Shawn Pinkston announces candidacy for SC House District 99 seat

Shawn Pinkston has set his sights on a new political office – a representative for S.C. House District 99. The Daniel Island resident recently made the decision not to run for Charleston City Council District 1, as previously reported in The Daniel Island News, and instead will vie for the State House seat currently occupied by Rep. Nancy Mace, who has announced her intentions to run for U.S. Congress in 2020.

“After much thought, prayer, and conversation with family and friends, I have decided to seek the Republican nomination to represent State House District 99,” stated Pinkston in a press release.

As to why he has opted to seek a General Assembly post as opposed to running for City Council, Pinkston said, “Education and infrastructure are two issues impacting every resident and parent of the Lowcountry. When Nancy Mace announced her intention to run for Congress, I took a hard look at how I could be most effective in addressing these issues. These critically important issues can be best addressed at the State House.”

According to a press release, Pinkston’s priorities in the State House of Representatives will be:

• Improving education, including empowering parents with school choice and vocational degrees;

• Widening I-526, including the Don Holt and Wando bridges, and adding entrance and exit ramps to connecting state roads as part of the Lowcountry Corridor Project;

• Comprehensive tax reform, including the elimination of the income tax on military retirement pay; and returning all future State surpluses to taxpayers.

“The education of our children continues to be woefully inadequate,” said Pinkston. “The number of kids who fail to meet expectations in reading and math is simply unacceptable. It is time for South Carolina to empower parents when it comes to the education of their children. From implementing education savings accounts to expanding the current school voucher and tax credit programs, we need to implement bold educational solutions.”

Another option Pinkston supports is the creation of high school vocational degree programs for students who choose not to attend college.

“Congestion in the Lowcountry continues to get worse and our roads and bridges continue to deteriorate despite hundreds of millions in new gas taxes,” Pinkston said. “The Department of Transportation has identified I-526 as one of the most congested corridors in South Carolina yet no comprehensive plan has been identified on how to reduce this congestion. We must focus on fixing our current roads and bridges, widening 526, and ensuring the Don Holt Bridge and the Wando Bridge can handle the ever-increasing traffic throughout District 99.”

Pinkston said the most recent budget demonstrates the need for comprehensive tax reform.

“Our legislature passed a record budget (nearly $30 billion) and the State recently announced a $350 million surplus. So our state government collected more and spent more than ever before, yet doesn’t plan to return the $350 million surplus to us - the taxpayers.”

Pinkston also supports efforts to enact comprehensive tax reform, specifically the elimination of the income tax on military pensions. He is a veteran of the United States Army and deployed to Iraq as part of the surge forces in 2007.

Pinkston is a local attorney and has been a resident of Berkeley County since 2010. He and his wife, Andrea, have four kids, attend Seacoast Church, and reside on Daniel Island. Pinkston has been involved in several civic and charitable organizations, including March of Dimes, Rotary Club, Exchange Club, his local VFW Post, along with leadership roles within his community associations.

Pinkston has been seeking an opportunity to serve through an elected office since 2013, when he first ran for the U.S. House of Representatives (South Carolina’s First Congressional District). He later served as a candidate for Charleston City Council (2015) and S.C. House District 99 (2017).