Thomas Alexander
1994 - Present
2028
31
Thomas Alexander (Republican Party) is a member of the South Carolina State Senate, representing District 1. He assumed office in 1994. His current term ends on November 13, 2028.
Alexander (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the South Carolina State Senate to represent District 1. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Rutherford began serving as the President of the Senate in 2021.
Biography
Alexander received his A.A. from Anderson College in 1976. He went on to receive his B.S. from Clemson University in 1978.
Alexander worked as Radio Account Executive in 1978, 1982, 1983, and 1986. He currently works as president/operator of Cleveland Gospel Supply and Oconee Office Supply. He is also currently the owner of Alexander's Office Supply.
Alexander was a council member for the City of Walhalla, South Carolina from 1981 to 1985. He was then Mayor Pro Tempore for the City of Walhalla from 1982 to 1986. He served in the South Carolina State House from 1987 to 1994.
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
Alexander was assigned to the following committees:
- Banking and Insurance Committee
- Senate Ethics Committee
- Finance Committee
- Interstate Cooperation Committee, Chairman
- Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee
- Senate Legislative Oversight Committee, Chairman
- Medical Affairs Committee
2021-2022
Alexander was assigned to the following committees:
- Banking and Insurance Committee
- Senate Ethics Committee
- Finance Committee
- Labor, Commerce, and Industry Committee, Chairman
- Medical Affairs Committee
- Interstate Cooperation Committee
2019-2020
Alexander was assigned to the following committees:
- Interstate Cooperation Committee
- Banking and Insurance Committee
- Finance Committee
- Labor, Commerce, and Industry Committee, Chairman
- Medical Affairs Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| South Carolina committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Banking and Insurance |
| • Finance |
| • Invitations |
| • Labor, Commerce, and Industry, Chair |
| • Medical Affairs |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Alexander served on the following committees:
| South Carolina committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Banking and Insurance |
| • Finance |
| • Invitations |
| • Labor, Commerce and Industry, Chair |
| • Medical Affairs |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Alexander served on the following committees:
| South Carolina committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Banking and Insurance |
| • Finance |
| • Invitations |
| • Labor, Commerce and Industry, Chair |
| • Medical Affairs |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Alexander served on the following committees:
| South Carolina committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Banking and Insurance |
| • Finance |
| • General |
| • Invitations |
| • Labor, Commerce and Industry |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Alexander served on the following committees:
| South Carolina committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Banking and Insurance |
| • Finance |
| • General |
| • Invitations |
| • Labor, Commerce and Industry |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: South Carolina State Senate elections, 2024
General election
General election for South Carolina State Senate District 1
Incumbent Thomas Alexander won election in the general election for South Carolina State Senate District 1 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Thomas Alexander (R) | 98.9 | 41,348 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.1 | 455 | ||
| Total votes: 41,803 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Thomas Alexander advanced from the Republican primary for South Carolina State Senate District 1.
Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Alexander in this election.
2020
See also: South Carolina State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for South Carolina State Senate District 1
Incumbent Thomas Alexander won election in the general election for South Carolina State Senate District 1 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Thomas Alexander (R) | 98.0 | 39,794 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 2.0 | 804 | ||
| Total votes: 40,598 | |||
| = 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
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Thomas Alexander advanced from the Republican primary for South Carolina State Senate District 1.
2016
Elections for the South Carolina State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 14, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The primary runoff election was held on June 28, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 30, 2016.
