South Carolina House of Representatives District 18 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in South Carolina, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for South Carolina House of Representatives District 18 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

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• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for South Carolina House of Representatives District 18

Incumbent Alan Morgan defeated Michael Reitz in the general election for South Carolina House of Representatives District 18 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Alan Morgan (R)	76.5	11,431
		Michael Reitz (D)	23.2	3,462
		Other/Write-in votes	0.3	44

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 14,937
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

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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.

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Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Michael Reitz (D)

Fund public schools. Investing in education is one of the greatest obligations of a society. Teaching ought not to require a vow of poverty, and we need to have enough well-equipped classrooms for all of our students.

Women's healthcare. The patient's room isn't big enough for a woman, her healthcare provider, and the government. Full access to reproductive healthcare empowers women.

Legalize marijuana. Regulation would increase state revenues, free up law enforcement priorities, keep people out of the justice system, reduce opioid addictions, and provide safer options for those who wish to use it.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Michael Reitz (D)

I stand for a woman's right to choose her own reproductive healthcare, funding public schools, and legalizing marijuana. I think my neighbors deserve better and more accountable representation in the General Assembly.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Michael Reitz (D)

Courage and wisdom. A representative should have the strength to stand up for those who would stand to lose their rights, but also have the wisdom to take the input of their communities and evolve their perspectives as necessary.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Michael Reitz (D)

Accessibility and accountability. My constituents should be able to make their representative priorities known, and the community should be able to set expectations for their representative's legislative priorities.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Michael Reitz (D)

I was in fifth grade on 9/11. I remember watching the news when I got home from school (early), and trying to wrap my head around what it all meant. Fast forward nearly 21 years later, and we still have troops in the Middle East, with Americans fighting a war that was started before they were born.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Michael Reitz (D)

I worked a summer as a mechanic in a small independent shop. I started out changing oil and sweeping floors, and finished out doing alignments and other small jobs like replacing radiators and suspension. I learned the critical function of informing the customer while serving them, that you can't look out for the interests of the folks you're serving without fully communicating with them.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Michael Reitz (D)

I've read Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett more times than I can count. I love the idea that people can be so inspired to work towards a goal they know they will never see finished. In this book, a church is built by an English community in the Middle Ages despite the efforts of local government and bad actors within the Church of England. It takes several generations to complete! I am also inspired by President Jack Ryan in Executive Orders by Tom Clancy. The ideal non-politician's politician, he rebuilds the government after a terrorist attack by asking governors to send him a Congress of engineers, physicians, cops, and farmers, not people who want to live in Washington. Interestingly enough, he also gives a speech where he says despite his personal opposition to abortion, he doesn't feel it's the federal government's place to ban it. His political advisor follows up his speech by informing President Ryan that he's alienated both the pro-choice and anti-abortion groups, and welcome to politics!

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Michael Reitz (D)

The governor should direct the General Assembly to address topics as they feel they have been charged to do by the citizens of the state, and exercise veto powers only when the legislature's outcomes are in conflict. Likewise, the state legislature should work towards goals as directed by the Governor, but also as directed by their constituents. This can create differing priorities, and it is up to the representative to choose their legislative actions.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Michael Reitz (D)

While South Carolina's economy is competitive, we still lag behind national averages in education and in healthcare outcomes. We have consistently and intentionally underfunded schools and underpaid teachers, which sets the state up to underperform economically in the future. We are among the worst states in the nation in infant and maternal mortality, and must increase access to healthcare for all people.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?

Michael Reitz (D)

Our two-body state legislature has pros and cons in the same singular aspect, that it provides for additional opportunities for checks and balances in the representation of our communities. On one hand, passing legislation requires agreement from two bodies, which may lead to better laws due to increased deliberation. On the other hand, it can hinder progress as there are more opportunities for legislative initiatives to stall.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Michael Reitz (D)

I believe that as politics become more local, it is less necessary for legislators to have prior political experience. The General Assembly is supposed to represent the interests of citizens, and career politicians can be out of touch with the needs of the common people. True citizen-politicians better understand what is required of the representation of their communities, and state legislative positions are a great opportunity for non-politicians to represent their neighbors.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Michael Reitz (D)

Yes. Building relationships with other legislators is critical to progress. We should all be able to count on each other having the interests of our constituents at heart, but having a colleague with a personal relationship is key to building bridges to get the work done.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Michael Reitz (D)

Redistricting should be done through an independent and nonpartisan body. Drawing discriminatory district lines is outlawed, but history has shown that redistricting based on partisan interests is frequently conflated with drawing district lines designed to disenfranchise underprivileged communities.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Michael Reitz (D)

Yes. No one person is the ultimate representation for their entire community, and no two communities are identical. What is best for one district may not be best for the state, so compromise is necessary to achieve the best outcome for all.

See also

More about these elections:

• South Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2022

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