The following is the article I wrote for the Union County News:
I’m often asked why I chose to walk away from a great job
and enter the political arena, and the answer is simple: I felt like it was the
right thing to do. Governor Mike Huckabee once wrote, “If you have ever
wondered why they didn’t do a better
job, maybe its because it never occurred to you that they rarely do anything. Life changes when they get fired and we
take their place[1].” They does not remind me of anyone in
particular, but I’ve spent years trying to affect change from the sidelines,
and the governor’s words inspired me to run for office.
I hear so many people complain about the condition of our
roads, and I want to repair them. I’ve heard concerns about losing our 2nd
Amendment rights, and I want to protect them. I see families struggle in this
economy, and I want to help them by fighting taxes and promoting local
business.
As a pastor for 12 years I have seen religious liberty come
under attack. I have lobbied for a First Amendment Restoration Act and/or a
Pastor Protection Act like other states have passed, and now I am running to
make that happen. I am a firm believer that life begins at conception—all the
science confirms it, and now the law needs to catch up. The Pain Capable Unborn
Child Protection Act was a great start, but once elected I will author and
introduce the Life Begins at Conception Act. We can give personhood status to
our tiniest South Carolinians, guaranteeing their right to life under the 14th
Amendment.
I have proudly signed the South Carolina Association of
Taxpayers pledge to oppose any and all new taxes. I support Congressional term
limits and ethics reform, as well as the Article V Convention of States. My
wife and I are members of the Foster Parent Association, and we are pushing for
the “Normalcy Bill” and “Reporting Bill” currently before the House, which
would be a big help to both children and foster parents.
I spent this past year as a substitute teacher for Union
County School District, and I see firsthand how underfunding has hurt our
students. Year after year we have to do more with less because bigger districts
like Spartanburg and Greenville get a bigger piece of the pie. While they use
their funds to buy brand new iPads for every student, our students are sharing
textbooks, many of which are missing covers and pages.
If we really want to attract new business and new families
to this county, we need to demand better. Let’s raise the bar and demand more
for Union County—better roads, better funding, better accountability. Why would
a business owner move into a county that is trying to raise taxes? What will
keep families in the county if taxes go up? States like California raise taxes,
and families and business are bolting for states that lower taxes—states like
Texas, Florida, and South Carolina. Tax increases always cause inflation, and tax cuts always stimulate economic growth.
I’m not from here, but I love it here. I wasn’t born in
Union, but I got to choose Union. There is nowhere else I would rather live and
raise my family, and I have a burden to see this District be all it can be.
That’s a little bit about who I am and what I stand for. I
would love your vote in the June 14 primary and the November election.
Together, we can demand better.
Tommy Mann
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