State Senate District 10 includes current state Sen. Billy Garrett, R-McCormick, and Democratic challenger Francie Kleckley.
Garrett is seeking a second four-year term after winning his first term in 2020. Kleckley is a retired U.S. Treasury Department official.
Senate District 10 covers parts of Greenwood, Lexington and Saluda counties.
Billy Garrett
Name: Billy Garrett
Party: Republican
Age: 68
Occupation/place of employment: Lawyer and small business owner
Education/school: Lander University, BA, University of South Carolina Law School, JD
Political or social experience: First elected to the Senate in 2020.
Campaign website: www.VoteBillyGarrett.com
Why are you running for Senate District 10?
I first ran for Senate to help end business as usual and bring conservative change to South Carolina – and that’s exactly what I did. I have a record to point to that shows how I will lead, including making our state safer by cracking down on dangerous drugs, defending and funding law enforcement, protecting Second Amendment rights, focusing on children and teachers in the classroom and the voices of parents, and working to find long-term solutions to our infrastructure challenges. My track record is that I have delivered more than $540 million in desperately needed projects for our communities, record levels, while returning $1 billion to our state’s taxpayers. This record has earned me the full support of Governor Henry McMaster, Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, Attorney General Alan Wilson, U.S. Representative Joe Wilson and many sheriffs, legislators, attorneys and community leaders. I humbly ask that the voters give me their support in November.
If elected, what would be your two or three priorities during the next term?
There is no shortage of ways we can improve the daily lives of our people, but the three I hear about most are public safety, roads and infrastructure, and our tax system. If our communities and our schools are not safe, we will have no society at all. During my term in the Senate, I sponsored legislation to make our state safer by addressing deadly fentanyl, creating an illegal immigration task force with SLED, passing federal bond reforms, and increasing funding for law enforcement . Infrastructure is more than just filling potholes or renewing roads; Traffic congestion in our state’s rapidly growing areas is a real problem that leads to long commute times and increased traffic accidents. Long-term planning is crucial. We have made great progress in returning money to taxpayers and cutting taxes, but more reform needs to be done. Year-over-year surpluses are not a way for the state to meet its budget. We can and must implement holistic tax reforms to help our people and our businesses.
What Senate District 10 projects would you advocate earmarking funding for through the state budget?
During my time in the Senate, I helped deliver more than $540 million in projects critical to our communities: local schools, technical and trade colleges, health care facilities, urgent care centers, expanding broadband internet, protecting our waterways and lakes. and new funding for law enforcement and first responders. These are core functions of government and worth fighting for. My track record of delivering results and leading with the motto “Promises Promised, Promises Kept” will remain my responsibility. We’re just getting started!
Francie Kleckley
Name: Francie Kleckley
Party: Democratic
Age: 65
Occupation/place of employment: I worked as a career official at the U.S. Treasury Department for 36 years.
Education/school: I am a first-generation graduate of Francis Marion University, where I earned a degree in business administration and a scholarship to play tennis. During the summers, I interned with the U.S. Small Business Administration and volunteered as a swim instructor at a camp for children with learning disabilities and other special needs. I have also earned several certifications through the International Association of Privacy Professionals.
Political or social experience: After graduating, I dedicated my life to public service at the U.S. Treasury Department. Over the course of my more than three-decade career, I have helped small businesses and individuals comply with complex tax obligations, supported working families in navigating the federal bureaucracy, and resolved systemic issues related to the rights of taxpayers and the tax burden across the country. I have also led efforts to combat tax-related identity theft and protect consumer privacy. In the meantime, I fought against gender discrimination within the ranks of the department and met the demands of life as a single, working mother to my two beautiful children. Now I stay active in my community by serving on the boards of numerous non-profit organizations.
Campaign website: www.franciekleckley.com
Why are you running for Senate District 10?
I am running for first-time citizen and Senate candidate to deliver results for the working families of District 10, to defend their fundamental freedoms, and to defeat the politics of division and extremism that have corrupted our General Assembly. As a former Treasury Department official, you can count on me to cut costs, rein in spending, and balance the books. And now, as a grandmother, I am determined to ensure that my granddaughter grows up with all the basic rights she deserves, including access to reproductive health care. That’s what I will fight for in Columbia.
If elected, what would be your two or three priorities during the next term?
My top priority is the economy. We need to make life more affordable for working families in Greenwood, Lexington and Saluda counties. In Columbia, I will fight to curb per diem costs and out-of-control prices, and create good-paying jobs with good benefits. I will invest in our small businesses, and I will go after big corporations responsible for jacking up prices on consumers amid inflation. Then I will fight hard to defend reproductive health care for our women and families. I believe you have the right to make sensitive medical decisions about your own body. I also believe that you have the right to grow your family as you see fit, including with the help of fertility treatments. My opponent, Senator Billy Garrett, wants a total ban on abortion, with no exceptions for rape and incest. I want to get politicians out of the consulting room. In the Senate, I will vote to protect reproductive health care, including contraception and IVF. I am also committed to expanding Medicaid throughout South Carolina, which would lower health care costs and provide comprehensive health insurance to more than 18,000 people here in Senate District 10. Finally, I will fight for reform of our state’s liquor liability insurance. law so that our beloved small businesses are not forced to close or leave the state. These are both issues that Billy Garrett has refused to address during his time at Columbia. If I get to the Senate, I will tackle them from day one of being in office.
What Senate District 10 projects would you advocate earmarking funding for through the state budget?
I support state funding for repairs to the Ware Shoals Hydroelectric Power Plant, owned and operated by Patriot Hydro. Since the facility went offline in 2022, property owners along the Saluda River have been negatively impacted by lower water levels, resulting in property damage, land loss and emerging sinkholes. I also support funding the construction of a public swimming pool for riverfront residents as they navigate these challenges.
