Candidates make their case for SC Senate District 22
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - District 22 is one of the key races in the primary contest.
The seat is currently being held by state Senator Mia McLeod, who decided not to seek reelection.
The three candidates vying for McLeod’s seat include current state representative Dr. Ivory Thigpen, Richland County Councilman Overture Walker, and Richland Two School Board Member Dr. Monica Elkins.
WIS reporter Ashley Jones broke down their platforms after speaking to each candidate.
Representative Ivory Thigpen says his platform includes liberty and justice for all. He pointed to his experience serving in the state house and serving as the chair for South Carolina’s Black Legislative Caucus and says that’s what sets him apart from his competition.
“I am the only elected official in this race that has served in the state house and not only served but served well,” Thigpen said. “When one looks at experience there are two prisms....the quality of the person’s experience, the efficacy.”
Councilman Overture Walker is the former chairman of the Richland County Council. He says his time governing on the local level is why he’s the best fit. Walker also says his platform was built from a bottom-up approach, meaning he went to residents to get their opinions on their most important issues. He says, “[This is] why you see an emphasis on infrastructure...Medicaid expansion.”
“We have an opportunity to elect and to vote for another female to represent us.”
School Board Member Dr. Monica Elkins says her platform includes education, guns and domestic violence, economic development, Medicaid reform, veteran affairs, and roadways.
Dr. Elkins came under scrutiny back in 2019 after she was arrested for an altercation during a Richland Two School Board meeting. Investigators say Dr. Elkins was charged with public disorderly conduct for attacking several individuals. I asked Dr. Elkins if she wanted to address that arrest and she declined to comment.
“I’m looking toward the future and what God has planned for me.”
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Gun violence has become a growing concern among the people living in District 22. I asked each candidate how they plan to mitigate that issue.
“Gun violence is something that is very dear to my heart,” said Elkins. “I lost my cousin to gun violence a few years ago. We have to educate, especially our young people, how to use guns once they come of age; which should be 21. Legislators allowed the present carry bill to pass which dearly upset me. As an educator, I understand that 18-year-olds are not mature enough to learn how to use or carry weapons. Therefore there should be training, mandatory training for anyone to use a weapon, especially 18-year-olds.
Candidate Walker said: “At the county level we’ve been addressing what I would call the root causes of gun violence. When we get into issues of unemployment, when we start talking about access to public housing, and workforce development. Those are the issues we’ve addressed on a county level. When we get into firearm accessibility, that rests within the halls of Congress and the General Assembly. If elected, I will certainly push to resend or undo constitutional carry.”
Rep. Ivory Thigpen (D):
Funding law enforcement, and not will do, but have done this year is sponsor legislation in the budget to provide the Richland County Sheriff’s Department with mobile units which is going to help them respond much faster. Also providing money for mentoring youth programs because a lot of this violence is youth driven.”
No Republican filed for the race, so the winner of this contest will face a candidate from the Workers Party in November.
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