Freedom

Religious liberty is the first freedom enshrined in our Constitution, and I have made it my mission to defend it in the South Carolina State House. When the American Bar Association attempted to impose a speech code on lawyers that would have punished attorneys for expressing traditional religious beliefs, I was the first state legislator in the nation to push back. I led the effort to pass a resolution in the South Carolina House condemning the ABA's proposed Model Rule 8.4(g), and our stand helped inspire similar pushback across the country.

I co-sponsored the Religion is Essential Act, which protects churches, synagogues, mosques, and other houses of worship from being shut down by government order. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw governments across the country single out churches for closure while allowing liquor stores and big-box retailers to remain open. This legislation ensures that will never happen in South Carolina. It was signed into law by Governor McMaster in 2022.

I am also a sponsor of the school prayer bill, which would protect the right of students and teachers to pray and express their faith in public schools without fear of punishment or retaliation.

I serve as Chairman of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers for South Carolina and am committed to ensuring that people of faith have a voice in our government and that our laws reflect the values that have made America great.

In Greenwood County, the Second Amendment isn't a talking point — it's a way of life. Our families hunt, our sportsmen shoot, and our citizens have the right to protect themselves and their homes. I have consistently fought to protect and expand that right for the people of South Carolina.

I was proud to vote for Constitutional Carry, which allows law-abiding South Carolinians to carry a firearm without having to obtain a government permit. This legislation recognizes that the Second Amendment is the only permit you need.

I also supported Open Carry with a Concealed Weapons Permit, the first step in restoring the right of South Carolinians to openly carry firearms.

I have earned an A rating from the National Rifle Association and will continue to defend your right to keep and bear arms against any attempt to infringe upon it, whether from Washington or Columbia.