WASHINGTON — Today, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) announced two 2024 Spotlight candidates in South Carolina running to challenge extreme Republican power in the General Assembly. These strong Democratic candidates provide opportunities to defend competitive seats and combat the GOP supermajority in the House and majority in the Senate.
The Spotlight candidates unveiled today are:
- Rep. Heather Bauer (HD-75) – Heather knows what it means to live paycheck to paycheck, having saved for years to provide for herself while helping her mother earn a GED. Heather is fighting to ensure that South Carolina families are never forced to decide between paying the bills and putting food on the table. She is determined to deliver for families just like hers by expanding affordable housing, access to quality education, and affordable health care for all.
- Sen. Vernon Stephens (SD-39) – Vernon is a fierce advocate of educators and farmers running for re-election to build a brighter and fairer South Carolina for all. Vernon understands the issues facing families and has delivered for South Carolina in the Senate. Throughout his career, Vernon has fought to ensure every child in our community has access to quality education and teachers have the necessary resources, regardless of zip code.
Republicans currently hold a supermajority in the South Carolina House and a majority in the Senate. The Republican trifecta has been hostile to fundamental freedoms with increasing extremism, including passing a dangerous abortion ban. The voices of these Spotlight candidates are crucial to gradually building Democratic power one seat at a time and building a defense against Republicans’ unchecked MAGA agenda.
This announcement continues the momentum of the “Summer of the States” campaign that was launched last week to call attention to the critical window for Democrats to build critical infrastructure across the country to chip away at Republican power in state legislatures. These strong South Carolina candidates join hundreds of candidates who are mounting inspiring campaigns in every corner of the country to build Democratic power and counter MAGA control of state legislatures.
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams issued the following statement:
“The DLCC proudly spotlights these dynamic Democratic legislators who are at the forefront of the fight against Republican control in South Carolina. Supporting Democrats’ battle to chip away at GOP power is part of the DLCC’s mission to build Democratic influence at the state level across every corner of the country. Now is the time to gradually chip away at state Republicans’ entrenched power and build the infrastructure to check the GOP’s unchecked MAGA agenda. These strong incumbents in South Carolina are leading inspiring campaigns that offer a brighter vision for communities in the Palmetto State.”
The DLCC is the official arm of the Democratic Party with the sole mission of building Democratic power in the states and setting the national agenda at the state level. Over the last decade, we have fought cycle-over-cycle to gain a dozen new legislative chamber majorities and we are leading the effort to bring national attention and investment to our ballot level. State legislatures are the building blocks of our democracy and have the closest connections to Americans’ day-to-day lives. From protecting fundamental freedoms and voting rights to growing the middle class, the DLCC and state legislators are moving the Democratic agenda forward and shaping the future of this country.
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