South Carolina State Senate District 15 Special Election
One of two legislative chambers in the General Assembly, the Senate has 46 members, one from each single-member Senate district, elected to 4-year terms in November of even-numbered years. Members must be U.S. citizens, residents of SC and their district, and at least 25 years old. State senators create and amend state laws, pass an annual state budget, and redraw district lines every 10 years.
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James Burns
(Rep)
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Chad WIlliams
(Dem)
Why are you running for office?
If elected, what are your top three priorities, and what specific actions would you take to address them?
Why should someone vote for you?
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Candidate has not yet responded.
Education
Graduate of the Rock Hill public schools in 1984. Graduated cum laude from Clemson University with a degree in Management in 1988.
Qualifications
I started, built, and sold a small business. I served on the York County Council for five terms. I I served on numerous boards and commissions including Keystone and Bethel Methodist Church Council.
York County is the greatest place in the world to live, and I want to keep it that way. I will listen to you and will always be on your side to bring your voice to Columbia. Eldridge Cleaver in 1968 said, “If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.” I am running because I want to be part of the solution. I have the experience and the motivation to be a dedicated leader in the South Carolina Senate.
I love my family, my fellow citizens, and the state of South Carolina. Politics has been described as the art of getting things done, and I enjoy getting things done. I owe a debt to past leadership that provided me with my education and experience. I want to repay that debt, I believe I can do that in the Senate.
1. Education. I will work to increase teacher pay and improve their working conditions. We have three institutions of higher learning in York County that have developed great partnerships with employers to train the next generation. Let’s support that from a state perspective.
2. Roads. Bad roads cost us: more in taxes, car insurance, and repairs, due to the wear and tear on our cars. We can address this by automating our roadway inspections so that we can monitor roadways before they crumble.
3. I think 3 priorities aren't enough when we have so many key issues affecting us daily (like cost of living). It is important to address all issues as if they are your most important one, and that is what I plan to do in Columbia.
Former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill got it right when he said, “All politics are local.” As someone who has served on the York County Council and on the City of Rock Hill Planning Commission for a total of 20 years, I am fully aware of the local issues that brought us to where we are and how they affect you going forward.
I graduated from the Rock Hill public schools in 1984 and graduated cum laude from Clemson University with a degree in Management in 1988.
I am married with two daughters. I served as an officer in the South Carolina Army National Guard. I started, built, and sold a small business. I served on the York County Council for five terms. I now work at Farmers Exchange and serve on several boards and commissions.
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