Kevin Bryant in 2018 SC Governor's race
On Education:
We leave jobs unfilled with "one size fits all" higher ed
In his [advertisement] entitled "Jobs and Education in South Carolina," Bryant addresses the abundance of available work--and chides the failure of our state's "one size fits all" higher education system when it comes to meeting existing
employment needs. "There are 60,000 unfilled jobs in South Carolina," he says in the spot. "A college education should do one thing: Help young people get jobs."
Source: FITSnews.com on 2018 South Carolina Gubernatorial race
May 29, 2018
On Technology:
Keep politics out of fixing infrastructure; use common sense
In his first [advertisement] spot, entitled "Crumbling Roads and Bridges," Bryant laments the politicization of infrastructure funding in South Carolina. "I'll fix your roads based on public safety and traffic flow, not politics,"
Bryant says in the 30-second ad, which ends with him literally pouring money into a pothole and asking viewers "are your roads fixed yet?"
Source: FITSnews.com on 2018 South Carolina Gubernatorial race
May 29, 2018
On Government Reform:
Reforms should include eliminating current ethics loopholes
According to Bryant, his reform package would include the elimination of existing ethics loopholes while also allowing "for the prosecution of a pattern of behavior that is criminal in nature." Basically, Bryant wants prosecutors to
be able to charge anyone suspected of violating multiple state ethics or lobbying laws with racketeering. "It's ultimate effect is to make coordination of crimes its own offense and a felony," Bryant said.
Source: FITSnews.com on 2018 South Carolina Gubernatorial race
Apr 16, 2018
On Abortion:
Supports Personhood Bill, defining life from conception
The "Personhood Act" would define life as beginning at fertilization and extend constitutional protections to all unborn children, received a significant boost passing through the state Senate Judiciary Committee.Earlier in the campaign, Catherine
Templeton had distinguished herself from the rest of the GOP field by saying she believes there should be an exception for incest [but she has now switched to supporting the bill].
The board of Personhood South Carolina, an organization focused on promoting the abortion ban, said Templeton's view amounted to support for murdering unborn children based on the circumstances of their conception.
All four other
Republicans in the governor's race have said they unequivocally oppose all abortions. One candidate, Lt. Gov. Kevin Bryant, sponsored the Personhood Act when he was a state senator, and McMaster has vowed to sign it into law if it lands on his desk.
Source: Post and Courier on 2018 South Carolina governor race
Feb 27, 2018
On Education:
Consider arming teachers and other school employees
Republican candidate for governor Catherine Templeton said she supports arming teachers as part of an effort to improve school safety. Templeton responded to a question about school security in an interview. School security has become a hot
topic in the state and throughout the nation since a gunman killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on Feb. 14.
Authorities in the Upstate have responded to a number of threats and perceived threats of violence at Upstate schools.
Speaking in Anderson last week, Lt. Gov. Kevin Bryant talked about legislation that he sponsored before becoming lieutenant
governor last year that would allow school districts to consider arming teachers and other school employees. Gov. McMaster said last week that he would sign a bill to arm teachers in schools.
Source: Greenville News on 2018 South Carolina governor race
Feb 26, 2018
On Energy & Oil:
Open to exploring the risks/benefits of offshore drilling
More than 200 protesters across SC shouted their opposition to offshore drilling at the Statehouse on Tuesday. The rally preceded a federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management meeting to inform the public on plans to offer leases off the coast. Local
media report that Lt. Gov. Kevin Bryant, who is running for governor, said he supports exploring for fossil fuels: "We've got to find out what's out there... Do the math. Find the risks, weigh it against the benefits, then make an informed decision."
Source: Maritime-Executive.com on 2018 South Carolina Governor race
Feb 13, 2018
On Gun Control:
Wants schools to have ability to shoot back in defense
The one thing in common among the school shootings that have horrified America was not the type of weapon or type of school, is that no one was shooting back. I filed 2 bills last year to address school safety in a straightforward and common sense
manner. One bill codifies flexibility for already existing state school funds in order to allow schools to use those funds for school safety. My other bill removes the current mandate that allows only active law enforcement to enter with a weapon.
