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by WILL FOLKS
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South Carolina eighth circuit solicitor David Stumbo rolled out a lengthy list of law enforcement and prosecutorial endorsements this week in his bid to become the Palmetto State’s top prosecutor.
Stumbo, 49, of Greenwood, S.C. announced his candidacy for attorney general of South Carolina back in September. He joined state senator Stephen Goldfinch and veteran S.C. first district solicitor David Pascoe in the field for this tremendously powerful post – which is being vacated by four-term attorney general Alan Wilson.
Wilson is not seeking a fifth term, choosing to run for governor instead.
Stumbo is also in his fourth term as solicitor for South Carolina’s eighth judicial circuit – which includes Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens and Newberry counties. First elected in 2012, he was reelected to that post in 2016, 2020 and again in 2024.
This week, Stumbo received endorsements from fifteen South Carolina sheriffs and five solicitors. The sheriffs endorsing Stumbo were:
- Ray Watson, Abbeville County Sheriff
- Chad McBride, Anderson County Sheriff
- Kenny Bamberg, Bamberg County Sheriff
- P.J. Tanner, Beaufort County Sheriff
- Max Dorsey, Chester County Sheriff
- Jody Rowland, Edgefield County Sheriff
- Hobart Lewis, Greenville County Sheriff
- Dennis Kelly, Greenwood County Sheriff
- Don Reynolds, Laurens County Sheriff
- Brian Wallace, Marion County Sheriff
- Chad Cox, McCormick County Sheriff
- Mike Crenshaw, Oconee County Sheriff
- Tommy Blankenship, Pickens County Sheriff
- Josh Price, Saluda County Sheriff
- Jeff Bailey, Union County Sheriff
The solicitors endorsing Stumbo were:
- Bill Weeks, 2nd Circuit Solicitor (Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell Counties)
- Micah Black, 10th Circuit Solicitor (Anderson, Oconee Counties)
- Rick Hubbard, 11th Circuit Solicitor (Edgefield, Lexington, McCormick, Saluda Counties)
- Ed Clements, 12th Circuit Solicitor (Florence, Marion Counties)
- Walt Wilkins, Former 13th Circuit Solicitor (Greenville, Pickens Counties)
“David Stumbo is the real deal,” solicitor Hubbard said in a statement accompanying the announcement. “David Stumbo understands what prosecutors and law enforcement face every day, and he’s committed to making sure our system works for victims, not criminals. I’m proud to stand with David Stumbo.”
“David Stumbo has always had our back,” sheriff McBride said in the statement. “It is refreshing to see a prosecutor in David who actually partners with law enforcement to fight crime and keep our communities safe. David Stumbo has proven in over two decades of service to the people of this State that he is exactly what we need in our next Attorney General.”
Sheriff Dorsey added that Stumbo was “a fierce, proven prosecutor who knows exactly how to take down drug traffickers and ensure justice for crime victims.”
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“The citizens of South Carolina deserve an attorney general with this level of hands-on experience, and that is why I proudly give David my full endorsement,” Dorsey added.
Stumbo said he was “deeply honored” to receive the support of so many fighting on the front lines of the battle to make our communities safer.
“The Solicitors and Sheriffs who have endorsed my campaign put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe,” said Stumbo. “We’ve stood together, fighting on the front lines to uphold the rule of law and protect victims of crime, and that’s why I am so deeply honored to have their trust and support in this campaign to make South Carolina safe and great.”
Stumbo, Pascoe and Goldfinch are the only currently announced GOP candidates, but another prospective contender – Henry D. McMaster Jr. – is rumored to be eyeing the post. McMaster Jr., 37, is a retail and hospitality industry attorney from Columbia, S.C. His father, governor Henry McMaster, was attorney general from 2003-2011 and has been governor since 2017.
Should he enter the race, McMaster Jr. would likely benefit from both name identification and the significant financial support of his father’s political network.
Keep it tuned to FITSNews as we track all of the upcoming Palmetto State elections as part of our ongoing Crossroads 2026 coverage…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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3 comments
““David Stumbo has always had our back,” sheriff McBride said in the statement.”
Interesting, considering McBride is sheriff in Anderson, which is part of the 10th Circuit. How exactly would Stumbo, solicitor in the 8th Circuit, have his back?
What’s even more interesting is that Sheriff Foster of Newberry, which is in the 8th Circuit, is not endorsing Stumbo (at least as of when that list was released). He’s the longest serving sheriff in the state, and the fact that he’s not sold on the guy he’s been working with for the entirety of Stumbo’s tenure tells me something.
I came here to make this same point. As I recall, Sheriff Foster isn’t usually one to make a lot of public endorsements, but still, this seems telling. I was summoned for jury duty for a case his office prosecuted in Newberry County several years ago and was shocked at the lack of professionalism, preparedness, and general competency displayed by everyone from the 8th circuit staff. Negligence on their part led to what should have been an open and shut case being dismissed. The defendant was in the news for committing a violent crime less than 6 months later.
Additionally, there have been rumors in the county for years that there was some impropriety at play in what led to Stumbo’s election in the first place. He certainly won’t have my vote.
He can have my vote if he answers honestly on why the Daniel HS football players were never proscecuted?