SC’s McMaster vows to fight Democrats to ‘gates of hell’ over COVID vaccine plans

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster vowed to fight President Joe Biden and other Democrats “to the gates of hell” after the administration announced plans Thursday to enforce vaccinations for millions of workers.

“The American Dream has turned into a nightmare under President Biden and the radical Democrats. They have declared war against capitalism, thumbed their noses at the Constitution, and empowered our enemies abroad,” McMaster said on Twitter.

“Rest assured, we will fight them to the gates of hell to protect the liberty and livelihood of every South Carolinian.”

McMaster’s tweet is a direct response after President Joe Biden announced new vaccine rules, requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for employers with 100 or more workers. Workers also have the option to take a weekly COVID-19 test.

The mandate would affect an estimated 100 million people to help curb rising coronavirus cases and deaths.

In response to criticism, Biden Friday said that Republican governors have been “cavalier” about the health of children throughout the pandemic and told those threatening legal action to “have at it.”

In South Carolina, more than 11,100 people have died from COVID-19-related complications since the start of the pandemic, and nearly 800,000 have contracted the virus. The state has one of the highest infections rates in the country per capita and has recorded its second most weekly cases in back-to-back weeks.

In the last month, more than 1,100 people have died from COVID-19 in South Carolina.

Hospitals are reporting being at or near capacity, and infection rates for children also are nearly triple what the state saw at the height of the pandemic in January.

McMaster, who is vaccinated, has fought mask mandates in schools, saying it’s a decision that should be left up to parents. However, he’s encouraged South Carolinian to get vaccinated but only if they feel comfortable doing so.

As of Friday, 49% of South Carolinians were fully vaccinated, one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country.

This story was originally published September 10, 2021 at 1:38 PM with the headline "SC’s McMaster vows to fight Democrats to ‘gates of hell’ over COVID vaccine plans."

Andrew Caplan

The State

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Andrew Caplan is a watchdog journalist who hails from Florida. He comes to The State Media Company after winning several statewide awards for investigations on elected officials and government entities. He holds a master’s degree from the University of South Florida.