NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A lawmaker in the conservative House Freedom Caucus is launching his campaign to be governor of South Carolina.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., who came to Congress in 2017, kicked off his Palmetto State bid with a Rock Hill campaign rally on Sunday.
“I am running for governor to shake things up, clean up Columbia, and finally take down the corrupt political establishment once and for all,” Norman is telling voters, according to prepared remarks obtained by Fox News Digital. “I owe nothing to the lobbyists. I owe nothing to the Columbia bureaucratic elite. My allegiance is to you, the people of South Carolina.”
As part of his campaign platform, Norman is promising to establish a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) “commission” in the state “that roots out waste, fraud, and abuse.”
THOM TILLIS ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM SENATE AFTER CLASH WITH TRUMP
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., is launching his campaign for governor on Sunday (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Norman is also running on the promise of fixing South Carolina’s infrastructure, implementing term limits for state lawmakers, tort reform, and pledging to “let the people vote on judges.”
Currently, a majority of state judgeships in South Carolina are decided by the General Assembly. Some positions, including magistrate judges, are appointed by the governor.
Norman is also promising “to use the bully pulpit to bring my case directly to the people” and to “use the veto pen.”
His campaign speech also touches on socially conservative goals like advocating for school choice, and restricting school bathrooms by gender at birth.
“And if that all doesn’t work, I’m telling you now that any so-called “Republican” RINO legislator that doesn’t stand for reforms the people are calling for doesn’t deserve to be in office and we’ll beat them in Republican primaries if that’s what it takes,” Norman’s speech says.
Norman is joining a crowded Republican…
