High Prices Take Center Stage in South Carolina’s Governor’s Race

Why Are We Talking About This? (The Big Picture)

Imagine your piggy bank doesn’t stretch as far as it used to. Milk, doctor visits, and houses all cost more. In South Carolina (nicknamed the Palmetto State), people are feeling this squeeze. The person who will be the next "governor" (the state’s top boss) wants to fix this. Two main candidates are running: Alan Wilson (Republican) and Jermaine Johnson (Democrat). They both say they’ll help families afford things, but they have different ideas, like two kids with different plans to share toys.

Meet the Candidates and Their Helper Plans

Alan Wilson (Republican)

Alan Wilson is the state’s attorney general (like the top lawyer for the state) and has been for four terms. His plan mostly focuses on making the government cheaper so families pay less.

• Eliminate the state income tax: This is money taken from your paycheck by the state. He wants to remove it.
• Reduce property taxes: This is a tax you pay for owning a home or land.
• Cut fraud, waste, and abuse: Stop silly or wrong spending that makes government costly.

His campaign says every idea must pass a simple test: “Will this make life more affordable for South Carolina families?”
Some specific ideas:

• Fix a law called Act 388 (a 2006 rule that changed how property taxes work) to reform property taxes.
• Use a "Families First Audit Initiative" (a big check-up to find wasted money).
• Lower insurance costs by changing lawsuit rules (called "common-sense tort reform") so companies charge less.
• Make energy (like electricity) cheaper and more reliable by producing more in-state.

Jermaine Johnson (Democrat)

Jermaine Johnson has been in the state House (a group that makes laws) for Richland County since 2020. He also wants to cut some taxes:

• Take 70% of state income taxpayers off the rolls (meaning they wouldn’t pay that tax).
• Reduce property taxes.

But he also wants to help workers earn more:

• Raise the minimum wage: This is the smallest amount a boss can pay a worker. He wants it to be "livable" so people can afford basics.
• He imagines a world where you have one good-paying job, a safe neighborhood, and good schools.

His campaign’s to-do list:

• Pass the "South Carolina Resource Independence and Resilience Act" (a fancy name for making more essential stuff inside SC and keeping supply chains strong).
• Hold insurance companies accountable so premiums (monthly payments) go down.
• Give tax relief to small businesses that create jobs.

Important Callout: Both want to cut some taxes, but Wilson’s plan is about shrinking government costs, while Johnson’s plan also lifts worker pay and local making of goods.

Campaigns Sharpen Their Pitches

In July, both teams spoke clearly about their plans.

Johnson’s team said: “South Carolina families feel the affordability crisis every day, and the solution starts with putting more money back in people’s pockets.” They repeated their ideas: the resource act, livable wage, insurance check, small-business tax help.

Wilson’s team said: “Every policy in A.G. Alan Wilson’s campaign starts with one question: Will this make life more affordable for South Carolina families?” They listed: no income tax, property tax fix, waste cut, insurance tort reform, more energy.

The Politics … and the Prices

A smart professor (Scott Huffmon) who studies politics says it’s no surprise everyone talks about affordability because "we’re struggling here in South Carolina with increased costs just trying to make ends meet."

What does that struggle look like? A poll (like a big survey) from Winthrop found:

• 67% of SC residents find groceries hard to afford.
• 59% say health care and housing are hard.
• 61% say eating out is too pricey.
• 72% say a week-long vacation is impossible.

Since 2017, prices have jumped (from Urban Institute data):

• Groceries and health insurance: up almost 40%.
• Rent and child care: up more than 46%.
• Home prices: shot up 68%.

But here’s a twist: Economist Joseph Von Nessen says most price rises are because of big national forces, not the governor. He notes:

• U.S. inflation (prices going up overall) is 4.2%.
• Wages (pay) only rise 3.4%.
• So people lose "purchasing power" – each dollar buys less.

Important Callout: The governor can’t control grocery prices much. But there is one place they can help: housing.

One Place to Make a Difference: Housing

Von Nessen says the state can act on housing. Here’s what each candidate offers:

• Johnson: more money for subsidized affordable housing (government helps pay so lower-income folks get cheaper homes).
• Wilson: lawsuit reform to lower costs of owning a home.
• Both: more property tax relief.

For a long-term fix, we need more houses because more people are moving to SC. Steps experts suggest:

1. Work with local towns on zoning (rules for what can be built where).
2. Make permitting (getting building permission) easier.
3. Improve infrastructure (roads, water, power).
4. Increase the supply of new homes.

As Von Nessen says, “Upward pressure on housing prices is a big part of the affordability challenge.”

Summary

In the South Carolina governor race, both Alan Wilson and Jermaine Johnson want to ease the money squeeze. Wilson (R) focuses on cutting taxes, government waste, insurance lawsuit rules, and energy. Johnson (D) also cuts taxes for most, but adds raising the minimum wage, local production, and insurance oversight. While most price jumps come from national trends, housing is where the state can step in. Both have ideas to make homes more affordable, but building more houses is key.

This article is based on reporting by Jack O’Toole, Statehouse bureau chief for Statehouse Report and the Charleston City Paper.

FAQ

1. What does "affordability crunch" mean in kid terms?
It means things cost more than your money can comfortably cover, like if your allowance stays same but candy prices double.

2. Who are the two candidates and what parties?
Alan Wilson is the Republican nominee, current attorney general. Jermaine Johnson is the Democratic nominee, a state representative for Richland County since 2020.

3. Can the governor magically lower grocery prices?
No. An economist explained that prices are mostly driven by national inflation, which a state boss can’t fully control.

4. Why does Johnson want a higher minimum wage?
The minimum wage is the lowest pay allowed. He wants it "livable" so full-time workers can afford food, housing, and school for kids.

5. How can the state help with housing?
By cutting property taxes, supporting affordable housing money, reforming laws that raise costs, and working with cities to build more homes.