Thomas C. Davis (born May 31, 1960) is a
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
member of the
South Carolina Senate
The South Carolina Senate is the upper house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the lower house being the South Carolina House of Representatives. It consists of 46 senators elected from single member districts for four-year terms at the s ...
since January 14, 2009. His district (the 46th) includes part of
Beaufort County.
Education and law career
Davis graduated
magna cum laude
Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sou ...
in 1982 from
Furman University
Furman University is a Private university, private Liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Greenville, South Carolina. Founded in 1826 and named for the clergyman Richard Furman, Furman University is the oldest private institution of hig ...
, where he was inducted into
Phi Beta Kappa
The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ...
. He was a member of the
Order of the Coif
The Order of the Coif is an honor society for United States law school graduates. The name is a reference to the ancient English order of advocates, the serjeants-at-law, whose courtroom attire included a coif—a white lawn or silk skullcap, ...
with highest honors at the
University of Maryland School of Law
The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law (formerly University of Maryland School of Law) is the law school of the University of Maryland, Baltimore and is located in Baltimore City, Maryland, U.S. Its location places Maryland L ...
, whence he graduated in 1985.
He has worked at the Harvey & Battey law firm in
Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort ( , a different pronunciation from that used by the city with the same name in North Carolina) is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in Sou ...
, since 1985 and is the managing partner of its Real Estate Department.
Political activity
Davis has been involved in local and state government for many years.
Local government
Davis' activities in the Beaufort area have included service on a four-county council of governments, the county planning board, the Historic Beaufort Foundation, and the local water & sewer authority.
State of South Carolina
Executive
Davis served as Chief of Staff to Governor
Mark Sanford
Marshall Clement "Mark" Sanford Jr. (born May 28, 1960) is an American politician and author who served as the U.S. Representative for South Carolina's 1st congressional district from 1995 to 2001 and again from 2013 to 2019, and also as the ...
and as co-campaign-manager in both of Sanford's elections to the office of governor.
[ He led the initiative by Sanford's office to pass South Carolina's charter school reform bill in the legislature. He has also been a member of the South Carolina State Ports Authority board and successfully led South Carolina's negotiations to build a deep water port with Georgia on his state's side of the ]Savannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the nor ...
in Jasper County.
Legislative
In the June 10, 2008 Republican primary election for the District 46 Senate seat, Davis defeated the incumbent senator Catherine Ceips, 56% to 44%, then went on to defeat Democrat Kent Fletcher in the general election November 4, 2008, winning 65% of the vote.[
]
South Carolina 2018 gubernatorial election
Despite rumors Davis was considering a bid for governor in 2018, Davis decided against running, deciding to stay in the state Senate. After incumbent governor Henry McMaster
Henry Dargan McMaster (born May 27, 1947) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 117th governor of South Carolina since January 24, 2017. He is a member of the Republican Party.
McMaster worked for U.S. senator Strom Thurmond, in ...
was unable to win the Republican nomination in the June 12 primary, Davis endorsed McMaster's challenger John Warren, who is running as an outsider candidate with business and military experience, despite not having any political experience.
National politics
In January 2012, Davis endorsed U.S. Rep. Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest Paul (born August 20, 1935) is an American author, activist, physician and retired politician who served as the U.S. representative for Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1976 to 1977 and again from 1979 to 1985, as we ...
for the Republican nomination for U.S. president.
Davis was elected as a South Carolina Republican delegate to the 2012 Republican National Convention
The 2012 Republican National Convention was a gathering held by the U.S. Republican Party during which delegates officially nominated former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin for president and vic ...
.Nikki Haley
Nimrata Nikki Haley (née Randhawa; born January 20, 1972) is an American diplomat and politician who served as the 116th and first female governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017, and as the 29th United States Ambassador to the United Nat ...
in February 2023 ahead of the 2024 Republican primary.
Personal life
Davis has three daughters with his wife Reid, whom he married in 1985.
References
External links
Senator Tom Davis
official SC Senate website
Tom Davis for State Senate
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, Tom
1960 births
Living people
Politicians from New Brunswick, New Jersey
Republican Party South Carolina state senators
South Carolina lawyers
Furman University alumni
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law alumni
People from Beaufort, South Carolina
21st-century American politicians