SC State House District 123: Jeff Bradley faces late write-in challenge to retain office
Longtime state House District 123 Rep. Jeff Bradley (R-Beaufort) has run unopposed for much of this year’s election cycle. Although an opponent to his eight-year tenure as state representative won’t appear on the ballot, a late write-in campaign was launched this month to oppose him.
An uncontested race is nothing new for the Republican incumbent — he didn’t face a Democrat challenger in 2014 or 2016. When he has faced opposition in the general election, in 2018 and 2020, he secured a comfortable margin of victory.
The Alabama native is listed as a Hilton Head Island resident and is a professional financial advisor. Bradley earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Alabama in 1979.
In the 2021-22 legislative session, he sat on the Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee and the Regulations and Administrative Procedures Committee.
The Island Packet sent questionnaires to candidates in contested races in the Nov. 8 election and asked them to limit their answers to 150 words.
Here are Bradley’s responses:
What are your top issues this campaign?
Regulation Reform: As chair of the Regulations and Public Administration committee, I want to reduce regulations and cut red tape by forcing all state agencies to evaluate regulations promulgated by their agencies, and cut unnecessary regulations.
Education reform: I believe one the most important functions of government is the provision of education for our citizens. In South Carolina, one of the largest statewide expenditures is K-12 education. As highlighted by the recent release of screportcards.com, many schools across the state of South Carolina are failing. I will work closely with the new Superintendent of Education to improve education in South Carolina.
Environment: A sacred South Carolina asset is the quality of our environment. I will continue my record of environmental protection and support, one example of which can be found in the 2022-23 budget. I secured funding for artificial oyster reefs for Outside Hilton Head Foundation to help reclaim oyster shells and accrete marshes. Another example of my environmental protection stance is exemplified in pending PFAS regulations. Those regulations will be coming before my committee. I will work to reduce their discharge into the environment. PFAS (Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl substances) are known to lead to adverse health effects.
Economic development: Our state is business friendly. I will work with local and statewide representatives to see it remains so while being ever vigilant in protecting our environment.
What issues affecting the district will be addressed in the next legislative session?
Fiscal responsibility: South Carolina is fiscally a well-managed state. With our budget surpluses we will work to improve reserves and continue to cut taxes.
Education reform: Working with new education leaders toward implementing long-term significant changes to improve education.
Tough on crime: In particular supporting tougher law enforcement initiatives targeting the trafficking of fentanyl.
Economic development: Improvements along I-95 in the Lowcountry, to include widening, plus responsibly developing the continued growth of our region.
Environmental issues: Continued assurance that the coastal tidelands and wetlands are sustained and protected.
Should the state use public money to create educational scholarship accounts to allow parents to send their children to private schools?
In an effort to improve education in South Carolina, I am generally in favor of an “all of the above approach.” It is my belief that competition generally improves the through-product of participants that are competing. So, to help improve competition in South Carolina education, I am not opposed to using public money to create educational scholarship accounts.
Should SC ban abortion? What exceptions, if any, should there be for an abortion ban?
I am pro-life. I do not believe that abortion should be used as a method of birth control. I do believe that there are circumstances where an abortion is appropriate. In the recent abortion debate I worked hard to force the House to accept life of the mother, rape and incest exceptions to the abortion ban before the bill went to the Senate.
Also on the ballot for voters in Beaufort County is the green space sales tax referendum. Do you support the statewide effort to fund conservation efforts with sales taxes?
Senate 152 was signed into law by the governor on May 16, 2022. I agree with and voted for Senate 152. It allows for individual counties to impose a local option sales tax for the acquisition of “Green Space.” I am aware of and have supported other statewide measures that protect the environment as well.
Is there anything that can be done at the state level to address the affordable housing shortage in the Lowcountry?
In my view, the appropriate state-level response to local affordable housing issues is the use of tax credits as an incentive to developers to provide affordable housing. In 2016-17, I worked with local developers and the mayor of Hilton Head to change the requirements for state tax credits on Hilton Head. I would be delighted to continue to work to provide incentives to local developers to provide affordable housing in the Lowcountry.
This story was originally published October 29, 2022 at 10:47 AM.