Source: South Strand News OpEd: 2018 South Carolina Governor race
Feb 13, 2018
On Drugs:
Change Medicare incentives to address opioid addiction
Some of our loved ones succumb to a disease triggered by the very medicines that should help them. The disease is opioid addiction. The default to opioid prescription stems from, according to many physicians, the priority of "patient satisfaction".
Medicare, in particular, uses "patient satisfaction" in their calculus for reimbursement. One doctor put it this way: pain equals dissatisfaction, and dissatisfaction equals lower reimbursement, and lower reimbursement usually equals termination.
Source: Greenville News OpEd: 2018 South Carolina Governor race
Aug 18, 2017
On Education:
Joins "Stop Fed Ed" vows to reject all Federal Ed mandates
Lt. Gov. Bryant, who is running for the state's top job in 2018, signed the "Stop Fed Ed" pledge from U.S. Parents Involved in Education. The group announced Bryant's signature Monday. The pledge calls for
South Carolina's governor to "reject all federal mandates tied to federal funding" and to "fight against federally mandated curriculum, standardized tests, and all illegal and unconstitutional mandates from the federal Department of Education."
Source: The State magazine on 2018 South Carolina Gubernatorial race
Aug 7, 2017
On Abortion:
Budget shouldn't "contain a penny" for abortion providers
Gov. Henry McMaster sent a letter to the SC Department of Health & Environmental Control asking its board to "publicly reaffirm" its policy that keeps federal grant money from going to abortion providers."Health care services related to pregnancy
care, fertility and cancer screenings may be offered in many ways, without state subsidization of abortion providers," he wrote.
The letter came the day before a Bryant press conference in which Bryant challenged the Legislature to pass a budget that
doesn't "contain a penny" for abortion providers. If next year's budget includes the funding, Bryant said he would not sign off on the state's spending plan. However, Bryant does not have veto authority.
When asked if his press conference was done
to rev up the base before next year's primary elections, Bryant pointed to his previous work in the Senate against abortion. "I've been a pro-life activist my entire life and will continue to be," he said. "This is about defunding Planned Parenthood."
Source: The Post & Courier on 2018 South Carolina Gubernatorial race
Jun 6, 2017
On Homeland Security:
Kneeling during anthem disrespects veterans
[On Colin Kaepernick's 2016 protest dubbed "taking a knee"]: "We need to embrace free speech," Lt. Bryant said. "But I am of the opinion that we should not disrespect our veterans and law enforcement and disrespect our
national anthem in making a political speech and political point." Bryant's comments came after more than 200 players around the NFL knelt, sat or linked arms during the national anthem during last Sunday's games.
Source: SCnow.com: K. Bryant OpEd: 2018 South Carolina Governor race
May 12, 2017
On Tax Reform:
Vicious cycle of paying back a lot of earned tax credits
The tax collectors created a brand new state-level earned income tax credit. Proponents of this new tax credit want to leave more money in the wallets of lower-income and amen to that! But it will not stay there long when those folks have to use their
tax savings to pay more for gas in order to spend the first 3 months of the year just to send enough income tax to government to be able to claim a credit that they then will give back at the gas pump. This is your government at work.
Source: SCnow.com: K. Bryant OpEd: 2018 South Carolina Governor race
May 12, 2017
On Immigration:
Says no refuge resettlement until federal security is better
Two Upstate senators have filed bills that would place restrictions on the resettlement process arguing they do not trust the vetting process by the federal government. Sen. Bryant wants South Carolina's policy on refugees from countries with ties to
terrorism to be "the most resistant and the least cooperative" of the nation's 50 states. Bryant's bill would prohibit any state agency action concerning refugee resettlement until new security measures are implemented by the federal government.
Source: Greenville News on 2018 South Carolina Gubernatorial race
Jan 19, 2016
Page last updated: Dec 11, 2018