Democratic Response to the State of the State
As Prepared for Delivery
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Good evening South Carolina. I’m Jermaine Johnson. I’m a proud college of Charleston alum and I represent SC House district 52.
In Matthew 25:40, Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” So what has our State’s leadership done for the least of these?
Let’s talk about how the people of South Carolina are really doing.
Tonight, South Carolinians heard Governor McMaster describe a South Carolina that, on paper, looks strong. A state with low unemployment, population growth, ribbon cuttings for new businesses, and rankings meant to reassure us that things are going well for the people who call South Carolina home. But is this really how we’re doing?
The State of our State is not what Governor McMaster described. The real state of our state is what you can find at kitchen tables across South Carolina. Kitchen tables where families are deciding whether they can afford rent or groceries as prices skyrocket out of control. Where families are forced to decide on spending money on school supplies or life-saving medications.
For twenty-two years, Republicans have controlled the Governor’s Mansion, the state senate, and the State House. Over two decades of single-party rule. And the results speak for themselves.
After all that time, South Carolina remains near the bottom nationally in the areas that most directly affect everyday life. Our state ranks 43rd in education, leaving too many children without the preparation they need to succeed. Our roads and bridges are among the worst in the nation, with unsafe conditions and long delays that affect families, workers, and businesses across the state. And when it comes to public safety, the numbers are deeply troubling. South Carolina’s homicide rate is the sixth highest in the country.
But those are just the numbers. Think about what this means in terms of how you are affected.
Our neighbors are less safe.
Our children are worse educated.
And our infrastructure is crumbling.
So let’s talk about it.
Twenty two years of single party rule. If they truly cared about you, they would have done something already. If they truly cared about you they would have fixed public education. If they truly cared about you they would have fixed the roads. They would have created a livable, minimum wage. They would have fixed our healthcare system. If they truly cared about you they would have done SOMETHING. But with all that power, they have done nothing for you and have only enriched themselves.
This moment calls for honesty. Because leadership means recognizing when policies fail our people and taking responsibility for changing them when the opportunity arises.
South Carolina – you have that opportunity.
South Carolina is a beautiful state filled with resilient, hardworking people.
We hear a lot about growth and success, often framed through national politics or federal debates. But the true measure of how a state is doing can be found much closer to home. We deserve a home where our children are learning, our roads are safe to drive on, our neighborhoods feel secure, and our families can access the care they need.
Don’t you want a healthcare system that works for you? We should be funding rural hospitals, providing more schools and health facilities with mental health services, and making healthcare affordable.
Women across this state have seen their rights stripped from them, with deeply personal healthcare decisions becoming matters of political debate. These decisions affect real families, real lives, and real futures, and they should be made without government interference.
We should also be clear about how progress actually happens in South Carolina.
New Electric vehicle and battery plant projects across the state did not happen by accident. It was made possible by Democratic-led federal investments in clean manufacturing that every congressional Republican opposed, then later took credit for once the jobs arrived. Bless their hearts.
South Carolinians understand the difference between doing the work and taking the credit.
We are overlooking industries in this state that could create jobs, generate tax revenue, and provide real relief to people who need it the most.
With some of the most fertile soil and hardest working farmers in the country, our state is well positioned to responsibly grow cannabis for safe, legal medicinal use. We have a state lottery that funds educational programs. Why aren’t we inviting safe, regulated gaming in other forms to provide our state with millions in tax revenue?
Imagine a South Carolina that keeps its focus where it belongs: on the people who call this state home.
Imagine a South Carolina where you can drive down a smoothly paved road, drop your child off at a safe, well performing public school.
Where you’re working one job and not living paycheck to paycheck.
Imagine a South Carolina where your government truly cares about you.
If we are willing to be honest about where we stand and are fearlessly committed to improving it, then tomorrow can be a brighter day for this state and for everyone who calls it home. Because together, we can change it. And in November, we will build a new South Carolina together.
Thank you, and God bless South Carolina.
