South Carolina state senator Tom Davis is hosting a major fundraiser in Charleston, S.C. early next week, according to an invitation to the event obtained by this news outlet. Supporters of the free market champion are gathering at 10 WestEdge, an upscale location on the peninsula.
Davis was first elected to the S.C. Senate in 2008, defeating incumbent Catherine Ceips in a Republican primary election for S.C. Senate District 46 (.pdf). He was reelected in 2012 and 2016 without opposition in either the primary or general election cycles, and is regarded as having some of the strongest polling numbers of any member of the S.C. General Assembly.
Arguably the most principled, resilient pro-taxpayer advocate at the S.C. State House, Davis successfully filibustered a gas tax increase for two years in a row until his GOP colleagues abandoned him in 2017.
Should they have stuck with him on this issue? Yes … unequivocally.
In addition to fighting against tax hikes and runaway state spending, Davis has been at the forefront of several high-profile debates – including his leadership role in the fight to decriminalize medical cannabis in South Carolina.
This position has opened Davis up to some well-funded dark money attacks, however these ham-fisted political mailings – which resurfaced recently in connection with the Greenville county, S.C. sheriff’s race – appear to be less about the marijuana issue and more about discouraging Davis from seeking a federal office.
Davis has also been an aggressive school choice supporter, as well as the leading advocate for a private sector Jasper county port – one of the top legislative priorities of the late S.C. senator Clementa Pinckney.
Not surprisingly, this news outlet has been effusive in its praise of the 59-year-old attorney from Beaufort, S.C.
“When it comes to the bread-and-butter tax-and-spending issues that matter to us (and should matter to you), he has been infallible,” we noted in the fall of 2008, adding that “Davis has been the genuine article when it comes to protecting freedom and free markets in state government.”
In fact Davis has been so solid on these issues we preemptively endorsed him in the 2018 race for governor of South Carolina – although he declined to challenge incumbent Henry McMaster in that race.
We do not expect Davis to draw a credible primary or general election challenger in his bid for a fourth term in the S.C. Senate, but we would certainly encourage any South Carolinian who supports lower taxes, less government spending and more individual liberty (the ostensible “conservative” ideals) to support one of the only elected officials in Columbia, S.C. who is actually walking the walk on each of these fronts.
Most GOP politicians at the local, state and federal level content themselves with paying lip service to these ideals. For the last dozen years, Tom Davis has lived them.
Let’s show him our thanks, shall we?
Davis’ fundraiser will be held at 10 WestEdge (in the seventh floor sky lounge) from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. EDT on Monday, February 3, 2020. Those wishing to contribute online can do so by clicking here.
-FITSNews
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