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Thomas Alexander
2nd President of the South Carolina Senate
Assumed office
December 6, 2021
Preceded by Harvey S. Peeler Jr.
Member of the South Carolina Senate
from the 1st district
Assumed office
1994
Preceded byAlexander Macaulay
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
from the 1st district
In office
1987–1994
Preceded byMarshall Cleveland
Succeeded byBradley Cain
Personal details
Born (1956-07-25) July 25, 1956 (age 67)
Seneca, South Carolina, U.S.
Political party Democratic (Before 1996)
Republican (1996–present)
SpouseLynda Gibson
Parent(s)Virginia C. and Claude N. Alexander
Residence Walhalla, South Carolina
Education Anderson University ( AA, 1976)
Clemson University ( BS, 1978)

Thomas C. Alexander (born July 25, 1956) is an American businessman who is currently serving as the President of the South Carolina Senate. [1] Since 1996, he has served S.C. Senate District 1as a Republican. [2] Alexander served as an honorary chair of the 2023 Inauguration Committee for Governor Henry McMaster. [3]

Political Career

Walhalla City Council

Alexander started his political career on the Walhalla City Council in 1982. [4] His father, Claude Alexander, similarly served on that same council. In 1985, Alexander was elected Mayor Pro Tempore. [5]

S.C. House of Representatives

Elections

Alexander was first elected as a Democrat to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1986 [6] After M. Duke Cleveland faced an initial set of four primary challengers, [7] Alexander defeated the incumbent directly in a runoff. [8]

For details on individual elections, see:

Tenure

He represented State House District 1 of Oconee and Pickens Counties through 1994. [5] [12] During 1992 and 1993, he served as Chairman of the House Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry. [13] [14]

In 1991, South Carolina's auto-insurance system, known as the "mandate-to-write" law, faced further criticism from citizens about rising costs. Alexander, then chairmen of committees in the House that deal with insurance, spoke in favor of rethinking a new system for car insurance in the state. [15] However, even as late as 1993, this issue was untouched, despite much government effort spent on discussing restructuring. [16]

In 1992, he voted in favor of extending the lifetime of a nuclear waste landfill in Barnwell County. [17]

S.C. Senate

Elections

In 1994, Alexander was elected to the South Carolina Senate to represent S.C. Senate District 1 in a special election, again as a Democrat. [18] However, in 1996, he switched parties, joining the Republican Party. This was announced when he filed for re-election in the Republican primary instead of the Democratic one. [19]

Alexander has frequently run in his district uncontested including in 2020 [20] and 2024. [21] His latest challenger, Constitution Party candidate Polly Nicolay, sought to defeat him in 2008. He won, receiving 85% of the vote. [22]

See his senate results in detail:

Tenure

Following redistricting after the 2020 US Census, S.C. Senate District 1 covers Oconee County and a portion of Pickens County. [2]

2020 Census Redistricting
South Carolina is divided into state Senate Districts, following the US 2020 Census.
All S.C. State Senate Districts, following the redistricting after the 2020 Census.
South Carolina State Senate District 1, consisting of Oconee County and a portion of Pickens County.
South Carolina State Senate District 1, consisting of Oconee County and a portion of Pickens County

As of April 2024, Alexander chairs the Interstate Cooperation Committee and the Legislative Oversight Committee. He also sits on the Banking and Insurance Committee, the Ethics Committee, the Finance Committee, the Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee, and the Medical Affairs Committee. In the past, he has also chaired the Finance Committee [31] and the Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee. [2]

Alexander serves as Vice-Chair of the College and University Trustee Screening Commission, a Joint Committee with members from the House and Senate. [32]

When the Upstate had an uptick in bear removal requests in 2001, Alexander proposed a bill that would legalize the shooting of bears that threaten "property, crops, people, or pets." He later acknowledged his bill to have been too broad in scope. [33]

In 2002, Alexander attempted to get a do-not-call law passed but found the bill stalled by extensive lobbying from banks, insurance companies, and credit card companies. [34]

In 2008, Alexander sponsored legislation to raise the state tax on cigarettes from 45 to 57 cents to raise funds for programs to help curtail smoking and health insurance. [35]

On December 6, 2021, Alexander was sworn in as the 2nd President of the South Carolina Senate. [5] His time as President has overseen several events of note:

In 2023, he introduced 12 bills to the Senate, though none became law. [42] That year, he had also been a strong supporter of bipartisan efforts to crack down on the growing youth vaping epidemic in the state. [43] He also played a role in passing legislation for a statewide plan to address issues related to Alzheimer's and dementia. [44]

