Impaired driving is a serious issue in South Carolina. South Carolina leads the nation in the number of fatalities resulting from drunk driving, with 6.92 deaths per 100,000 citizens, according to federal highway data. This tragic statistic should not be taken lightly. A viable solution may lie in bills like H.3857, S.849, and S.52, which
The following article originally appeared in the Post & Courier. As the 2025 General Assembly headed out the door, emotions in the public education community were raw. A conflict over funding between traditional public school districts and statewide public charter districts led to a Band-Aid that left neither side happy. As the 2026 General Assembly
South Carolina voters went back to the polls yesterday for various Democratic and Republican Runoffs. We have compiled a complete list of election results as of 11:30 on Tuesday, June 23, and we will continue to update the tallies until returns are final. I = Incumbent X = Winner State Leadership Results Governor Republican
I recently joined Live 5 News to help moderate the runoff debate for Congressional District 1 between Mark Smith and Jenny Costa Honeycutt. The candidates tackled a number of tough issues facing South Carolina and the United States, including housing affordability, the future of Social Security, parental rights, and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).
In this article, originally published in the South Carolina Daily Gazette, I discuss how South Carolina ensures that our higher education degree programs are delivering meaningful, high-quality education through regular program review by the Commission on Higher Education and the colleges themselves. Columbia, S.C. (SC Daily Gazette) – Suddenly, one of the most pressing issues
On Tuesday, June 16th, Palmetto Promise Senior Fellow Dr. Oran Smith served as a moderator for the first (and only!) gubernatorial runoff debate between Attorney General Alan Wilson and Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette. Held on the campus of Coastal Carolina University, the debate allowed candidates the opportunity to comment on a wide variety of topics,
South Carolina voters went to the polls on Tuesday to select hundreds of nominees for Constitutional offices as well as their Congressional and General Assembly representatives. Every single State House of Representatives seat is on the ballot in November, and many of these seats had primary contests this week. We’ve compiled a complete list of
In this article originally posted in the Post and Courier, Dr. Oran Smith comments on legislation concerning the transparency of University president headhunting. By Anna B. Mitchell amitchell@postandcourier.com CLEMSON — After decades of giving the public a chance to vet candidates for some of the state’s top positions in academia, South Carolina’s leading universities
In this op-ed, originally published in The Post and Courier, I discuss the potential for groundbreaking statewide public charter school funding reform that hinges on a decision resting with the Jasper County Council. They are currently considering giving some local funding to some of their charter schools, which could serve as an important test case
Energy demand in South Carolina is rising. Both families and prospective businesses are poised to draw more from South Carolina’s power infrastructure. The estimated air conditioning costs this summer are already projected to be roughly $100 higher than last year, especially concerning given that South Carolina consistently ranks among the states with the highest household
