Ralph Norman criticizes South Carolina Senate over proposal to raise lawmakers’ pay

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — U.S Rep. Ralph Norman, a Republican candidate for governor, criticized members of the South Carolina Senate on Tuesday after a subcommittee advanced a bill that would significantly increase lawmakers’ salaries.

The proposal, Senate Bill 933, would raise legislators’ annual compensation from $22,400 to $47,500, up from the current structure of $10,400 in base pay and $1,000 per month for district expenses. The measure would also allow automatic pay increases every two years after House elections, tied to inflation but capped at 5%.

Norman, who announced his gubernatorial campaign earlier this year, said the pay proposal is disconnected from the financial pressures facing South Carolinians. In a statement, he called for greater accountability and opposed automatic raises for legislators.

“No legislator in Columbia deserves a pay raise,” Norman said. “This is irresponsible and a waste of taxpayer dollars! I am running for governor to Clean Up Columbia and get rid of the waste, fraud, and abuse, and we must begin by stopping these reckless pay raise schemes that are getting little to no attention! Taxpayers deserve transparency and accountability!”

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This stance is nothing new for Norman, who, in his campaign announcement, referred to sitting lawmakers as “crooks who use taxpayer dollars for their own benefit,” a message the representative from South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District has steadfastly committed to.

Supporters of the bill say higher compensation is necessary to reflect inflation and to broaden who can serve in the General Assembly, arguing that current compensation limits participation to those who are retired, independently wealthy or able to maintain outside employment and discourages individuals from diverse economic backgrounds from serving.

Under the proposal, the $47,500 annual compensation would cover both salary and district-related expenses, resulting in a raise of about $25,100 for lawmakers. The committee also voted to adjust how retirement benefits would be calculated under the new compensation structure to avoid unintended consequences.

The legislation follows a failed attempt last year to increase lawmakers’ in-district pay through the state budget. The South Carolina Supreme Court struck down that increase on the basis that lawmakers could not raise their own pay mid-term. The court’s ruling eliminated all in-district compensation because of the way the provision was written. Lawmakers later restored the $1,000 monthly in-district payment for the current fiscal year.

Norman has linked the state debate to a separate lawsuit filed by several current and former members of Congress, including U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, DS.C., seeking retroactive pay increases. Norman warned that a successful outcome could lead to additional taxpayer-funded compensation, though the case is unrelated to the state legislation.

Norman, first elected to Congress in 2016, is one of several Republicans expected to compete in South Carolina’s 2026 gubernatorial race.