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Bill Kimler
Bill Kimler (Democratic Party) ran for election to the South Carolina House of Representatives to represent District 13. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Kimler completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Bill Kimler was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He earned a bachelor's degree from Drew University in 1993 and a graduate degree from Binghamton University in 1996. His career experience includes working as an information technology professional. He also worked as a physics teacher at the high school and college levels.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: South Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for South Carolina House of Representatives District 13
Incumbent John McCravy defeated Bill Kimler in the general election for South Carolina House of Representatives District 13 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | John McCravy (R) | 74.8 | 15,880 |
 | Bill Kimler (D)  | 25.2 | 5,346 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 17 | ||
| Total votes: 21,243 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Bill Kimler advanced from the Democratic primary for South Carolina House of Representatives District 13.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent John McCravy advanced from the Republican primary for South Carolina House of Representatives District 13.
Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Kimler in this election.
2022
See also: South Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for South Carolina House of Representatives District 13
Incumbent John McCravy defeated Bill Kimler in the general election for South Carolina House of Representatives District 13 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | John McCravy (R) | 74.6 | 11,489 |
| Bill Kimler (D) | 25.4 | 3,905 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 9 | ||
| Total votes: 15,403 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Bill Kimler advanced from the Democratic primary for South Carolina House of Representatives District 13.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent John McCravy advanced from the Republican primary for South Carolina House of Representatives District 13.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Bill Kimler completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kimler's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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With a background in Physics and Education, I've been a technology leader for almost three decades. I'm also a firm believer in participating in local governance. I am passionate about education, healthcare, public safety, helping small businesses, protecting our natural resource and defending the rights of women, minorities, and LGBTQ persons in a state that’s big enough for everyone!
I believe in the power of government to do good and that this power should not be abused.- Lawmakers in South Carolina are only in session for a few months out of the year. Time is precious and important issues need to be prioritized. Unfortunately, for many years, the General Assembly has prioritized extreme social issues that impact very few while stripping essential rights from increasingly vulnerable minority groups. We need to prioritize those issues that truly impact a majority of South Carolinians.
- Crushing medical debt, skyrocketing infant mortality rates, affordable housing, and a rise in cybercrimes that are crippling businesses and public institutions like schools and hospitals... These are the things I will prioritize as your representative in SC House District 13.
- I believe effective lawmaking should build up everyone around you and not demonize those with differing views or diminishing the integrity of the office through direct insults and personal attacks. I will bring a fact-based, rational approach to critical problems that need solutions, not speeches. I will listen to experts and partner with all stakeholders to arrive at the most effective laws to address our issues.
I will promote effective and aggressive cybersecurity initiatives to protect businesses from attack and protect your personal data from being stolen and abused.
The book "FDR" by Jean Edward Smith is a compelling account of decision-making and determination during some of the most difficult times in US History.
- Absolute honesty.
- Clarity in speech and other communications.
- Respectful interactions with others.
- Acceptance that personal belief and law may conflict and a lawmaker needs to work within the law.
2. Prioritize and craft new laws to address the needs of the people
3. Assist constituents with any manner of public needs
There is so much we could be accomplishing together if it weren’t unnecessary performative distractions. I hope to leave an example that thoughtful, deliberative, fact-based leadership is still possible.
Unfortunately, our governor has a spotty record of accountability, most recently allowing our State Treasurer to skate by on a $1.8B accounting error who also threatened to publicly publish state bank account information that could have been disastrous. Our state lawmakers deferred to the governor rather than insisting on appropriate action being taken on that office.
South Carolina remains mired at the bottom of state rankings for education, violent crime and poverty. Unless we change course and move away from divisive social issues that do not bring prosperity, health or safety to our state, we will continue to be plagued by these issues.
He was very gentle but straightforward about it. It immediately grounded me that the things lawmakers are doing, or should be doing, could have major impacts on people's lives. We need to move away from the theoretical concepts and deal with the reality of our day-to-day struggles.
Labor, Commerce and Industry
Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
I also believe that any spending plan should include:
- Desired & measurable outcomes
- A means of measuring and reviewing those outcomes
- A contingency plan for failure to achieve the outcomes
Of course, the future cannot be completely predicted and part of growth is to take chances. But we cannot let failed initiatives continue to consume funds when they are not producing desired results. For example, an "illegal immigration hotline" was established years ago at the cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars. It received no calls. While good-intentioned, the lack of measurement and accountability for this spend has led to wasted dollars.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2022
Bill Kimler completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kimler's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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He then entered into a 20-year career in technology with a family-owned food distribution company. During that time, the business grew nationwide and he worked up the ranks to become CIO of a $4 billion enterprise.
After relocating to Greenwood, SC, he worked as a software product manager for a global company and became heavily involved in the community. He volunteered for the Bowers-Rodgers Children’s Home, serves as subcommittee chair of the Greenwood Counts Community Consortium, and was elected Chair of the Greenwood County Democratic Party in 2020.
In 2022, Bill donated a kidney to a woman he had never met, a life-changing experience for both the donor and recipient. Bill is a patent-holder, an avid reader, a dog-lover, a father and a husband.- Facts matter
- Honesty Matters
- Truth Matters
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate South Carolina House of Representatives District 13 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 14, 2024
