Your SC politics briefing

Welcome to your weekly South Carolina politics briefing, a newsletter curated by The State’s politics and government team.

South Carolina’s most public building and grounds will be restricted to the public for former President Donald Trump’s Saturday campaign event at the State House in downtown Columbia, with parts of the complex also restricted.

The former president’s 2024 campaign event, dubbed as invite only (some early reports pitched it as a public rally, possibly outside) and when Trump will announce his South Carolina leadership team, is Trump’s first trip back to South Carolina in the new year. He last visited Florence ahead of the June primaries, when he endorsed Russell Fry and Katie Arrington for Congress.

At the direction of Secret Service, the Bureau of Protective Services said access to the State House complex will be limited to the east side of the capitol grounds along Sumter Street. All other areas of the complex, including the rest of the grounds, parking garage and buildings, will be restricted, officials said.

These roads will be closed from noon to 5pm Saturday:

▪ Sumter Street, between Gervais and Pendleton streets

▪ Pendleton Street, between Assembly and Main streets

▪ Senate Street, from Sumter to Marion streets

Presidents and presidential candidates have visited the State House before, from the King Day at the Dome march (an annual march started to call for the removal of the Confederate flag) and when former President George W. Bush spoke to a joint session of the SC Legislature in 2005 to talk about social security.

But restricting the entire grounds is rare, and hasn’t occurred in recent years. (If someone recalls when they were ever closed, let us know!) The State House is in the middle of downtown and is surrounded by the University of South Carolina.

What do we know about the event? The Trump campaign says more than 100 media credentials have been rejected due to limited space inside. The permit for the event called for 500 people. We’ve heard Trump will visit with lawmakers before the event. Gov. Henry McMaster, US Sen. Lindsey Graham and US Rep. Fry are scheduled to be there.

What do we not know? Who all from the Legislature will actually be there. Already, a handful of members of SC’s federal delegation have said they’re not coming, and throughout this week we heard a lot of “scheduling” conflicts from SC lawmakers.

Read more: Tim Scott’s tricky 2024 decision: To confront Trump in a race for president or not

Gov wants say in who gets to be a judge

Gov. Henry McMaster wants to have say in who gets appointed to a judgeship.

In his sixth state of the state address, McMaster told SC lawmakers governors should get appointment say in who gets to be a judge, with advice and consent of the Senate.

It would be a departure from the current system. SC lawmakers screen and elect judges, not voters.

“Gubernatorial appointment of all judges, with the advice and consent of the state Senate, requires no ‘reinvention of the wheel,’ will inspire the confidence of our people, and will encourage more excellent attorneys to seek public service,” McMaster said in his annual address this week.

The remarks follow the recent SC Supreme Court ruling striking down the state’s six-week abortion ban. Republicans have zeroed in on the courts and judicial vetting since, arguing judicial candidates should be skewered more on “judicial philosophy.”

McMaster said Wednesday he will petition the SC Supreme Court for a rehearing next week.

Between the lines: McMaster’s suggestion to give him more say would require a change to the SC Constitution. And while it works currently for governor Cabinet appointments, hard to see the SC House giving up any power to solely the governor and, more specifically, the Senate.

“What he wants to go to is a system where people donate money to the governor, and by virtue of doing that they get elected to a judgeship,” said House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford, a lawyer and a member of the judicial vetting committee. “Absolutely absurd and hasn’t worked with anything else. We continue to have the best system to elect judges. And Virginia is right in line with that.”

Read more: Democrats push for education, social justice in response to SC State of the State address

Buzz Bites

▪ Planned Parenthood South Atlantic has joined the lobbying campaign to move South Carolina first on the Democratic presidential primary calendar, a decision that’ll be made a little bit more than a week by the Democratic National Committee.

▪ Former Gov. Nikki Haley, a possible 2024 presidential hopeful, is forming a national finance committee and communications team to explore a potential campaign, CNBC has reported.

▪ Bob Jones University President Steve Pettit has signed a three-year extension to continue as head of the private Christian college in the Upstate, the Associated Press reported.

▪ Top state prosecutors from across the country, including in South Carolina, are again urging Congress to pass a bill that would allow state prisons to jam the signals of cellphones smuggled to inmates.

▪ SC Chamber of Commerce outlined its 2023 competitiveness agenda, but a new survey the chamber conducted found most South Carolina business leaders now support legalizing medical marijuana. Meanwhile, the chamber has moved hate crimes legislation from the top of its priority list, despite a push from the group over the past couple of years.

▪ An effort to ban critical race theory in South Carolina public schools is moving forward in the House after a subcommittee advanced the bill on party lines.

▪ A bill to break up the SC DHEC has resurfaced as critics say they want greater environmental protections.

▪ SC Supreme Court ordered a lower court to collect more information from the SC Department of Corrections over the agency’s attempts to acquire lethal injection drugs for executions, the Associated Press reports.

Mark your calendar

Jan. 28

Former President Donald Trump in Columbia for 2024 campaign event

Feb. 2-4

Democratic National Committee meets to decide presidential primary calendar

Feb. 8

Legislature votes on next SC Supreme Court justice (was originally scheduled for Feb. 1)

March 13

SC House begins budget debate

March 20-24

SC House goes on furlough

April 10-14

SC House goes on furlough

April 18

Income tax filing deadline

Before we adjourn

South Carolina Sen. Nikki Setzler, a Lexington Democrat, has hit a milestone in the Palmetto State.

The former Senate minority leader was honored this week as the longest-serving state senator in South Carolina history, only trailing the late Sen. Marion Gressette, who Setzler will surpass at the end of his current term ending after 2024.

His Senate colleagues also noted Setzler is the the longest-serving current state senator in the US.

Setzler, an attorney who lives in West Columbia, first joined the SC Senate in 1977.

Pulling the newsletter together this week was Maayan Schechter (My-yahn Schek-ter), senior editor of the The State’s politics and state government team. You can keep up with her on Twitter and send her tips on Twitter at @MaayanSchechter or by email mschechter@thestate.com.

To stay on top of South Carolina politics and election news, you can chat with us on Facebook, email us tips and follow our stories at scpolitics.com.