When my wife, Kiersten, and I married ten years ago, we wanted to start a family in a safe community that provided good-paying jobs, had great schools and was a place where families could thrive. Thankfully, we've been blessed to raise our family in Lexington.

While our community and state have seen significant progress, there is still much work to be done. Kiersten and I never imagined that we would run for public office, but we could no longer stand on the sidelines when we saw what was happening in Columbia.

Families across our community and state are struggling, and there is a lack of focus and leadership on the issues that matter. We knew we must enter the arena to fight for hardworking families, senior citizens and small business owners.

For too long, special interest groups have controlled the agenda at the statehouse, and their dark-money funds have influenced far too many of our politicians. When this happens, families are left behind.

I'm running for the State Senate because this district needs a commonsense, conservative outsider who will focus on the issues that matter. I won't deal myself into political games or bow down to special interest groups. I can proudly say that I know every single individual who has donated to my campaign, and not one of them is from a dark money group.

As your senator, I will fight for government reform by pushing for term limits, ethics reform and transparency. I will work to balance the state's budget, cut wasteful spending, cut taxes and return tax dollars to taxpayers. I will fight to uphold Christian, conservative family values by protecting the unborn.

Thankfully, Lexington County has some great schools and incredible educators, and we must keep it that way. I will work to ensure parents have a choice in where their child goes to school, increase teacher pay, return funding to the classroom where it belongs, stop excessive standardized testing and ensure our students are learning the skills they need to meet the economy's demands. I’ll fight to keep boys out of girls' sports, stop the radical transgender agenda and keep woke programs out of the classroom.

If you’re like me, you’re tired of hitting potholes and driving on broken bridges and seeing other counties get their funding while our new projects get left behind. Unfortunately, that’s what happens when you elect a senator who is out of touch with this community.

I’ll proudly represent Lexington and fight for better infrastructure in our county by working to secure funds for better roads and bridges. We must also expand access to affordable high-speed internet and improve our local sewage and water systems.

I will also focus my energies on priority one for government—public safety.  Due to the failures of the Biden administration to secure the border and enforce the law, no community in our country is safe. I will be tough on stopping illegal immigration and keeping families safe by unapologetically supporting law enforcement. We must give them the pay, funding, resources, training and support they need and deserve to keep us safe.

In addition, we must also reform our criminal justice system to close the revolving door on repeat offenders. I will also support Gov. Henry McMaster sending the S.C. National Guard to the border and funding SLED's new Illegal Immigration Enforcement Unit.

Kiersten and I have loved this community from the moment we put our roots down here. Lexington is special, not because of any politician, but because of the wonderful people who live, work and raise families here.

I'm not running to build a political career or for personal gain. I'm in this race so we can have a fighter in the State Senate who is focused on families and the issues that matter. I would be honored to have your vote in the Republican Primary for S.C. Senate District 10 on June 11.