Dear Friends:
I recently had the chance to hear directly from many of you when I kicked off my Town Hall Listening Series in Summerton, SC—and the conversation could not have been more important.
Click Here to Watch My Town Hall
Last month, we held our town hall at the Summerton Cultural Arts Center—located next to the old Summerton High School and just a few doors down from the former Scott’s Branch High School, which was involved in Briggs v. Elliott, the first of the five cases that led to Brown v. Board of Education.
I chose to hold the town hall in Clarendon County because, like in 1952 with Briggs v. Elliott, our country is once again at a crossroads: Will we choose inclusion and opportunity for all? Or exclusion and privilege for the few?
We had candid and important conversations about issues that matter to everyday Americans—the impact of the proposed $880 billion in cuts that would have a direct impact to Medicaid in the Republicans’ budget, the gutting of the Department of Education and what that would mean for South Carolina teachers and students, and how renewing Trump’s tax cuts would mostly benefit the wealthiest Americans.
We also discussed how Trump’s tariffs will do serious harm to South Carolina’s economy.
One thing was clear: people are deeply concerned about the direction President Trump is taking our country. In just over 100 days into his second term, it has become clear to me that his focus remains on helping the wealthy—people like himself—rather than supporting working families.
These conversations matter a great deal to me. Your voices matter. And this town hall was a powerful reminder of the role the American people play in shaping our democracy.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote in his Letter from the Birmingham Jail, “We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.” Good people must continue to stand up and speak out.
If you weren’t able to attend, I hope you’ll take a moment to watch the town hall. Hearing directly from folks like you keeps me grounded and focused on the work ahead.
Sincerely,
Jim