Growth and women’s reproductive rights. What to know about Georgetown’s state senate race
Georgetown, Kingstree, Andrews and Lake City voters go to the polls June 11, 2024, to elect their state senate representative candidate from the Democratic party.
With no Republican primary, the winner of the Democratic election will probably decide who represents parts of Berkeley, Florence, Georgetown, Horry and Williamsburg Counties in Columbia, S.C.
Incumbent Ronnie Sabb faces challenger Prinscillia Sumpter to determine who will represent the 32nd district from 2025 onwards. Sabb is a 10-year veteran of the state senate and house and attorney with his own practice. Sumpter is a healthcare worker with 20-plus years of experience.
The two agree on some issues. Both agree that South Carolina needs hate crime legislation, as the state is one of the few to lack such. They concur that South Carolina’s current abortion laws are too restrictive and take away healthcare options from women. Sumpter added she supports legalized abortion up to 20 weeks, and Sabb said he is currently trying to pass legislation to protect in-vitro fertilization in the Palmetto State, although the bill stalled.
Both also agree that South Carolina’s new gun law is too loose and adds danger to local communities; however, Sabb said rolling back the legislation is highly unlikely. For Sumpter, a gun owner herself, the legislation makes her community less attractive to live in.
“In our local areas, you have the young people coming in with the gun and flashing them,” Sumpter said. “It’s an unsafe practice at this point.”
Despite their agreements, Sumpter is critical of Sabb’s tenure in office. She claims that Sabb’s record lacks legislative successes and that he hasn’t introduced legislation. She said she doesn’t believe Sabb will propel growth and change within the district, adding that the area needs small businesses and opportunities so young residents don’t feel the urge to leave due to a lack of future.
“Our roads are terrible. Our EMS lag time in Williamsburg County alone, 30,000 plus residents share two EMS, and at one time, it was broke, and they only had one,” Sumpter said.
Sabb, who sponsored at least 100 bills in the Senate every session during his tenure, acknowledged that he doesn’t frequently introduce bills, he said his work co-sponsoring bills and advocating for legislation has helped with pressing issues for his constituents.
“Who was at the well? Ronnie Sabb was,” Sabb said. “That’s the voice of District 32. That’s the promise I made to my constituents.”
He cites his work improving statewide infrastructure and establishing the free Williamsburg Technical College and a hospital in the area as proof of his success. Sabb also said that if re-elected, he’d focus on increasing teacher pay and creating an education infrastructure bank to build more schools.
He added that addressing mental health services and improving the Department of Health and Environmental Control were issues he would focus on if re-elected. As a member of the judiciary committee, he would also look to add diversity to the state’s supreme court.
