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SC Rep. James Clyburn votes against spending plan for lack of healthcare tax credits

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SC Rep. James Clyburn votes against spending plan for lack of healthcare tax credits


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  • The federal government shutdown ended after President Trump signed a temporary spending plan.
  • South Carolina’s Republican House members voted for the plan, while the state’s lone Democrat voted against it.
  • U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace’s Charleston office now has a full-time federal security detail due to threats.
  • South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson joined other states in supporting a Louisiana law to display the Ten Commandments in schools.

The federal government shutdown ended late on Nov. 12 after President Donald Trump signed a temporary spending plan.

All of South Carolina’s Republican delegation in the House of Representatives voted in favor of the spending plan when it came before their chamber.

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This week’s About Politics examines South Carolina representative’s response to the government shutdown, one congresswoman’s increased security push, and why one political candidate says he is running against Lindsey Graham.

House members on government shutdown

The U.S. government is back open after 43 days of shutdown. President Trump signed a temporary spending plan into place late at night on Nov. 12, meaning that furloughed employees will be back at work and crucial government programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will be funded.

The temporary spending plan passed the House in a 222 to 209 vote. All six of South Carolina’s Republican House members voted for the bill. The lone Democrat, 6th-District Rep. James Clyburn, voted against the policy.

Clyburn said on X that he opposes the bill because it fails to extend Obamacare tax credits that have kept healthcare costs down for millions of Americans.

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“As a result of this bill, Americans will continue to experience painful sticker shock when they see their new healthcare premiums,” Clyburn said. “The end of this shutdown does not mean the end of Democrats’ fight to ensure that health care in this country is accessible and affordable for all.”

South Carolina’s Republican House members commended the end to the shutdown, while pointing a finger at their Democratic peers for holding out on a spending plan.

U.S. Rep. Sheri Biggs, R-District 3, wrote on X that she spent the weeks of the shutdown traveling across her district and connecting with people who were impacted.

“While Democrats were playing political games at risk of American families, we remained focused on doing right for our people and rejecting their radical demands,” Biggs wrote. “Now, it’s time to move forward, and get back to work for South Carolina and continuing in our America First agenda.”

U.S. Rep. Timmons writes op-ed on impacts of shutdown on veterans

U.S. Rep. William Timmons, R-District 4, wrote an op-ed for The Washington Reporter on Nov. 11 about the impacts that the government shutdown was having on veterans and their families. He said that the shutdown caused delays in career counseling, job trainings and adaptive employment support for veterans. The congressman also pointed to weeks of delays for new disability claims and limited communication from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

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“These are not just statistics,” Timmons wrote. “They are real people who have served our country and are trying to move forward in civilian life. Every day that services were delayed made reintegration harder for them and their families.”

He said that some Senate Democrats’ decision to switch their votes in support of a spending plan “cannot come soon enough.”

Nancy Mace gets federal security at Lowcountry office

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace’s office in Charleston now has a full time security detail, according to her staff. The Republican congresswoman who represents South Carolina’s 1st District claims to receive over 1,300 credible threats every year.

U.S. Capitol Police worked with the Charleston Police Department after an incident with the congresswoman’s security detail at the Charleston International Airport in late October, according to her office. The dispute between Mace and the airport started after a mixup involving Mace’s arrival at the airport and the security detail that was supposed to escort her through the facility.

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Mace said in a statement that she is grateful for both departments’ work to provide security at the office.

“Unfortunately, it took an airport falsifying police reports and retaliating against a Member of Congress to wake everyone up to the reality of the threats we face daily,” Mace stated.

Alan Wilson supports posting Ten Commandments in classrooms

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson and 17 other state attorneys general signed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of a Louisiana law requiring a display of the Ten Commandments in public schools. The brief was filed after an appeals court deemed the law unconstitutional.

