to put South Carolina first, because lowering costs and making life better for families across our state is going to take all of us working together.

 If you care more about your bills than the politics in Washington, this campaign is for you. 

Former Republican South Carolina Gov. David Beasley, described the president's comments as  abhorrent. 

5 President Donald Trump throws a pen he used to sign an executive order into the crowd at a campaign rally at the Pinnacle Bank Expo Center, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Grand Island, Nebraska. AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

5 Democratic Senate candidate Dr. Annie Andrews speaks during the Spratt Issues Conference at the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center in Florence, South Carolina, Saturday, August 22, 2026. Getty Images

 Elections don't have to be about cruelty and lies,  wrote Beasley, who served in the state's top job from 1995 to 1999.  South Carolina deserves better. I urge voters to look at the merits of each candidate and cast their vote accordingly. We must reject politics based on division and hate. While South Carolinians can strongly disagree with one another, we can do so civilly and with honest intentions for the betterment of our communities and well being of our families.