Matthew Ellison

Jun 22 2017

My Health Care Is At Risk

My Fellow Democrats,

I am one of 317,000 South Carolinians who has gained health care coverage as a result of the Affordable Care Act. Before Obamacare, I had not been able to see a doctor for over 20 years.

When I finally had insurance and could see a doctor, I was diagnosed with cancer. Without the Affordable Care Act, I would have died. After a grueling treatment regimen, I am scheduled for surgery next week. If the Affordable Care Act is repealed, my life will once again be in danger.

I need your help. And I am far from alone. Senate Republicans have been working behind closed doors on a secret plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and today they’re revealing their version of Trumpcare. As it turns out, it is a whole lot like the House version of Trumpcare, which would have taken health insurance away from more than 400,000 South Carolinians.

With Senate Republicans planning to move quickly, the next week is going to be absolutely critical for the health of millions of Americans. WE HAVE TO HIT THE PHONES WITHOUT DELAY. Senators Graham and Scott must hear that South Carolinians are watching, and we won’t tolerate being stripped of our health care so Donald Trump and his friends can get a tax cut. Call all the numbers! When you call the Washington offices, ask for their health care staffer(s) by name, as indicated below. Then, follow up with emails to those staffers.

Lindsey Graham

Washington office: (202) 224-5972; ask for Nick Myers, follow up by emailing nick_myers@lgraham.senate.gov

South Carolina offices: (864) 250-1417, (803) 933-0112, (843) 669-1505, (843) 849-3887, (803) 366-2828, (864) 646-4090

Tim Scott

Washington office: (202) 224-6121; ask for Claire Brandewie or Will Holloway, follow up by emailing claire_brandewie@scott.senate.gov & will_holloway@scott.senate.gov

South Carolina offices: (803) 771-6112, (864) 233-5366, (843) 727-4525

Lives are literally at stake, including my own. Let’s keep up the fight together.

Sincerely,

Sam Martin

Former SCDP State Executive Committeeman, Newberry County

Jun 21 2017

Legislator Spotlight: Russell Ott

As we move forward to strengthen our party following yesterday’s special elections, we continue our series spotlighting a different Democratic state legislator each week. After introducing (or re-introducing) you to our House and Senate Democratic Leaders the last two weeks, we now move to House Assistant Democratic Leader Russell L. Ott.

Representative Ott lives in St. Matthews and represents State House District 93, which includes all of Calhoun County and parts of Lexington and Orangeburg Counties. An agriculture businessman, he previously served as Town Administrator for the towns of Elloree, North, and Neeses. He serves on the House Agriculture, Natural Resources & Environmental Affairs Committee. Representative Ott received his B.A. from Clemson in 2000 and his M.P.A. from the University of South Carolina in 2003. He was elected to the State House in 2013 to succeed his father, longtime State Representative Harry Ott, who left the General Assembly to serve as State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency.

You can follow Representative Ott on Twitter here. Get to know this dynamic young leader!

Jun 21 2017

Onward to Victory—Another Exciting Announcement

The progress we have made in the 5th Congressional District in such a short time with such limited resources is nothing short of remarkable. We are excited to take the lessons we learned across the rest of the state.

That starts today in the First Congressional District, where Joe Cunningham, a Charleston ocean engineer, small business owner, attorney, and husband, has announced that he will run for Congress to unseat Mark Sanford. Joe is the second announced candidate vying to turn an SC district from red to blue, along with Mary Geren in the Third District. We know we can do better than Mark Sanford, Jeff Duncan, and the rest of the rubber-stamp Republicans in Congress, and we look forward to watching Joe and Mary make the case.

We anticipate and look forward to many more Democrats throwing their hats into the ring for offices up and down the ballot.

Take a moment and learn more about Joe and the excitement around his candidacy. Watch his announcement video here. For more information on the campaign, visit www.JoeCunninghamforCongress.com.

Jun 20 2017

SCDP CHAIR STATEMENT ON SPECIAL ELECTION RESULTS

For Immediate Release

June 20, 2017

SCDP CHAIR STATEMENT ON SPECIAL ELECTION RESULTS

Columbia, SC – South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Trav Robertson released the following statement on the results of the special elections in the 5th Congressional District and State House Districts 48 and 70:

“The progress we have made in the 5th Congressional District in such a short time with such limited resources is nothing short of remarkable. I applaud Archie Parnell for running such a strong and spirited campaign. While I am disappointed that he won’t be going to Congress, and that Bebs Barron Chorak won’t be going to the General Assembly, the races they have run are a huge first step toward Democratic victory in South Carolina, and I thank them for working so hard and being such strong advocates for the people of their districts.

“I also congratulate the winners in the 5th Congressional District and State House District 48, Ralph Norman and Bruce Bryant. I encourage them both to put people over partisanship and work across the aisle to improve the lives of their constituents.

“In addition, I am thrilled to congratulate Wendy Brawley on her election to represent State House District 70, and I look forward to watching her carry on the progressive legacy of the late, great Joe Neal. The voters of District 70 chose wisely, and Wendy will fight hard for them in the General Assembly.”

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Jun 18 2017

Happy Father’s Day

On Father’s Day, we celebrate the men who have done so much to help us thrive and succeed. On this Father’s Day in South Carolina, we remember those we lost two years ago at Emanuel AME Church, and those we lost ten years ago fighting to extinguish the flames of an inferno. Our thoughts and prayers are with those whose pain from those tragedies may be especially raw on a day devoted to our dads.

As we remember those lost, we also look to the future, and making it better for all fathers and all families. We’ve got a great dad on the ballot on Tuesday in the 5th Congressional District: Archie Parnell. Let’s give him and all the fathers in South Carolina a great Father’s Day gift by electing Archie to Congress on Tuesday.

Happy Father’s Day from the South Carolina Democratic Party.