Three Republicans are vying to be the Republican nominee for Attorney General: Stephen Goldfinch Jr, David Pascoe and David Stumbo.
Incumbent Alan Wilson is running for Governor.
The winner of this race will face Democrat Richard Hricik.
Pascoe and Stumbo did not respond to our candidate guide. We will update this page with their responses if we receive them.
Stephen Goldfinch (R)
What is your occupation?
Military Prosecutor, JAG Officer, Conservative Senator and Attorney
Why are you running?
To keep South Carolinians safe, free, and prosperous. The AG’s office prosecutes crime, preserves our state’s conservative values against a Democrat Congress and/or a Democrat Administration, and coordinates with the legislature to ensure SC’s conservative laws are defensible in court. I have extensive experience in all three of those areas and can represent South Carolina well.
What would be your top priority as AG and how do you plan to address it?
Reducing the 4-5 year backlog of violent crime in nearly every county of SC. When cases get that old, criminals get released and victims get revictimized. To fix this, I would take half of the criminal division attorneys from the AG’s office in Columbia and move them to regional attorney general offices across the state, placing them in the solicitor’s offices that aren’t able to reduce the backlogs of crime. I would also heavily focus on fighting the oppressive regulatory environment our businesses have to deal with. Regulations stifle the American entrepreneur and ingenuity, and I commit to fighting the regulations holding SC back.
How do you plan to address violent crime in South Carolina?
See my answer above on reducing the 4-5 year average backlog of violent crime across SC. As for violent crime that is not related to a backlog, I intend to pursue and prosecute the criminals plaguing SC with every possible resource and to the full extent of the law.
What is your stance on the death penalty?
We should use it and use it often.
What sets you apart from your opponents?
I am the only veteran. I am the only candidate with vast experience in all three divisions of the AG’s office. I have been a prosecutor. I have litigated against burdensome regulations, all the way to the Supreme Court. And I have served as a conservative senator, writing the laws of SC, but also working with the AG’s office to ensure our conservative laws are defensible in court.