Endorsements

Republican Party Presidential Nominee

Political Views

Reproductive Rights

Alexander is pro-life. [41] He has voted in favor of South Carolina's heartbeat bills. [40]

Drug Legislation

He wants harsher penalties for fentanyl dealers, [47] [48] [49] and he is against medical marijuana legislation. [50]

Personal Life

Alexander and his wife Lynda live in Walhalla, South Carolina. [2] They have three children and 13 grandchildren. [5] Alexander and his wife are Presbyterian, attending the historic church, the Walhalla Presbyterian Church. [51]

Alexander received an associate degree from Anderson University in 1976 and a bachelor's degree in economics from Clemson University in 1978. In 2014, the Clemson Alumni Association awarded him the 2014 Distinguished Service Award. [51]

Previously, Alexander owned an office supplies store, Alexander's Office Supply, until 2022 when he sold it. New ownership changed its name to Alexander's Work & Wander. [52] While owner of Alexander's Office Supply, he published several historical books written by Rev. George Shealy such as a book about the founder of Walhalla, Johann Andreas Wagener, [53] and a book about the Mollohon Mill Village. [54]

He is a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a conservative lobbying group. [55] He is the Vice Chairman of the Blue Ridge Bank. [1]

External links

References

  1. ^ "Officers of the Senate". South Carolina Legislature. 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d "South Carolina Legislature Online - Member Biography". www.scstatehouse.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  3. ^ "Gov. McMaster picks experienced friend to run inauguration". WLTX-TV. Associated Press. November 30, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  4. ^ The Associated Press (November 3, 1981). "Eight Disputed Ballots To Determine Outcome Of Myrtle Beach Race". Herald-Journal. pp. B3. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d wtsjr1 (2021-12-08). "Upstate lawmaker elected president of the S.C. Senate". Who's On The Move. Retrieved 2024-04-11.{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ( link)
  6. ^ Stracener, William (June 25, 1986). "S.C. House Candidate Square Off". Herald-Journal. pp. B3. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  7. ^ Reed, David (June 12, 1986). "Ballots Are Impounded in District 31 House Race". Herald-Journal. pp. B9. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Lester, Will (June 25, 1986). "Stuckey, Workman win congressional runoffs". The Sumter Daily Item. pp. 6C. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  9. ^ "South Carolina Election Commission Annual Report 1988-1989" (PDF). SCVotes.gov. June 30, 1989. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  10. ^ "South Carolina Election Commission Annual Report 1990-1991" (PDF). SCVotes.gov. June 30, 1991. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  11. ^ "South Carolina Election Commission Annual Report 1992-1993" (PDF). SCVotes.gov. June 30, 1993. Retrieved April 13, 2004.
  12. ^ Johnson, Erika (June 26, 1992). "81 candidates file to run for area office: Local races generate good candidate turnout". The Item. pp. 1A, 6A. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  13. ^ Sheehen, Robert J., ed. (January 28, 1992). "January 28, 1992". South Carolina House of Representatives Legislative Update. 9 (2): 14 – via SC State Library.
  14. ^ Sheheen, Robert J., ed. (January 19, 1993). "January 19, 1993". South Carolina House of Representatives Legislative Update. 10 (2): 22 – via SC State Library.
  15. ^ Carroll, Chuck (July 3, 1991). "Zooming auto rates could fuel reform: Required-coverage law could change". Herald-Journal. pp. 1A, 8A. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  16. ^ Karr, Gary (June 13, 1993). "Restructuring shifts focus from other issues". Herald-Journal. pp. B1-2. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  17. ^ The Associated Press (April 16, 1992). "The vote on Barnwell". The Item. pp. 2B. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  18. ^ a b AP (October 9, 1994). "State Rep. Alexander snags Senate seat in special election". The Item. pp. 2B. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  19. ^ Hester, John Ashton (2019). Looking back: a journey through the pages of the Keowee Courier featuring the Walhalla Centennial Special Edition of 1950 and highlights from the years 1956, 1966, 1986, 1996 and 2006. Bloomington, Indiana: Xlibris. ISBN  978-1-7960-3731-9.
  20. ^ "NEW for 4/3: Who's running and who's not; Sanford; Hard times ahead; Elections – Statehouse Report". www.statehousereport.com. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  21. ^ "Here's who has filed to run for the South Carolina legislature in 2024". WCBD News 2. 2024-03-19. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  22. ^ "SC - Election Results". www.enr-scvotes.org. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  23. ^ "South Carolina Election Report 1995-1996". SC State Library. Columbia, SC: S.C. State Election Commission. May 1997.
