Myrtle Beach Rep. Alan Clemmons resigns from his SC House seat. Here’s what we know.
More than a month after he won his Myrtle Beach seat in the South Carolina House against a GOP challenger, Republican state Rep. Alan Clemmons announced on Friday that he is resigning from the House after serving nearly 20 years.
“With a heavy heart, but solid conviction; today, I announce my resignation from the S.C. House of Representatives effective at noon today,” Clemmons said in a statement released to reporters on Friday. “These past 18 years have truly been an honor but have also weighed heavily on my family and my business. I fully believed that I could effectively serve my constituents for one more term, but it has become increasingly clear in the last few weeks that my time needs to be spent with my family and at my law practice. I sincerely appreciate the support I have received, and I look forward to serving my community in other, less public, ways.”
According to an affidavit sent to the State Election Commission, Clemmons withdrew his candidacy for the upcoming election so he can take on new clients “who will require a large investment of my time and focus” at his law firm,
“This, along with the time requirements of representing existing clients and management of Clemmons Law Firm, LLC, creates a significant change in my business and employment that would negatively impact my ability to be in Columbia for the weekly three day sessions of the General Assembly,” Clemmons wrote.
Clemmons was first elected to the S.C. House in 2002.
He chairs the House Rules Committee and sits on the House’s budget-writing committee. Clemmons’ resignation leaves at least three vacancies on Ways and Means after state Rep. Jimmy Bales, D-Richland, lost his reelection bid in June and state Rep. Mike Sottile, R-Charleston, announced his plans to retire after the year.
House Speaker Jay Lucas, R-Darlington, called Clemmons a “leading voice” on tourism, election security and tax reform.
“Alan has been a leader for his region. He championed the 2010 state redistricting effort which led to the current 7th Congressional District being located along the Grand Strand,” Lucas said in a statement. “While these are but a few of his legislative accomplishments, they highlight the force behind Alan’s effectiveness — hard work. South Carolina is a better place thanks to his nearly two decades of service to our state. The House will miss Alan, and I’ll certainly miss him personally.”
Clemmons twice during the past year unsuccessfully sought local government positions, first as the Myrtle Beach city attorney and then as Horry County administrator, though he ended up withdrawing his name for consideration from the latter, The Sun News, The State’s sister paper in Myrtle Beach reported.
Clemmons was the last remaining public official still in office who received campaign contributions in 2009 that resulted in the former chair of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce facing 167 state ethics violations. Attorney Robert “Shep” Guyton ended up signing a consent order admitting to unintentionally violating the state’s Ethics Act by exceeding campaign contributions.
State elections officials will now begin the process of identifying trying to find candidates to run for Clemmons’ old seat before the November election. Because Clemmons’ resignation comes so close to the general election, the seat will remain vacant until January, when whoever wins in November is sworn in, Election Commission spokesman Chris Whitmire said.
Whitmire said the state will review Clemmons’ affidavit withdrawing his candidacy to make sure he has a legitimate, nonpolitical reason for ending his candidacy. The hearing must take place within ten days of Clemmons submitting his affidavit.
After his request is approved, state elections officials will reopen candidate filing for the seat on the second Tuesday after the hearing, Whitmire said. Filing will be open for one week, and both Republicans and Democrats will be able to file to run for the seat because Clemmons faced no Democratic opponent.
Two weeks after filing closes, elections officials will hold a primary for the seat, and if needed, two weeks later, they will hold a run off, Whitmire said.
Case Brittain, who ran against Clemmons in the Republican primary this year, said he was surprised by the announcement, but he plans on doing what he needs to restart his pursuit of that seat.
He said his vision hasn’t changed since his initial campaign to “put the grand back in Grand Strand,” prioritizing better educational opportunities and funding infrastructure needs.
The local trial lawyer praised Clemmons for laying the groundwork to build I-73 through Horry County, which he said is needed to create economic diversity in the region.
This story was originally published July 17, 2020 at 9:31 AM with the headline "Myrtle Beach Rep. Alan Clemmons resigns from his SC House seat. Here’s what we know.."
