SC Democratic Party Chairman Dick @Harpootlian4SC compares Gov. Nikki Haley to Eva Braun and says the party should "send Nikki Haley back to wherever the hell she came from" (she was born in Bamberg, SC, to Indian-American parents). (2012-13)

State Treasurer Curtis Loftis shares a conspiracy blog post claiming the perpetrator of a church shooting in Texas is "Another Clinton/ANTIFA Terrorists." When asked why he spread a false rumor, Loftis says, "Wide audiences kill fake news." (2017) web.archive.org/web/2018021505…

Anthony Culler, Republican candidate for the 6th Congressional District, states that same-sex couples "are NOT cute and cuddly but rather (for those of you that are old enough to remember the movie), Gremlins that will only destroy our way of life" (2014) charlestoncitypaper.com/2014/10/20/rep…

Attorney general Henry McMaster tries to ban CDs by Eminem and Cheech & Chong from public libraries statewide. (2004)

In a recorded interview with Sacha Baron Cohen, Congressman Joe Wilson supports arming preschoolers with guns to prevent school shootings. “Our founding fathers did not put an age limit on the Second Amendment," Wilson says. (2018)

State Rep. RJ May III, a leader of the "South Carolina Freedom Caucus," derails discussion of a bill to establish Women in Hunting and Fishing Awareness Day by demanding that the law define women as "individuals whose sex at birth was female.” (2023)

After an investigation finds that State Treasurer Curtis Loftis failed to account for $1.8 billion in state funds, Loftis yells at senators and threatens to publish sensitive state budget information online (2024)

Erskine College, a private Christian school, establishes a Charter Institute to approve new public charter schools and begins siphoning off public funds on a per-pupil basis in accordance with state law. (2017)

Governor Mark Sanford carries two piglets named Pork and Barrel through the State House and gets pig manure on his shoes, his coat, and the floor. Sanford spokesman Will Folks is left to clean up the mess. (2004)

Update (2025)

Isle of Palms businessman Rom Reddy represents himself in a court case over an illegal seawall he had built outside his mansion, loses, and launches a political action committee called "DOGE SC" (2025)

New York real estate investor Howard Rich uses a network of shell companies to evade campaign finance limits and pump hundreds of thousands of dollars into South Carolina state legislative races, backing candidates who support private school vouchers (2008 - 2013)

Bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger visits Spring Valley High School in Columbia and tells the assembled students, "Play sports programs instead of video programs." Governor Carroll Campbell bestows on him the Order of the Palmetto, the state's highest civilian honor. (1992)

(2025)

State Rep. Luke Rankin proposes naming a road after the right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk. A professor replies to the news on Facebook, "This level of dick riding needs to be studied." Rankin calls his employer and demands that they punish him for it. (2025)

State Sen. Lee Bright opposes a bill to remove the flag of slavery and secession from Statehouse grounds, calling the effort a "Stalinist purge." He gives a speech about it on the Senate floor but gets distracted and starts complaining about gay people. (2015)

Charleston lawyer Mullins McLeod announces his campaign for governor while shirtless and screaming in the backseat of a police cruiser (2025)

Pamela Evette, whose only political experience is in the ceremonial position of lieutenant governor, announces her campaign for governor in a video depicting her with laser eyes. (2025)