Candidate for South Carolina Governor in 2018 South Carolina 2018 General Election.
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Get StartedJames will fight for an equal pay statute to be enacted and will seek out other opportunities to promote practical, common sense legislation to ensure that women are being paid fairly for their work. James will push to make the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) reimbursable so the families it helps can better make ends meet. James will also advocate for more transparency in salary information so that women can stand up for themselves against discriminatory practices. Learn more
He will continue to expand economic opportunities for our veterans and will partner with businesses to create and maintain a pipeline so that the strengths of our soldiers are matched with the needs of our employers. He will also work to ensure that our veterans are able to receive continuing education so that they are competitive in and have access to emerging fields. Learn more
He will create new opportunities in rural areas by expanding internet access to rural communities, offering new tax incentives for new businesses seeking to revitalize distressed areas, and developing regional business incubators in regions across South Carolina. Learn more
As governor, he will expand the growth in solar and renewable energy, seek to establish regional business incubators across the state, and boost the film industry and local agriculture. Learn more
Tuition costs are rising at an alarming rate as the current administration continues to underfund our colleges and technical schools. Nothing is more important to recruiting jobs, increasing incomes, and improving our quality of life than a trained, highly educated workforce. Learn more
The amount of funding a school receives should not be determined by its geographic location but rather by its need. When James is governor, he will work with the legislature and school district leaders to develop a system that is equitable for all students. Learn more
James will work to ensure computer science courses are provided in all schools and advanced courses are offered in all high schools so that all students will graduate with fundamental technology skills. Learn more
When James Smith is Governor, he will expand partnerships with businesses to train workers for available jobs; create special programs to match veterans with employment opportunities and training; require schools to offer more technology courses; boost teacher pay; and address the stifling costs of higher education. Learn more
On May 8, 2017, a 22-year-old school bus in Spartanburg caught fire with more than 50 students on board. Less than two months later, on June 12, 2017, Governor Henry McMaster vetoed $20.5 million in funding to replace aging and unsafe buses in South Carolina’s state-owned fleet. We must protect our children. James voted to replace state buses and when he is governor, he will fight to update the system that has woefully underfunded state school buses and left our children at risk. Learn more
We cannot recruit teachers if we are not paying them a competitive wage. That is why James joins Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman in calling for a 2% raise for South Carolina teachers. But this is not enough. When James is governor, he will work to ensure that teacher salaries meet or exceed the Southeastern regional average. Learn more
Once elected, they will push ahead with their comprehensive, 21st-century energy policy for South Carolina, one that strengthens our state with more and better jobs and lower costs for consumers. And they will protect ratepayers against the bullying greed of the big utilities. Learn more
James has been committed to protecting South Carolina’s waterways from pollution and depletion for his entire legislative career. He has co-sponsored a bipartisan bill that would tighten rules governing large water withdrawals by mega-farms. The plan would require mega-farms withdrawing 3 million gallons or more a month to get permits, just as industries now do. Learn more
James understands the importance of our 19-billion dollar tourism industry, and will fight tooth-and-nail to block offshore drilling and exploration off our coast. Learn more
As governor, James will make it a priority to pass comprehensive, meaningful ethics reform and restore trust in government. He will reform the redistricting process, raise the bar on transparency, and abolish the self-policing legislative ethics committees. Learn more
Accountability and transparency demand a fully independent ethics panel to investigate complaints against members of the legislature. Learn more
Closes the Charleston loophole Learn more
Restricts retail sales of military-style assault weapons, including AR-15s Learn more
Requires universal background checks, including for gun show sales Learn more
Makes it a crime to threaten use of a weapon on school grounds Learn more
Introduces individual responsibility measures requiring owners of military-style assault weapons to be responsible for safekeeping and reporting stolen weapons promptly Learn more
Bans bump stocks and trigger cranks Learn more
On the first day of the job as your Governor, with the stroke of his pen James will expand Medicaid and deliver healthcare to over 150,000 South Carolinians who are being denied access to health care simply because they live in the Palmetto State. Learn more
In addition, he will work with providers and stakeholders statewide to increase the availability of telemedicine to allow for a more efficient, timely, and affordable delivery of healthcare services. Learn more
We need to address the rural physician crisis. As Governor, James will work with our medical universities to create a rural obstetrics and gynecology residency program. Learn more
As Governor, James will make special resources and authorities available to address the opioid crisis. This includes improving access to treatment and recovery resources, promoting non-opioid treatment options and use of overdose-reversing drugs, and supporting law enforcement officers as they encounter the effects of addiction in the field. Learn more
Thousands of South Carolina families impacted by autism are waiting to access life-changing therapies for their children. As Governor, James will increase Medicaid reimbursement rates so thousands more families can access critical ABA therapy. Learn more
When James is governor, he will work with the legislature to pass meaningful legislation that will fix our crumbling roads and bridges and replace our unsafe and dated water pipes. Learn more
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