GOP incumbent Billy Garrett, Democrat Francie Kleckley running in SC Senate District 10

GOP incumbent Billy Garrett, Democrat Francie Kleckley running in SC Senate District 10

State Senate District 10 features current state Sen. Billy Garrett, R-McCormick, and Democratic challenger Francie Kleckley.

Garrett is seeking a second four-year term after winning his first term in 2020. Kleckley is a retired U.S. Treasury official.

Senate District 10 covers parts of Greenwood, Lexington and Saluda counties.

Billy Garrett

Name: Billy Garrett

Party: Republican

Age: 68

Occupation/place of employment: Attorney and small business owner

Education/school: Lander University, B.A., University of South Carolina Law School, J.D.

Political or civic experience: First elected to the state Senate in 2020.

Campaign website: www.VoteBillyGarrett.com

Why are you running for Senate District 10?

I first ran for the state Senate to help end “business as usual,” and make conservative change for South Carolina — and I’ve done just that. I have a record to point to that shows how I will lead, which includes making our state safer by cracking down on dangerous drugs, defending and funding law enforcement, protecting Second Amendment rights, focusing on children and teachers in the classroom and the voices of parents, and working toward finding long-term solutions to our infrastructure challenges. My record is one of delivering more than $540 million in critically needed projects for our communities, record levels, all while sending back $1 billion to our state’s taxpayers. This record has earned me the complete and total endorsement of Gov. Henry McMaster, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Attorney General Alan Wilson, U.S Rep. Joe Wilson and many sheriffs, legislators, solicitors and community leaders. I humbly ask that the voters will give me their support in November.

If elected, what would your two or three priorities be during the next Legislative session?

There is no shortage of ways we can improve the daily lives of our people, but the three I hear most about are public safety, roads and infrastructure, and our tax system. If our communities and our schools are not safe, then we have no society at all. During my term in the Senate, I have sponsored legislation to help make our state safer by cracking down on deadly fentanyl, creating an illegal immigration task force with SLED, passing bond reform, and increasing funding for law enforcement. Infrastructure is more than just filling potholes or resurfacing roads, traffic congestion in the fast-growing areas of our state is a real problem that leads to long commutes and more traffic accidents. Long-term planning is vital. We’ve made great strides for giving money back to the taxpayers and cutting taxes, but more must be done for reform. Year-over-year surpluses is no way to budget for the state. We can, and should, address holistic tax-reform to help our people and our businesses.

What Senate District 10 projects would you advocate earmark funding for through the state budget?

During my time in the Senate, I have helped deliver more than $540 million in critically needed projects for our communities – local schools, technical and trade colleges, healthcare facilities, urgent care centers, high speed broadband internet expansion, protection of our waterways and lakes, and new funds for law enforcement and first responders. These are core functions of government, and are worth fighting for. My record of delivering results and leading with the motto of “Promises Made, Promises Kept,” will continue to be my charge. We’re just getting started!

Francie Kleckley

Name: Francie Kleckley

Party: Democrtic

Age: 65

Occupation/place of employment: I worked for 36 years as a career civil servant in the U.S. Treasury Department.

Education/school: I’m a first-generation college graduate of Francis Marion University, where I earned a degree in business administration and received a scholarship to play tennis. Over the summers, I interned at the U.S. Small Business Administration and volunteered as a swim instructor at a camp for children with learning disabilities and other special needs. I have also earned several certifications through the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

Political or civic experience: After graduating college, I dedicated my life to public service in the U.S. Treasury Department. Over the course of my more than three-decade career, I helped bring small businesses and individuals into compliance with complicated tax obligations, supported working families navigating the federal bureaucracy, and solved systemic issues related to taxpayer rights and taxpayer burden nationwide. I also led efforts to combat tax-related identity theft and protect consumers’ privacy. Meanwhile, I battled gender discrimination within the department’s ranks and managed the demands of being a single, working mother to my two beautiful children. Now, I continue to remain active in my community by serving on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations.

Campaign website: www.franciekleckley.com

Why are you running for Senate District 10?

I’m a first-time citizen candidate running for the state Senate to deliver for the working families of District 10, to defend their fundamental freedoms, and to defeat the politics of division and extremism that have corrupted our General Assembly. As a former civil servant in the U.S. Treasury Department, you can count on me to bring down costs, rein in spending and balance the books. And now, as a grandmother, I’m hell-bent on making sure my granddaughter grows up with all the basic rights she deserves, including access to reproductive health care. That’s what I’ll fight for in Columbia.

If elected, what would your two or three priorities be during the next Legislative session?

My top priority is the economy. We need to make life more affordable for working families in Greenwood, Lexington and Saluda counties. In Columbia, I’ll fight to curb everyday costs and out-of-control prices, and to create good-paying jobs with good benefits. I’ll invest in our small businesses, and I’ll go after big corporations responsible for price-gouging consumers amid inflation. Next, I’ll fight like hell to defend reproductive health care for our women and families. I believe you have the right to make sensitive medical decisions about your own body. I also believe you have the right to grow your family as you see fit, including with the help of fertility treatments. My opponent, state Sen. Billy Garrett, wants a total abortion ban with no exceptions for rape and incest. I want to get politicians out of the doctor’s office. In the state Senate, I’ll vote to protect reproductive health care, including birth control and IVF. I’m also committed to expanding Medicaid across South Carolina, which would bring down health care costs and provide full health insurance coverage for more than 18,000 people right here in Senate District 10. Finally, I’ll fight to reform our state’s liquor liability insurance law, so our beloved small businesses aren’t forced to shut down or leave the state. These are both issues that Billy Garrett has refused to address during his time in Columbia. When I get to the state Senate, I’ll start tackling them on day one in office.

What Senate District 10 projects would you advocate earmark funding for through the state budget?

I support state funding for repairs to the Ware Shoals hydroelectric plant, owned and operated by Patriot Hydro. Since the facility went offline in 2022, property owners along the Saluda River have been negatively affected by lower water levels, which have resulted in property damage, land loss and emerging sinkholes. I also support funding the construction of a public pool for riverfront residents while they cope with these challenges.

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