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Most politicians are incredibly circumspect… and go out of their way to avoid giving offense. They play things safe and tell people what they want to hear.
That is not Kirkman Finlay. The former five-term South Carolina lawmaker – who narrowly lost his reelection bid in 2022 – is a definitional blunt instrument. Finlay’s brusque outspokenness doesn’t always translate to the proverbial “game of addition” – but he’s hoping his vision for the capital city of Columbia will win over voters this fall as he campaigns for the seat he held from 2013-2022.
Finlay says securing Columbia’s future starts by admitting there’s a problem with its recent trajectory, namely the fact it is “atrophying people, businesses… and political power.”
“Thirty or forty years ago, we were considered the most important – or the second-most important – city in the state,” Finlay said. “That’s probably not as clear today.”
“This has been unfortunately a problem for our city every thirty of forty years,” Finlay continued. “Originally it was Atlanta we were competing against. Then Charlotte. Then Charleston and Greenville. The question becomes at what point are we competing with Florence? I mean, we need to ask ourselves how do we get out of this loop.”

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As I noted in previewing his candidacy back in the spring, Finlay was the elected official who first turned this media outlet on to the scourge of judicial leniency in the Palmetto State – drawing our attention to the murder of 33-year-old Kelly L. Hunnewell in a downtown Columbia, S.C. bakery.
Hunnewell, the mother of four young children, was working the early morning shift at the bakery when she was murdered by Lorenzo Bernard Young – a local gang member. Weeks earlier, Young was released from custody by former S.C. circuit court judge Alison Lee over the objections of prosecutors. At the time of his release, Young was facing charges of first degree burglary, possession of a weapon during violent crime, criminal conspiracy, three counts of armed robbery, kidnapping and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature.
Finlay’s advocacy thrust this issue onto the statewide stage for the first time – effectively launching the judicial reform movement in the Palmetto State.
According to Finlay, the secret to reducing violent crime in Columbia – and elsewhere in South Carolina – lies with lawmakers appointing judges who will hold the criminal class in our state accountable.
“If you were to ask law enforcement in a quiet moment away from a camera I think you’d discover that many of the people who terrorize our communities are the same group,” Finlay said. “It’s not a wide group, it’s a very narrow group. And that group is caught – frequently for the same infractions – over and over again and is never really put in jail, certainly not for the extended period of time they could be.”
“Judges have to be willing, occasionally, to hand down the maximum sentence,” Finlay said.
Finlay and I discussed a wide range of issues facing Columbia and the Palmetto State. To watch our full conversation, click here…
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This election season, be sure you Prep for the Polls by checking your voter registration information, polling location and sample ballot at scVOTES.gov. The State Election Commission does not have editorial review or approval of any political coverage; any content posted by FITSNews does not reflect the opinion of the State Election Commission.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the owner and founding editor of FITSNews. Prior to founding his own news outlet, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina, bass guitarist in an alternative rock band and bouncer at a Columbia, S.C. dive bar. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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1 comment
Finlay has some decent ideas but lost my respect when he voted against restoration of 2A rights long ago stolen from SC citizens, such as Constitutional Carry and Open Carry With Permit. Apparently Mr Finlay does not hold parts of The Constitution in high regard.