Kentucky, Idaho, Mississippi and Utah were among other state attorneys general who signed onto the brief. The group of attorneys general argued that acknowledgements of how the Ten Commandments influenced America’s heritage are common. The commandments displayed in the U.S. Supreme Court building is a representation of their impact on the legal system, the brief stated.

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“Our society is healthier and stronger when we have more religion in public life — not less,” Wilson said. “It is time to end the left’s war on religion.”

Paul Dans speaks with Tucker Carlson on Senate race

Author of Project 2025 and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Paul Dans spoke to conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson on his bid against Incumbent Sen. Lindsey Graham. Tucker introduced Dans and said he is grateful for Dans running “not as a protest candidate,” but as someone who has been involved in policy making.

“My motives are not personal. I’ve always liked Lindsey Graham, but I think he’s very obviously evil and if he is the face of the Republican Party, normal people can’t support it including me,” Carlson said.

Dans said he is running to make sure that the Make America Great Again (MAGA) and America Firm movements survive beyond Trump’s presidency. The candidate said his primary values as a candidate are god, family and country.

“I cannot sit back and watch someone like Lindsey Graham represent our state,” Dans said.

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Greenville businessman Mark Lynch is also running in the Republican Senate primary. There are five Democrats in the primary: Charleston pediatrician Dr. Annie Andrews, Greenville business owner Brandon Brown, Columbia preservationist Catherine Fleming Bruce, Columbia logistics professional Kyle Freeman and Myrtle Beach resident Christopher Giracello.

The independent candidates are Jack Ellison of Charleston, Cindy Glaser of Fountain Inn and Paul Sedletsky of North Myrtle Beach. Kasie Whitener, a businessowner and writer residing in Blythewood, is also running as a Libertarian.

Bella Carpentier covers the South Carolina legislature, state, and Greenville County politics. Contact her at bcarpentier@gannett.com



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NFL Draft Injury Analysis: Jalon Kilgore, S – South Carolina

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NFL Draft Injury Analysis: Jalon Kilgore, S – South Carolina


The Lions may be looking for a safety within the first two rounds due to injuries to Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch. That’s where Jalon Kilgore may come in. He has some minor injuries, but appears to be a relatively low-risk prospect for a team that needs to add health to that room.

Here is the excerpt of my medical report on Jalon Kilgore:

Jalon Kilgore, S (21) – South Carolina

Projected round 2-3.

Concern level 2/10

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While his availability has been excellent, Kilgore has a history of hamstring strains in 2025 and 2023. If his 2024 injury is found to be also a hamstring, then happenstance becomes a disturbing trend.

With fast-twitch athletes, hamstrings are going to be very common, and generally don’t present any long-term issues. The difficult trick will be to determine if a certain player is more prone to hamstrings.

What helps Kilgore a lot is his young age.

For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a likeFollow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD



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Motorcyclist critically injured in Longs area crash

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Motorcyclist critically injured in Longs area crash


One person was critically injured in a motorcycle crash in the Longs area on Thursday afternoon, according to Horry County Fire Rescue (HCFR).

Just before 2:00 p.m., crews responded to the area of Old Highway 31 near Hidden River Road.

MORE: 1 critically injured in vehicle rollover near International Dr.

One person was transported to the hospital as a result of the motorcycle crash, HCFR said.

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Officials ask that drivers avoid the area as lanes of traffic are currently blocked.

The incident is under investigation by the South Carolina Highway Patrol with assistance from the Horry County Police Department.



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South Carolina’s Raven Johnson carries her grandfather’s legacy into Sweet 16

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South Carolina’s Raven Johnson carries her grandfather’s legacy into Sweet 16


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COLUMBIA, SC ― With the clock winding down and pressures of the Women’s NCAA Tournament rising, South Carolina senior guard Raven Johnson isn’t playing just to win. She plays in honor of a voice she can no longer hear – but that she still carries with her every time she steps onto the court. 