  24. ^ "South Carolina Election Report 2000" (PDF). SCVotes.gov. Columbia, SC: S.C. State Election Commission. 2001. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  25. ^ "South Carolina 2004 Election Report" (PDF). SCVotes.gov. State of South Carolina Election Commission. January 11, 2006. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  26. ^ "South Carolina Election Commission Election Report 2008" (PDF). SCVotes.org. S.C. State Election Commission. May 2009. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  27. ^ "SC - Election Results: State Senate District 1". South Carolina State Election Commission. April 9, 2013. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  28. ^ "South Carolina 1st District State Senate Results: Thomas Alexander Wins". The New York Times. 2017-08-01. ISSN  0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  29. ^ "Saitta, Wilson take council seats |". www.yourpickenscounty.com. 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
  30. ^ "Here's who has filed to run for the South Carolina legislature in 2024". WCBD News 2. 2024-03-19. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
  31. ^ Adcox, Seanna (2021-12-06). "Upstate Republican takes helm of SC Senate's powerful budget-writing committee". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  32. ^ College and University Trustee Screening Commission". South Carolina Legislature. 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  33. ^ AP (July 1, 2001). "Bears causing problems in the Upstate". The Item. pp. 11B. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  34. ^ Taylor, Tony (March 31, 2002). "'Do not call' bill struggles to survive". Herald-Journal. pp. B1. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  35. ^ Davenport, Jim (May 7, 2008). "Adding 50 Cents per Pack: Senate approves cigarette tax increase to fund health care". Herald-Journal. pp. C5. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  36. ^ Alexander v. South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP, Oyez, https://www.oyez.org/cases/2023/22-807 (last visited Apr 10, 2024).
  37. ^ "Alexander v. South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP". American Civil Liberties Union. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  38. ^ El-Bawab, Nadine (9 September 2022). "Lawmakers in South Carolina at odds over proposed abortion bans". ABC News. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  39. ^ Pollard, James (23 August 2023). "South Carolina's new all-male highest court reverses course on abortion, upholding strict 6-week ban". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  40. ^ a b "Who voted for, against South Carolina's Fetal Heartbeat Act?". wcnc.com. 2022-06-28. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  41. ^ a b "What the nurse saw..." Herald-Journal. November 3, 1996. pp. A16. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  42. ^ Harris, Javon L. (August 18, 2023). "State House scorecard: Which SC lawmakers got the most bills turned into law this year?". The State. Retrieved April 10, 2024.{{ cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status ( link)
  43. ^ Laird, Skylar (2024-03-05). "Losing The Battle - As youth vaping skyrockets, SC bill aims to crack down on sales of illegal e-cigs". The Clinton Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  44. ^ Gordon, Shelley (2023-09-21). "South Carolina's top research institutions collaborate to advance comprehensive Alzheimer's disease research, medical discoveries and education". Clemson News. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  45. ^ AP (June 22, 1999). "McCain's presidential bid gains legislators' support". The Item. pp. 3A. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  46. ^ Thompson, Alexander; Laird, Skylar (2023-01-28). "In kickoff for crucial SC primary, Trump says he's man to beat". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  47. ^ "Alexander touts bills on fentanyl, mental health". upstatetoday.com. 2023-01-12. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  48. ^ "Alexander pre-files drug-induced homicide bill". upstatetoday.com. 2022-12-17. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  49. ^ Christian, Matthew (2022-12-04). "S.C. Sen. Tom Young looks to help South Carolina get tougher on fentanyl, gangs". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  50. ^ "Alexander urges caution on medical marijuana debate". upstatetoday.com. 2018-11-27. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  51. ^ a b "Thomas C. Alexander – Clemson Alumni Association". alumni.clemson.edu. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  52. ^ "Alexander's continues under new ownership in Walhalla". upstatetoday.com. 2022-12-08. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  53. ^ "Newberry Native Provides Book to Newberry Library". The Newberry Observer. September 7, 2001. p. 6. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  54. ^ "Newberry native finishing Mollohon book". The Newberry Observer. September 8, 2002. pp. 6A. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  55. ^ "State Chairs - American Legislative Exchange Council".
Political offices
Preceded by President of the South Carolina Senate
2021–present 		Incumbent


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