John Vincent (South Carolina)
John Vincent (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent South Carolina's 7th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.[source]
Vincent completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
John Vincent was born in Arkansas. Vincent served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years. He earned a degree from the University of Arkansas at Grantham. Vincent's career experience includes working as a small business owner.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: South Carolina's 7th Congressional District election, 2026
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for U.S. House South Carolina District 7
Incumbent Russell Fry and John Vincent are running in the general election for U.S. House South Carolina District 7 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Russell Fry (R) | |
 | John Vincent (D)  | |
| ||||
| = 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. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
John Vincent completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Vincent's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
- Restoring Accountability and Common Sense to Washington - I'll fight against wasteful spending while protecting vital programs, support increased border security alongside a fair immigration system, and ensure our district has proper disaster preparedness resources.
- Building an Economy That Works for Everyone - I'll champion tax relief for working families, support job creation through partnerships with community colleges, cut red tape for small businesses, invest in infrastructure, and work to make healthcare more affordable.
- Keeping Our Promises to Those Who Served - As a Navy veteran, I'll fight to improve VA healthcare, expand veterans housing programs, enhance education and job training benefits, support veteran-owned businesses, and increase services for military families.
Of course, I also recommend reading my book, Up Periscope: Putting Traditional Leadership in The Crosshairs. This book is a guide to effective leadership development and decision making through diversity and inclusion.
Integrity means being honest with your constituents even when the truth is difficult or unpopular. It means standing by your principles and making decisions based on what's right, not what's politically expedient. In the Navy, we lived by a code of honor, and I believe our elected officials should be held to that same standard.
Accountability is essential in public service. Officials must take responsibility for their decisions and be transparent about their motives and actions. The people of South Carolina's 7th District deserve a representative who will answer to them, not to special interests or party leadership. As I've emphasized in my campaign, we need to restore accountability to Washington.
Service is at the core of my life's work. An elected official must remember that they work for the people, not the other way around. This position isn't about personal gain or power – it's about improving the lives of those you represent. My campaign message of 'Common Sense over Chaos' reflects my commitment to practical, service-oriented leadership.
In the military, I learned how to lead diverse teams through complex challenges, make difficult decisions under pressure, and put mission and country above self-interest. These are precisely the skills needed in Congress today. As Command Master Chief, I was responsible for the welfare and effectiveness of hundreds of sailors, managing substantial resources, and implementing policies from higher command while advocating for those under my leadership—experiences that parallel the representative's role of implementing laws while advocating for constituents.
As a small business owner, I've experienced firsthand the impact of government policies on job creation, regulatory compliance, and economic growth. This perspective is crucial when crafting legislation that affects American businesses and workers.
What Congress often lacks isn't political experience—it has plenty of career politicians. What it needs more of is practical leadership experience, common sense, and the ability to work effectively with people of different backgrounds and viewpoints to accomplish shared goals. It needs people who understand the real-world implications of policies on families, businesses, and communities.
First, we face the challenge of rebuilding an economy that truly works for everyone. The growing divide between the wealthy and working families threatens our national cohesion and economic stability. We need to create an economy where hard work is rewarded with fair wages, where small businesses can thrive without being crushed by red tape, and where every American has access to affordable healthcare. This means investing in job training programs that prepare workers for high-demand industries, supporting infrastructure projects that create good jobs while improving our communities, and ensuring that tax policies benefit the middle class, not just the wealthy.
Second, we must address the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters, particularly in coastal communities like ours in SC-07. Climate-related challenges will require significant investments in disaster preparedness, infrastructure resilience, and emergency response capabilities. As someone who has criticized my opponent for voting to defund critical FEMA programs, I understand that preparing for these challenges isn't partisan—it's practical.
Throughout my career, I learned that accountability isn't just a buzzword—it's essential to effective leadership and mission success. In Congress, I'll bring that same commitment to ensuring our government works for the people, not special interests.
Financial transparency is non-negotiable. Taxpayers deserve to know exactly how their hard-earned money is being spent. I support strengthening disclosure requirements for government spending at all levels and making this information readily accessible to the public. Too often, wasteful spending is hidden in massive, complex legislation that few have time to read. This practice must end.
Government accountability extends beyond finances. It means ensuring that agencies fulfill their missions effectively and efficiently. It means elected officials answering directly to their constituents, not party leadership or donors. And it means having the courage to admit mistakes and correct course when necessary.
Unlike my opponent, who has contributed to Washington's dysfunction through extreme partisanship, I'll work to restore trust in our institutions through common-sense reforms that increase transparency and accountability. This includes supporting bipartisan efforts to strengthen ethics rules, limit the influence of special interests, and ensure that government agencies like FEMA are properly funded and held accountable for delivering results.
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
2026 Elections
External links
|
Candidate U.S. House South Carolina District 7 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 21, 2025
