(One in a series of posts about our republican opponents in november)
When House member Harriet Holman spoke in favor of Donald Trump’s demand that South Carolina redistrict its Congressional map, she had the nerve to say that “Representation isn’t about protecting political careers [emphasis added]. It’s about improving people’s lives.”
Holman, however, is the very personification of political opportunism. Protecting her own political career defines her career.
As a retired military veteran with no political experience and no credentials for governing, Holman was appointed to the Dorchester County Council by Governor Henry McMaster in 2018 to serve out the term of the late Willie Davis. Davis had represented District 1 for 27 years. Holman was appointed as a Democrat to fill this traditional Democratic seat on the Council.
But when redistricting made it seem that District 1 might be in play for a Republican to win, Holman panicked. Rather than step up to such a challenge, she changed parties to run for re-election as a Republican.
This betrayal shocked Democrats in the Low Country. Holman says governing “isn’t about protecting political careers,” except when the career is her own.
Holman left the County Council in 2024 to challenge long-time Democratic incumbent Joe Jefferson in House District 102, defeating him by a mere 804 votes (out of 21,000 cast). Now she is seeking re-election on a record so undistinguished she should be embarrassed to run on it.
In her first term, Holman introduced a mere ten bills. None came close to becoming law.
Her major focus was on property tax cuts for those over 65, veterans, or people with disabilities. She proposed to exempt from taxation the first $150,000 of the fair market value of a home.
In July, as the Legislature tried to pass a late budget, the two houses agreed only to exempt the first $75,000 of a property’s value. However, this small tax cut was to be funded by a one-time allocation of $81 million.
In short, Republicans delivered no permanent property tax relief. Even the conservative South Carolina Policy Council thought it was a misguided effort. They noted archly that the House was hoping to spend four times the $81 million on earmarks for individual members such as Holman.
In short, Holman’s proposal for meaningful tax cuts was a bust.
On other hot-button issues, Holman’s voting record was as dismal as one would expect.
She said on her Facebook feed that she supported “reform” of the unconstitutional manner in which the Legislature chooses the members of the Judiciary.
The bill Holman supported (H.4755) is a timid “reform” effort. It gives the Governor more power to appoint the persons who would serve as a screening committee to select nominees for the bench. But the members of the Legislature would still do the actual choosing of the judges.
If Holman were serious about reform, she would demand a system in which the Legislature plays NO role in choosing the state’s judges.
But even the flawed H.4755 that Holman backed failed to pass. This is not surprising given that the legislators would be giving up their own considerable power to control the state’s Judiciary.
Holman supported the notorious bill (H.4760) categorizing mifepristone and misoprostol as controlled substances. She claimed on Facebook that this draconian anti-abortion legislation “puts women’s health and safety first.”
Not so. It does just the opposite. It would have made it harder for all her constituents to access these safe drugs that treat many conditions having nothing to do with abortion. The bill makes it harder for doctors and nurses to deliver health care without fear of legal prosecution.
Fortunately the bill did not pass the Senate, but if she is re-elected, Holman will be pushing this bill next term. Perhaps her real goal is to convince all doctors and nurses who treat women’s health issues to leave the state.
Holman supported a so-called “Parental Rights Act” (H.4757), giving parents more authority to interfere with the job of school nurses in providing non-emergency, minor healthcare. Not satisfied with harassing school teachers and librarians, Republicans have now targeted school nurses, too.
The bill also advances Republican attacks on teachers. It puts them on notice that if they intend to discuss anything in the classroom dealing with gender or sexual behavior, they must give parents five days advance notice and gain parental consent. Similarly, parents can opt their children out of any part of a curriculum that conflicts with their personal religious, moral or ethical beliefs.
This misguided legislation also failed to pass the Senate. But it illustrates the belief of House Republicans such as Holman that parents are the font of all wisdom and that teachers, nurses, librarians and other professionals don’t know what they are doing and cannot be trusted. It is another Republican retreat to the Middle Ages, where expertise counts for nothing. That seems to be Holman’s belief system.
But let’s give this rookie legislator some credit. She did sponsor a resolution congratulating Ridgeville on its 150th anniversary, and she sponsored another honoring Johnnie and Rosalee Creel on their 50th wedding anniversary.
Holman is being opposed in November by Democrat Montez Aiken, a former Summerville police officer. You can read about him in a profile on the Dorchester County Democratic Party blog under “Speaking Freely.” You should also visit his campaign website at https://www.montezaikenforsc.com/. Surely Aiken can close a gap of 800 votes and send Holman into the retirement she deserves.
Yes indeed, Holman should win an award for doublespeak.
Claiming to care about women’s reproductive health while sponsoring draconian legislation that jeopardizes their health; sponsoring the “Parental Rights Act” to undermine school nurses and the health of students and flipping parties just to get reelected highlight a few of her despicable acts.
She’s, to put it gently, a menace to SC!