That motivation was on full display Monday night, as the No. 1-seeded Gamecocks took down No. 9 USC to advance to the Sweet 16. Johnson earned her 1,000th career point ― what would prove to be her last point at Colonial Life Arena ― on a steal and fast-break layup that brought a roar from the crowd. The Gamecocks will face No. 4 Oklahoma Saturday in Sacramento, with another Elite Eight appearance on the line. 

For Johnson, the moment symbolized something deeper – a career shaped by the memory of her late grandfather. Johnson’s family watched as she achieved the milestone, her mother, grandmother and twin brother. It was a full circle moment for a player whose journey took root in her grandparents’ home. 

Her grandparents helped raise her and her twin brother, Richard Johnson. The family lived together and she often calls her grandmother “mother” and her grandfather “papa,” reflecting the impact they had on her upbringing. 

“My grandparents did a really good job,” Johnson said. “We wouldn’t be playing sports if it wasn’t for them.”

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The Boones introduced the twins to basketball through their church and spent countless hours training them, often pushing them past their limits. A sergeant first class in the Army Reserves, he supervised soldiers in his unit and brought that same discipline to his grandchildren on the court, being demanding, structured and determined. 

“I remember being outside and he was training us and I thought it was so hard. I wanted to give up,” Johnson said. “I used to cry, and he would be like ‘You’re not going to cry in my face, and you’re not going to give up.’ It was little things like that that made me tough.”

The standard of grit, accountability and composure, is something Johnson carries today. 

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“She’s just a winner and she’s a great point guard,” said South Carolina senior guard Ta’Niya Latson, who also played with Johnson at Westlake High School in Atlanta. “When she’s confident, we’re confident. When she’s poised, we’re poised. It’s hard to have that type of personality and leadership on the court, but she carries it well.”

Rodrick Boone was diagnosed with stomach cancer in December 2012 and died in April 2013 while Johnson was at a tournament in New Orleans. She was 10 years old. 

“I remember I shut down,” Johnson said. “My mind went blank. I was like ‘What?’ I thought he was untouchable.” 

Months after her grandfather’s death, something shifted in her mindset. 

“I think that’s my why,” Johnson said. “I keep going today because he is my why.”

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As a child, Johnson didn’t even like basketball. She preferred T-ball and cheerleading and thought basketball wasn’t for girls, until she saw Notre Dame’s Skylar Diggins and began to see herself differently.

“She was so pretty to me and I remember asking ‘Can I be girly and hoop?’” Johnson said. 

She was the only girl on her recreational team, earning the nickname “Killer” for her defensive intensity alongside her brother, nicknamed “Thriller” for his offensive ability. The boys tested Johnson by playing physical and trying to push her out of the sport.

“I used to be cooking them out there a little bit, and I think they didn’t like that,” Johnson said. 

She said the boys trying to make it hard on her actually made her tougher both physically and mentally. 

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Her grandmother, Connie Boone, said her grandfather would be proud of what Johnson has become.

“He might be crying but he would be happy about it,” her grandmother said. “You start them young, but you never know what the outcome is going to be.”

Johnson imagines the conversations she’d be having with her papa if he was still here.

“He would still be on my butt riding me, he’ll tell me maybe I need to fix something,” Johnson said. “He’ll be happy and I think he’ll be like ‘All right let’s get back to the drawing board. Let’s get ready for the next opponent.’”

She knows her papa is always watching, and she talks to him a lot at night.

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“I just want to tell him that I’m going to keep pushing through even when it gets tough,” Johnson said. “He’s always telling me to push through because nobody cares. Nobody cares if you’re at your lowest, nobody cares.”

On Monday, fans chanted “Raven, Raven, Raven” as she walked off the court for the final time at Colonial Life Arena, Johnson’s moment was bigger than the scoreboard. 

It was about diligence, progress and a promise kept.

With another game ahead and the possibility of a deeper tournament run, she isn’t finished. She continues to push and play for the voice that gave her a reason to begin. 

Alyssia Hamilton is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute. 

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