Each summary is supported by the candidate's own words from a campaign source, direct candidate response, or official primary record retained with the profile.
Public safety and justice
Candidate positionPass hate crimes bill It is time to pass a hate crimes law in South Carolina. Our state is one of only two in the nation that does not have any hate crime legislation. This is not about black and white but about protecting the lives and dignity of all South Carolinians.
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
Pass hate crimes bill It is time to pass a hate crimes law in South Carolina. Our state is one of only two in the nation that does not have any hate crime legislation. This is not about black and white but about protecting the lives and dignity of all South Carolinians.
Economy, jobs, taxes, and affordability
Candidate positionIt is time to reduce the tax burden on our working class. Some Republicans want to see all income tax disappear. Do not be fooled. In South Carolina, 40% of the lowest earning families do not pay income tax at all (technically they pay it and receive it back in April). Getting rid of income tax completely would primarily benefit the wealthiest individuals. Jermaine’s plan is to increase the amount of families who are not paying income tax to 70%. This is more sustainable economically and benefits the working families of South Carolina. Unlike other plans which would give more tax breaks to the wealthiest individuals.
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
It is time to reduce the tax burden on our working class. Some Republicans want to see all income tax disappear. Do not be fooled. In South Carolina, 40% of the lowest earning families do not pay income tax at all (technically they pay it and receive it back in April). Getting rid of income tax completely would primarily benefit the wealthiest individuals. Jermaine’s plan is to increase the amount of families who are not paying income tax to 70%. This is more sustainable economically and benefits the working families of South Carolina. Unlike other plans which would give more tax breaks to the wealthiest individuals.
Affordability
Candidate positionLower property taxes
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
Lower property taxes
Economy, jobs, taxes, and affordability
Candidate positionIt is time to reduce the tax burden on our working class. Plain and simple, Jermaine will work with municipalities to reduce property taxes for working families.
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
It is time to reduce the tax burden on our working class. Plain and simple, Jermaine will work with municipalities to reduce property taxes for working families.
Housing affordability
Candidate positionBuild affordable housing
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
Build affordable housing
Housing affordability
Candidate positionIt’s time to welcome South Carolinians into quality homes that are reasonably priced. To compete with private equity firms that are buying up houses and reselling them at exorbitant prices, Jermaine will fund a grant program that allows municipalities to convert existing structures into affordable housing units.
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
It’s time to welcome South Carolinians into quality homes that are reasonably priced. To compete with private equity firms that are buying up houses and reselling them at exorbitant prices, Jermaine will fund a grant program that allows municipalities to convert existing structures into affordable housing units.
Affordability
Candidate positionImprove conditions for workers
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
Improve conditions for workers
Economy, jobs, taxes, and affordability
Candidate positionIt’s time to make South Carolina better for workers. Jermaine will create a labor advisory council to help make this happen. They will be responsible for: recommending a state minimum wage, removing certain barriers to employment, and fighting against dishonest corporate wage theft.
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
It’s time to make South Carolina better for workers. Jermaine will create a labor advisory council to help make this happen. They will be responsible for: recommending a state minimum wage, removing certain barriers to employment, and fighting against dishonest corporate wage theft.
Infrastructure
Candidate positionRebuild our roads and bridges
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
Rebuild our roads and bridges
Transportation and infrastructure
Candidate positionIt is time to invest in South Carolina’s infrastructure. Our roads and bridges are in disrepair and we cannot afford to sit around as things get worse. Jermaine wrote a bill that will allow municipalities the ability to fix their own roads and bridges with money from the state’s Department of Transportation. More jobs, faster service, better roads.
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
It is time to invest in South Carolina’s infrastructure. Our roads and bridges are in disrepair and we cannot afford to sit around as things get worse. Jermaine wrote a bill that will allow municipalities the ability to fix their own roads and bridges with money from the state’s Department of Transportation. More jobs, faster service, better roads.
