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Jay Kilmartin
Jay Kilmartin (Republican Party) is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 85. He assumed office on November 14, 2022. His current term ends on November 9, 2026.
Kilmartin (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the South Carolina House of Representatives to represent District 85. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Biography
Jay Kilmartin was born in Fort Myers, Florida, and lives in Columbia, South Carolina. Kilmartin earned a bachelor's degree from the University of South Florida in 1996. His career experience includes owning The Melting Pot Restaurant, The Cigar Militia, and Spork Cafe.[1][2][3]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023-2024
Kilmartin was assigned to the following committees:
Elections
2024
See also: South Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for South Carolina House of Representatives District 85
Incumbent Jay Kilmartin won election in the general election for South Carolina House of Representatives District 85 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jay Kilmartin (R) | 98.1 | 17,933 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.9 | 343 | ||
| Total votes: 18,276 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for South Carolina House of Representatives District 85
Incumbent Jay Kilmartin defeated Dean Widener in the Republican primary for South Carolina House of Representatives District 85 on June 11, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jay Kilmartin | 55.4 | 2,640 |
| Dean Widener | 44.6 | 2,128 | ||
| Total votes: 4,768 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Campaign finance
Endorsements
Kilmartin received the following endorsements.
- Frmr. President Donald Trump (R)
- Lexington County Republican Party
Pledges
Kilmartin signed the following pledges.
2022
See also: South Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for South Carolina House of Representatives District 85
Jay Kilmartin defeated John Davis in the general election for South Carolina House of Representatives District 85 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jay Kilmartin (R) | 75.5 | 11,450 |
 | John Davis (L) | 23.8 | 3,611 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.7 | 99 | ||
| Total votes: 15,160 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for South Carolina House of Representatives District 85
Jay Kilmartin defeated Christian Stegmaier, Catherine Huddle, and Rebecca Blackburn Hines in the Republican primary for South Carolina House of Representatives District 85 on June 14, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jay Kilmartin | 52.4 | 1,880 |
| Christian Stegmaier | 20.2 | 724 | ||
| Catherine Huddle | 17.2 | 617 | ||
| Rebecca Blackburn Hines | 10.3 | 369 | ||
| Total votes: 3,590 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Libertarian convention
Libertarian convention for South Carolina House of Representatives District 85
John Davis advanced from the Libertarian convention for South Carolina House of Representatives District 85 on June 18, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | John Davis (L) |
| ||||
| = 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. | ||||
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Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jay Kilmartin did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Jay Kilmartin completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kilmartin's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Elizabeth and I have two children. Our son Ian serves in the United States Coast Guard and our daughter Rhys attends Southeastern University, a Christian college in Lakeland, FL. We attend River Bend Community Church where I am a bassist in the band. Elizabeth spends her extra time as a sidewalk counselor for A Moment of Hope outside of Planned Parenthood, where she advocates for women to choose life. Elizabeth also volunteers at our church.
I am the conservative candidate in this election and I have the history to prove it.- Conservative Outsider
- Businessman
- Constiutional Conservative
In 2020, I spoke on the state house steps to end the lockdowns. Our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness doesn't end due to a pandemic. Citizens including students should never be forced to wear masks.
I believe in healthcare freedom. Nobody should be forced to take a vaccine to make a living and go about their every day lives. I believe South Carolina should give citizens the right to try medications that are proven to work.
I am a gun owner and I believe in the second amendment. I will immediately sign on to constitutional carry legislation upon being elected.
I am for school choice and parental rights. Parents are in charge of their child's education, not the government. Marxist Critical Race Theory has no place in South Carolina public schools. Gender Theory and sexualization of classrooms must not be entertained into South Carolina public schools.
These are effective, bold conservatives and that is who I will be. I am running for state house to serve the people of Chapin and Irmo, not to make big shot friends. I have enough friends to last many lifetimes. I am going to Columbia to make a difference.
I have hosted dinners and lunches for law enforcement. Recently, I helped lead a group of people in our neighborhood to restore and clean up an African-American cemetery. I have given my time and finances every year for many years towards pro-life ministries. I have been involved in many community projects
A place where we can empower the governor is to rid ourselves of our antiquated judicial selection system. Our system could only be dreamed up by a legislature full of attorneys. We must move to a system where the governor appoints judicial nominees and the legislature votes on whether or not to approve the nominees.
The founders of our country and state correctly thought there should be bicameral legislatures to make the process of passing legislation rigorous and so officials represent different constituents. I support keeping things bicameral.
I know that as a small businessman who has dealt with government red tape and advocated for other small businesses, I am uniquely qualified to deal with the issues facing our state. It is also a plus that I have gotten to know our elected officials and have been involved in political activism for many years.
Left-wing activist judges should stay out of our state's sovereignty to draw districts.
John has served our community with heroism. He gave me his support a gave me a keepsake I will always cherish - his fire helmet that has suffered severe damage from his heroics running into dire circumstances.
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.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of South Carolina scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 9 to May 9.
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2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 10 to May 11.
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate South Carolina House of Representatives District 85 |
Officeholder South Carolina House of Representatives District 85 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 2, 2022
- ↑ South Carolina Legislature, "Representative John Gregory "Jay" Kilmartin," accessed January 16, 2023
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Jay Kilmartin," accessed January 16, 2023
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Chip Huggins (R) |
South Carolina House of Representatives District 85 2022-Present |
Succeeded by - |
