tax reform by cutting taxes for those within the district.
In addition, Garrett argues two concerns are top of mind if he is elected: making sure every school within the district has a resource officer, and his ongoing concern for immigration, claiming he’s worked to make sure each county has direct resources from ICE.
”Cutting taxes, we’ve had the highest tax cut in state history that we were able to do, and we are cutting income tax, our goal is to completely eliminate income tax. Property tax as it relates to senior citizens, they shouldn’t have to pay property taxes at that stage of their life,” said Garrett.
Tensions have risen between the candidates after Kleckley filed a lawsuit against Garrett and the South Carolina Election Commission, arguing he does not live in the district he represents, while Garrett denies the allegations.
However, just last week a judge dismissed the case.
“Instead of answering the question, my opponent chose that moment to call me a radical liberal because I chose to ask the question,” said Kleckley. “I think it is reasonable for anyone who thinks about government to expect their candidate to live within the district.”
“My responsibility is to the people,” Garrett said. “I’m not going to be playing games about residency or whatever they are trying to do. That’s a waste of time. If that’s all you got, that’s pretty pitiful.”
The story makes it sound like the district boundaries were recently redrawn. That happened over 2 years ago.
It’s a R+18 district. The liberal Democrat hasn’t got a prayer, and his desperation supports that claim.
Garrett isn’t the most conservative senator around, but he’s OK. The SC state legislature (the House more so than the Senate) has an absolute TON of RINOs, which is what happens when a state is considered to be SO Republican-oriented that Democrats call themselves Republicans in order to get elected.
See also pretty much any rectangular Western state where the GOP appears to have incredible majorities in the state legislature. The RINOs normally outnumber the conservatives handily.
Good grief. What a nothing story. Read all the way to the end to find lawsuit was dismissed.
But, but, it’s the seriousness of the charges that matter! /s
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