Infrastructure
Candidate positionIncrease local production and resiliency
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
Increase local production and resiliency
Energy, water, and environment
Candidate positionIt is time for South Carolinians to invest in our locally produced goods. As a state, we are too reliant on other states and countries for our food and products. Jermaine has a bill for that. This bill would require the state to achieve and maintain at least 25% in state production of food, energy, and water resources.
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
It is time for South Carolinians to invest in our locally produced goods. As a state, we are too reliant on other states and countries for our food and products. Jermaine has a bill for that. This bill would require the state to achieve and maintain at least 25% in state production of food, energy, and water resources.
Public safety and justice
Candidate positionImprove our law enforcement presence
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
Improve our law enforcement presence
Health care
Candidate positionIt is time to invest in South Carolina’s law enforcement. Jermaine would raise the salaries for and hire additional state and local law enforcement officers around the state to ensure the safety of all South Carolinians. Jermaine would also ensure that there are mental health response teams trained to handle the de-escalation of crises that don’t need armed police intervention, so that those officers can focus on preventing crimes and keeping neighborhoods safe. Police do their job best when they have trust and buy in from their communities. Jermaine is committed to building that trust.
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
It is time to invest in South Carolina’s law enforcement. Jermaine would raise the salaries for and hire additional state and local law enforcement officers around the state to ensure the safety of all South Carolinians. Jermaine would also ensure that there are mental health response teams trained to handle the de-escalation of crises that don’t need armed police intervention, so that those officers can focus on preventing crimes and keeping neighborhoods safe. Police do their job best when they have trust and buy in from their communities. Jermaine is committed to building that trust.
Health care
Candidate positionIt’s time to invest in our state’s rural healthcare access. Over a third of our state live in rural communities, and yet our hospitals are overwhelming concentrated in our cities. Jermaine will fund the opening of more rural hospitals across South Carolina to provide much needed care for our citizens.
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
It’s time to invest in our state’s rural healthcare access. Over a third of our state live in rural communities, and yet our hospitals are overwhelming concentrated in our cities. Jermaine will fund the opening of more rural hospitals across South Carolina to provide much needed care for our citizens.
Economy, jobs, taxes, and affordability
Candidate positionIncrease focus on trade schools
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
Increase focus on trade schools
Technology and cybersecurity
Candidate positionIt’s time to invest in our trade and technical colleges. While public and private universities have increased the costs of higher education, more and more of their graduates are facing an uncertain future as AI and other technologies are disrupting job markets. At the same time, our country has a shortage of electricians and skilled technicians. Jermaine allocated half a million dollars to found the Lower Richland Tech Academy that teaches low- and no- coding technologies to its students. This is a framework that has proved successful in his district and can be applied statewide. As governor, Jermaine will increase the focus and funding for trade schools and tech academies.
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
It’s time to invest in our trade and technical colleges. While public and private universities have increased the costs of higher education, more and more of their graduates are facing an uncertain future as AI and other technologies are disrupting job markets. At the same time, our country has a shortage of electricians and skilled technicians. Jermaine allocated half a million dollars to found the Lower Richland Tech Academy that teaches low- and no- coding technologies to its students. This is a framework that has proved successful in his district and can be applied statewide. As governor, Jermaine will increase the focus and funding for trade schools and tech academies.
Infrastructure
Candidate positionLegalize and regulate cannabis
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
Legalize and regulate cannabis
Economy, jobs, taxes, and affordability
Candidate positionIt’s time for South Carolina to make medicinal marijuana safe, legal, and accessible. This means more jobs and income for farmers, a state wide tax on cannabis that will allow us to balance the budget, and medical freedom for people who are suffering. Additionally, Jermaine will commute the sentence of all prisoners who have non-violent marijuana related charges. This will relieve the burden on our state’s prison system and restore families who have been destroyed by punitive and antiquated drug policies. Finally, Jermaine will put recreational cannabis to a state-wide referendum.
