Get to know the candidates for U.S. House of Representatives, District 6, Republican Primary
Two Republicans will face each other in the June primary to vie for the chance to then face longtime incumbent U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn and unopposed nominees for other parties for the District 6 congressional seat in the capitol.
South Carolina's 6th Congressional District covers downtown Sumter and the historic residential district and Swan Lake area up to where Main Street and North Pike East meet, South and East Sumter; Clarendon County; Columbia; Kingstree; Lake City; Orangeburg; Denmark, Allendale; Ridgeland; Hardeeville; and Charleston. Clyburn, who was born in Sumter, was elected to Congress in 1993.
For the primary, Duke Buckner and Justin Scott will be on the Republican ballot. The winner will face Clyburn (Democrat), Gregg Marcel Dixon (United Citizens), Joseph Oddo (Alliance) and Michael Simpson (Libertarian).
Early voting for the primaries is open now through June 7, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., at Sumter County Courthouse and Delaine Elementary School, Monday-Friday. Polls countywide will be open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11.
Candidates were given the same questions, which are answered below.
Duke Buckner
Why are you running?
U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) has been in office for more than 30 years. He will be 84 years old in July, and it is time for new leadership. The 6th Congressional District has been stagnant economically since Mr. Clyburn has been in office. Despite having high rank and influence in Congress, his district remains the poorest in South Carolina and one of the poorest in the country. While the rest of the state is booming and doing well, the "forgotten" counties of Allendale, Bamberg, Colleton, Calhoun, Clarendon, Hampton, Jasper, Williamsburg and parts of Orangeburg, Florence, Charleston, Richland, Dorchester and Sumter as a whole have lost population and good-paying jobs. Young people have little opportunity; therefore, some leave the district and sometimes even the entire state to find a decent job to take care of their family. Educationally, our schools are not performing as well as they should. As a result, crime has increased and is a major problem. I am running to change all that - to put us at the top and not continually remain at the bottom.
Have you run for political office before? If so, explain:
I won a seat on Walterboro City Council in 2009 and ran for U.S. Senate in 2020. I also was the Republican party's nominee for the 6th Congressional District in 2022 when we received the highest percentage of votes any Republican has ever received in the 6th District at 37.8%.
How long have you lived in the district that you are running for office for?
I have lived in my district for pretty much my whole life outside of law school. I moved to south Florida in 2003 to earn my law degree and practiced there for a short time. I came back home to Walterboro in 2009 and have lived there ever since.
Current job/profession:
I am a practicing attorney in Walterboro. I am licensed to practice law in South Carolina and Florida. I started Buckner Law Firm, P.A. in 2012. In August, we will have been in business for 12 years.
What makes you qualified for the seat?
I believe many of the problems facing District 6 can be solved by getting people and groups to sit down and work together. I am a licensed attorney in South Carolina and a trained mediator. I was a middle and high school English teacher and owned and operated a weekly newspaper. I know how important planning is for success. I believe I can be a catalyst for positive change and also be a positive role model that can bring people together to help come up with solutions for the problems facing the 6th District. As an attorney, I am also an advocate for my clients and will be the same for the citizens of the 6th District in Washington.
What challenges/concerns do you see in your district and how do you intend to improve them?
I. The state of the economy is a major issue facing the district. "Bidenomics" has resulted in higher prices for food, gas, housing and other necessities. As a result, the economic condition in the 6th District has not improved but has gotten worse. To bring jobs and economic growth back to the 6th Congressional District, we must first reduce the corporate tax rate, not increase it to 21% as proposed by the Biden administration. Burdensome taxes and regulations on businesses take away their incentive to grow, expand and hire more people. The same is true for nonprofits who find it extremely difficult and challenging to complete grant applications that are hard to fill out. Second, we need to secure our borders. Some illegal immigrants are taking jobs and resources that should be for citizens. Last, we must bring back manufacturing jobs by providing incentives for companies to locate in the 6th District. Good-paying jobs belong to the 6th District, and as your congressman, I am going to fight to make sure we get them and more money for nonprofit organizations.
