Our Solicitor has joined the race to become the next South Carolina’s Attorney General, and the state’s chief prosecutor.
The office is becoming open because current AG, and David Stumbo’s former boss, is running for Governor. The current governor, Henry McMaster, is term-limited and cannot seek a third consecutive term.
Stumbo is the Solicitor of the Eighth Judicial Circuit, which includes Laurens County.
He made his formal announcement last Tuesday in the Magnolia Room of the Laurens County Museum.
Stumbo made a promise to protect the children of South Carolina.
“Children are not a commodity. Period.”
Stumbo said as Attorney General his office will dismantle human trafficking and networks dealing in human beings.
“During the Biden administration, our border was porous. We still do not know how many kids are in this country that were brought over, and they may be exploited right now, so we are going to continue to partner with our federal partners and our human trafficking task forces all over the state of South Carolina to find these kids that are in the trafficking pipelines. A lot of times it’s happening right under our noses, and we are going to root that out and attack that problem.”
Stumbo set out protecting families as a major campaign initiative. “It’s all about families. It’s about keeping our families safe in South Carolina, and that’s why I got into this profession over 20 years ago.” The candidate mentioned that he is the second oldest of 10 children, and his wife, Vanessa, is one of six children in her family.
He also discussed political violence and the assassination of controversial conservative activist Charlie Kirk allegedly by a 22-year-old rifleman at a rally in Utah. The suspect has been charged with murder, and the State of Utah has announced it will seek the death penalty upon conviction.
“I’d be remiss if I did not remember what happened last week,” Stumbo said. “I think we are at a point in our country where it means more for than ever for us to be vigilant, to speak the truth in dark places like Charlie Kirk did, and what happened last week was an absolute travesty and a tragedy. We need to honor this life by going and speaking boldly … what a hero he was for us.”
Stumbo says he has learned in 13 years as the Eighth Circuit Solicitor and before that working in the state AG’s office that “political promises don’t protect people; verdicts do, guilty verdicts and long sentences for dangerous people.”
“In the AG’s office, I worked with the state grand jury. I achieved justice for victims.”
Stumbo promised to bring statewide innovative criminal justice programs like the veterans’ treatment court — a 2015 program that helps veterans deal with substance abuse that derails their re-entry into society.
He said, “In my career, I haven’t chased headlines. I’ve just chased the truth. And the truth that our country has seen up close and personal in the past week, not only in the Charlie Kirk assassination but also in the horrific event that unfolded in Charlotte on the train (a young Ukrainian immigrant stabbed to death allegedly by a person released from custody), is that the stakes are high, folks; and it’s because the stakes are real.
“Real lives are at stake in this battle for right and wrong - these stakes aren’t a press release or a talking point - what they are is the family that won’t sleep until the person that hurt their child is behind bars. They’re the deputy sheriff that’s walking into danger and trusting those of us in a courtroom to have their back. They’re our neighbors who want communities that feel safe not just sound safe. They’re the church congregation that prays their beliefs don’t come under attack by violence or woke government agendas like we saw during the Covid era.”
Stumbo said he is a proven conservative prosecutor, a proud conservative, and supporter of President Donald J. Trump and his American First agenda, to applause from the Magnolia Room audience. He said that no matter how much money political candidates spend, there is no substitute for having a proven record in getting the job done; and he promised during this campaign cycle not to stoop to cheap campaign tactics and personal attacks. He said candidates need to bring people together, “not drive wedges, there has been far too much of that.”
Stumbo promised a strong and continuous fight against the highly addictive drug, fentanyl.
“Fentanyl is stealing our sons and daughters in every corner of our state. We will continue our work with the statewide fentanyl strike force to target cartel pipelines, major suppliers, and repeat offenders. If you poison our people, we will find you, prosecute you, and put you away.”
He promised to continue the statewide grand jury’s fight against public corruption, to defend South Carolina from federal over reach, and to back the blue.
“For over 20 years I’ve gone toe to toe with predators, traffickers, and violent criminals; and I beat them time and time again. That’s the kind of fight and the kind of victory that you can count on with David Stumbo as your attorney general. I am the toughest pro-Trump crime fighter in this race so criminals and illegal aliens who are committing crimes in our country, listen closely — anybody who tries to prey on our people hear me now, you are not welcome here. As Attorney General, I will make this state a nightmare for criminals. I will fight every day to make South Carolina the safest and best place to live in America.”