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
It’s time for South Carolina to make medicinal marijuana safe, legal, and accessible. This means more jobs and income for farmers, a state wide tax on cannabis that will allow us to balance the budget, and medical freedom for people who are suffering. Additionally, Jermaine will commute the sentence of all prisoners who have non-violent marijuana related charges. This will relieve the burden on our state’s prison system and restore families who have been destroyed by punitive and antiquated drug policies. Finally, Jermaine will put recreational cannabis to a state-wide referendum.
Education, child care, and workforce training
Candidate positionFix our education system
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
Fix our education system
Education, child care, and workforce training
Candidate positionIt is time to invest in South Carolina’s public education. As governor, Jermaine will conduct a full audit of South Carolina’s public education system to determine how best to increase access and quality of our state’s public education. But Jermaine doesn’t plan on waiting around and sitting on the results. Instead, he will use that information to provide every child in South Carolina with access to a quality education.
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
It is time to invest in South Carolina’s public education. As governor, Jermaine will conduct a full audit of South Carolina’s public education system to determine how best to increase access and quality of our state’s public education. But Jermaine doesn’t plan on waiting around and sitting on the results. Instead, he will use that information to provide every child in South Carolina with access to a quality education.
Reproductive rights and health care
Candidate positionProtect women's reproductive rights
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
Protect women's reproductive rights
Reproductive rights and health care
Candidate positionIt is time to protect women’s reproductive rights in South Carolina. Since the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the state has experienced increased risk to women’s health. Jermaine wrote a bill to center South Carolina’s female legislators on the issues of women’s reproductive rights before gaining input from the men in the chambers to make sure that women are in control of legislation that pertains to their bodies. He believes that medical decisions are best left to families and their doctors.
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
It is time to protect women’s reproductive rights in South Carolina. Since the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the state has experienced increased risk to women’s health. Jermaine wrote a bill to center South Carolina’s female legislators on the issues of women’s reproductive rights before gaining input from the men in the chambers to make sure that women are in control of legislation that pertains to their bodies. He believes that medical decisions are best left to families and their doctors.
Health care
Candidate positionProvide better mental health care
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
Provide better mental health care
Education, child care, and workforce training
Candidate positionIt is time to invest in South Carolinians’ mental health. Veterans, teens, moms, dads: everyone knows someone who is struggling. Jermaine wrote a bill that calls for basic mental health training for school administrators, religious leaders, and community leaders—including neighborhood association presidents and crime watch members—to improve early identification and response to mental health crises.
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
It is time to invest in South Carolinians’ mental health. Veterans, teens, moms, dads: everyone knows someone who is struggling. Jermaine wrote a bill that calls for basic mental health training for school administrators, religious leaders, and community leaders—including neighborhood association presidents and crime watch members—to improve early identification and response to mental health crises.
Infrastructure
Candidate positionInvest in fathers and families
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
Invest in fathers and families
Education, child care, and workforce training
Candidate positionIt is time to expect more from our fathers and provide them with more rights and responsibilities in the family. As Governor, Jermaine would incentivize employers to offer paid family leave for fathers, support flexible scheduling policies that allow fathers to attend school events and medical appointments, and establish a Governor’s Commission on Fathers & Families to guide policy and coordination. If we want our sons and daughters to grow up in healthy families we need fathers to step up, and we need to give them a path to take to get there.
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
It is time to expect more from our fathers and provide them with more rights and responsibilities in the family. As Governor, Jermaine would incentivize employers to offer paid family leave for fathers, support flexible scheduling policies that allow fathers to attend school events and medical appointments, and establish a Governor’s Commission on Fathers & Families to guide policy and coordination. If we want our sons and daughters to grow up in healthy families we need fathers to step up, and we need to give them a path to take to get there.
Infrastructure
Candidate positionPass hate crimes bill
Read exact supporting textExact evidence retained
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
Pass hate crimes bill
