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by WILL FOLKS
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South Carolina attorney general Alan Wilson – the current leader in the race for the Palmetto State’s pivotal Republican gubernatorial nomination – launched the second ad of his front-running campaign this week.
Entitled “Squeezed,” the thirty-second spot is narrated by Wilson, who speaks to the camera about the “growing financial strain facing families across South Carolina” and his “clear plan to deliver relief.” According to a release from Wilson’s campaign, the ad “draws a direct contrast between rising costs and a government that has failed to keep up with the needs of working families.”
“From higher taxes to rising grocery bills, insurance, and energy costs, the message is clear: South Carolinians are being squeezed from every direction,” the campaign release noted.
The ad is running statewide, and is backed by what Wilson’s campaign referred to as a “significant media buy.” A specific dollar amount was not provided, however.
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“South Carolina families are suffering,” Wilson says in the spot. “Higher taxes, groceries, insurance, and energy. We’re being crushed because government is failing us.”
“As governor, I’ll make South Carolina affordable for your family and profitable for your business,” Wilson said, referring to his plans to eliminate the state income tax, cut property taxes and do away with wasteful government spending.
Wilson has been at the forefront of the affordability issue in recent weeks. In late March, he became the first GOP gubernatorial candidate to call for a temporary suspension of the Palmetto State’s regressive gas tax amid the recent spike in prices. Virtually every other GOP candidate has since followed suit.
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RELATED | POLL SHOCKER
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More recently, Wilson laid out a series of policy planks focused on affordability issues…
Independent polls show Wilson leading the GOP field, although the race to succeed term-limited, status quo incumbent Henry McMaster remains wide open with at least five candidates having a potential path to victory. Wilson is fending off credible challenges from fifth district congressman Ralph Norman, first district congresswoman Nancy Mace, lieutenant governor Pamela Evette and Lowcountry multimillionaire Rom Reddy.
Partisan primary elections in South Carolina are scheduled for June 9, 2026. In the event no candidate claims a majority of votes on the first ballot – which is a likelihood in such a crowded GOP governor’s race – a head-to-head runoff between the top two vote-getters would be held two weeks later (on June 23, 2026). The winner of the GOP nomination has a huge leg-up in the fall election – as Democrats haven’t won a top-of-the-ticket race in 28 years. However, recent polling suggests the tide could be turning.
Keep it tuned to FITSNews as we track all of the latest developments in this race and other upcoming elections via our 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
Before the grand projects of eliminating the state income tax, etc., Alan Wilson should pick the low-hanging fruit of the real estate companies that swoop-in, usually from North Carolina or Virginia, buy apartment complexes and try to double the rent on tenants who can barely afford the rent as it is.
He can set the process in motion immediately as Attorney General because these companies are engaged in racketeering, rent gouging conspiracies, and interstate tax fraud, in addition to promoting gang violence and endangering the lives of tenants.
First, the statistics: in the best of economies, about 30% of families/singles/households live in rented units, be they apartments, townhouses, condos, of houses. In stressed economies, that percentage rises to near 50% and causes homelessness.
One specific neophyte company, Emerald City Associates, Inc., makes no secret of, but brags about, its plans to push the rents up.
They do that by cosmetic measures, such as repainting the exteriors, while ignoring long-festering structural problems and safety issues. That is not only the proverbial putting lipstick on a pig; it is a figurative feeding cocaine to wild hogs and unleashing them on cities.
Why not just move, you say?
If the proverbial rising tide lifts all ships; the figurative dumping of sewage raises the water table. That means: if enough oligopolies raise the rent, it rises everywhere.
And they basically use a “your wallet or your life” scheme. Sign a new lease at the doubled rent or get evicted.
That is accomplished by fraud upon the courts. The refuse to accept the present rent from the tenant then turn around and pretend to the court that the tenant refused to pay the rent “when due and demanded.”
This is NOT the free market; it is the price-fixing-conspiracy market.
Alan Wilson, are you paying attention?
The big rental companies may be your donors; but the squeezed tenants could be your voters.
I have almost just been suffocated by that load of bullshit.
“I’ll make South Carolina affordable for your family and profitable for your business,” Wilson said, referring to his plans to eliminate the state income tax, cut property taxes and do away with wasteful government spending.”
Translation: The average citizen will see less from the government. Education will not improve, roads will not improve, health care will not improve, and your lifestyle will not improve, but I will give you an income tax cut and a property tax cut, because those favor the wealthy. I will then shift more of the burden of operating the state to a regressive sales tax, so that the poor and middle class pay more of the burden.