II. Crime is another serious problem facing the district. Many people do not feel safe in their homes and neighborhoods. Shootings, murders, robberies and thefts have become commonplace. In many instances, illegal drugs and substance abuse are factors in the crimes being committed. Therefore, to fix the problem, I would support a zero-tolerance approach to illegal drugs that poison our communities. In addition, I would support increased funding for drug and alcohol abuse centers including mental health facilities where people can get help.
III. Lastly, we must improve education for our children. Currently, too many students cannot read or are not testing on grade level. We can improve education by implementing school choice so that the money follows the child and not the institution. Children should not be forced to stay in a failing school. In addition, we must increase standards and focus on reading, writing and arithmetic. Last, we must look to abolish the U.S. Department of Education so that we can raise teacher pay, reduce class sizes, enforce discipline and ensure parents have a say in their child's education.
What successes have you seen in your district that you want to build on?
District 6 contains the I-95 corridor, one of the busiest interstates in the country. However, because of neglect, many parts of it have fallen in desperate need of repair. As your congressman, I will work to expand I-95 to three lanes, resurface areas that have pot holes and beautify the landscape to make it pristine. In addition, we have great colleges and universities in the 6th District. I would like to coordinate efforts with industry leaders and school officials to make sure that graduates are obtaining marketable skills. Last, we need a representative who will look at the big picture and work to get our district booming. South Carolina's economy is ranked 22nd out of the 50 states, according to U.S. News and World Report. It is time for the 6th District to enjoy the economic prosperity the rest of the state has enjoyed.
Are you actively involved in the community? How so?
I have been active in my local church for many years. In addition, I have supported the athletic department and the band program at Colleton County High School. Furthermore, I have represented the good people of the 6th District in legal matters for the last 11 years as a practicing attorney.
I want to utilize my skills as a former English teacher, newspaperman and attorney to serve the people of the 6th Congressional District.
Anything else about yourself you want to add?
I believe that the days of African Americans voting straight Democratic Party ticket are over! In addition, I have come to the conclusion that the Democratic Party of today is not the Democratic Party of our parents. Progressive Democrats have taken over the party and have swung it so far to the left that it no longer represents the values and beliefs of the African American community. Furthermore, I believe the Democratic Party has become hostile, condescending and demeaning towards Black people. Its leaders use "shame" as a political tactic to keep Black people in line, and their policies keep Black people in economic slavery. Mr. Clyburn and his progressive Democratic party have had control over the 6th Congressional District for more than 30 years, and under his leadership, I have watched them run it into the ground. The citizens deserve better representation, and I plan to give it to them as their next congressman.
- - -
Justin Scott
Why are you running?
To effect change to leave this country a better place for the children of the future. Preserve values that make America great.
Have you run for political office before? If so, explain:
No
How long have you lived in the district that you are running for office for?
Seven years
Current job/profession:
Business owner - welder/fabricator
What makes you qualified for the seat?
Qualification is set forth by the U.S. Constitution. I meet all requirements to hold office for the U.S. House of Representatives. Other than that, I believe in limited federal government that follows the Constitution. Beyond that, all other decisions should go to the states since they can better make rules that support their communities.
What challenges/concerns do you see in your district and how do you intend to improve them?
Low income/poverty and education. Wages have been stagnant for decades, and that is something that needs to be addressed, especially with the current rate of inflation.
What successes have you seen in your district that you want to build on?
N/A
Are you actively involved in the community? How so?
Currently not as much as I would like. Most of my time has been focused on running a start-up business for the last four years.
Anything else about yourself you want to add?
I'm here as a candidate that would like to support policy decisions that benefit the middle- and lower-class working families. I feel today we have been left behind in most of the decisions that politicians have been making as of late.