Incumbent Thomas Alexander ran unopposed in the South Carolina State Senate District 1 general election.[1][2]
| South Carolina State Senate, District 1 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Thomas Alexander Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 33,175 | |
| Total Votes | 33,175 | |||
| Source: South Carolina State Election Commission | ||||
Incumbent Thomas Alexander ran unopposed in the South Carolina State Senate District 1 Republican primary.[3][4]
| South Carolina State Senate, District 1 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Thomas Alexander Incumbent (unopposed) | |
2012
Alexander won election in the 2012 election for South Carolina State Senate District 1. Alexander ran unopposed in the August 7 Republican primary and ran unopposed in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[5][6][7]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Thomas Alexander Incumbent |
99.1% | 29,957 | |
| Other | Write-Ins | 0.9% | 270 | |
| Total Votes | 30,227 | |||
2008
On November 4, 2008, Alexander won re-election for District 1 of the South Carolina State Senate with 27,498 votes, ahead of Constitution Party candidate Polly Nicolay (4,728) and write-ins (60).[8]
Alexander raised $97,176 for his campaign, against $9,950 by Nicolay.[9]
| South Carolina State Senate, District 1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Thomas Alexander (R)
|
27,498 | |||
| Polly Nicolay (C) | 4,728 | |||
| Write-ins | 24 | |||
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Thomas Alexander did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Thomas Alexander did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
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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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 11 to May 12.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 12 to May 13.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 14 to June 25. The state Senate reconvened September to September 3. Both chambers reconvened September 15 to September 24.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 8 through May 21.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 9 through May 10.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 10 through May 11.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 12 through June 2.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 13 through June 4.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 14 through June 6.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 8 to June 20.
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2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 11 through June 7.
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2011
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2011, click [show]. |
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In 2011, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 11 through June 2. On June 2, 2011, Governor Nikki Haley (R) attempted to call the legislature into an "emergency" special session to begin on June 7 to create the new South Carolina Department of Administration. A lawsuit was filed by Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell (R), in which he contended that Haley's call for a special session was unconstitutional, and that it violated the state Constitution's requirement of separation of powers among the governor, legislature and courts.[10] On June 6, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled 3-2 against Governor Haley, stating that her order violated the Legislature's ability to set its calendar and agenda. The legislature met in a special redistricting session from June 14 - July 1.[11] The legislature re-convened July 26.[12]
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The Palmetto Liberty PAC Scorecard
The Palmetto Liberty Political Action Committee, a conservative, pro-limited government think tank in South Carolina, releases its scorecard for South Carolina representatives and senators once a year. The scorecard gives each legislator a score based on how he or she voted in the two-year legislative term prior to the election on specific issues that the Palametto Liberty PAC thinks are anti-limited government. "Most of the votes shown on the score card are votes that we lost. Now we can identify the Legislators that caused us to lose these votes. These Legislators are the ones who need to be replaced if we are to achieve the vision of having the most free state in the nation."[13]
2012
Thomas Alexander received a score of 18% in the 2012 score card, ranking 19th out of all 46 South Carolina Senate members.[14] His score was followed by Senators Wes Hayes (18%), William O'Dell (18%), and Greg Ryberg (18%).[15]
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Alexander has a wife, Lynda.
Noteworthy events
Relative salary and expenses
According to an October 2010 report by The Nerve, Alexander recorded a salary and expenses of $109,505 for the 2.5-year period from Jan. 1, 2008, through mid 2010, making him the third-highest-compensated legislator in South Carolina during that period.[16]
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Candidate listing for the 11/8/2016 statewide general election," accessed August 26, 2016
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "2016 Statewide General Election," accessed November 28, 2016
- ↑ South Carolina Election Commission, "Candidate Tracking," accessed March 31, 2016
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Unofficial primary election results," accessed June 14, 2016
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "2012 Candidates," accessed April 25, 2012
- ↑ AP.org, "South Carolina State Senate and State House Election Results," accessed November 7, 2012
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, “2012 General Election – Official Results,” November 19, 2012
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Official election results for 2008," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "2008 campaign contributions," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ The State, "High court rules against Haley," June 6, 2011
- ↑ The Sun News, "S.C. House to have special session in June," May 6, 2011
- ↑ The Island Packet, "S.C. Senate OKs new congressional districted anchored in Beaufort County," June 29, 2011
- ↑ The Palmetto Liberty Political Action Committee, "Voting Records," accessed April 11, 2014
- ↑ Palmetto Liberty Political Action Committee, "South Carolina Senate Score Card 2012," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ Palmetto Liberty Political Action Committee, "South Carolina Senate Score Card 2012," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ The Nerve, "Lawmakers Cost Taxpayers Millions," October 6, 2010
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
South Carolina State Senate District 1 1994-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
South Carolina House of Representatives 1987-1994 |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Mayor Pro Tempore City of Walhalla, South Carolina 1982-1986 |
Succeeded by - |
