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Big thanks to @WesClimer for submitting this excellent #FITSForum piece detailing the debt bomb that's currently blowing up prices for every American.
Fiscal conservatives like Climer have been warning for years that a day of reckoning was coming... and guess what: it's here.
Thankfully, Climer's assessment isn't all doom and gloom, offering some concrete steps we can take TODAY to turn things around.
Thanks, senator, for this insightful read...
fitsnews.com/2026/09/15/wes-…
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Wes Climer retweeted
Day 2 of Gavin Newsom in SC. Had some folks discount cost of living yesterday, essentially, it doesn't matter (tell that to folks actually struggling). So, in tribute of Newsom's Day 2 in SC, I decided to go more in-depth. Let's get an apples to apples comparison of what it would cost to live in both capitals (people said it's not fair to compare to LA because, well it's LA!).
So, let's dive into what it would cost for a family of four to live in Columbia SC versus Sacramento CA. Now, these are averages, so keep that in mind, but let's go:
Food for four (groceries/food out):
Sacramento: $249
Columbia: $242
Transportation (Fuel/Auto-Insurance):
Sacramento: $293
Columbia: $277
Childcare: (If applicable)
Sacramento: $554
Columbia: $427
Medical/Health Insurance:
Sacramento: $268
Columbia: $222
So, when you break down the basics here, it's about $500 cheaper to live in SC's capital, versus California's capital.
Now, let's take a look at utilities, these are monthly versus weekly here.
Electricity: (Based on 1,000 kWh monthly)
Sacramento: $246
Columbia: $164
Water: (Based on 5,000 gallons of monthly)
Sacramento: $47
Columbia: $23
Sewer:
Sacramento: $25
Columbia: $44
Trash:
Sacramento: $43
Columbia: $35
In the end, thats $362 for Sacramento and $266 for Columbia.
Finally, let's hit on gas. We talked about the overall transportation average, which is estimated by Triple A, but let's just talk price per gallon.
In Sacramento, the average price per gallon is $5.81 and Columbia its $3.77 per gallon. If you were to use 25 gallons per week, thats $145 per week in Sacramento and $94 per week in Columbia.
So there you have it, in Sacramento, you have higher taxes, health-care costs, gas, utilities, basically everything. At the end of the day, the basics cost about 30 percent more in Sacramento than in Columbia.
End of the day, real numbers matter a lot more than flash and rhetoric. As Newsom participates in Day 2 of his events in SC, it's important for families and businesses to understand what he represents, higher costs and more strain on families budgets.
For candidates that stand with Newsom, it's important for the public to understand what they are committing to.
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Wes Climer retweeted
Progressives Across Nation Locked Out Of Accounts After CAPTCHA Asks 'Select All Squares That Contain A Woman' buff.ly/wrCoVgy
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100% correct. Dems talk a big game on affordability but everything they stand for makes everything more expensive
As Gavin Newsom comes to South Carolina to stump for the Annie Andrews and Jermaine Johnson, I think in a cost of living cycle, it's important we revisit some stats.
Cost of living: #1 in the country (being number one isn't great in this category)
Cost of a home: #2 in the country (Again, not good)
Cost of rent: #1 in the country (starting to sense a trend)
Home ownership rate: 49/50 in the country (if you are going to live in California, apparently don't expect to own a home because only 49% of folks are able to afford on there)
Cost per gallon: #1 in the country according to AAA at around $5.78 a gallon
Cost of insurance: 5th highest in the nation on average.
Unemployment: 2nd highest in the country (Oregon wins this category).
Price per pound of beef: $1-$2 above the national average
Price per gallon of milk: 20% above the national average.
So, in a cost of living cycle, the South Carolina Democrats, led by Jermaine Johnson and Annie Andrews are cheering bringing in a surrogate who is arguably the single worst champion of affordability in the country. Fascinating move!
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Wes Climer retweeted
Yup. Dem vote share in South Carolina statewide elections:
2024: PRES 40%
2022: GOV 40% / SEN 37%
2020: PRES 43% / SEN 44%
2018: GOV 45%
2016: PRES 40% / SEN 36%
In my best @SeanTrende voice, I absolutely believe the Democratic candidate will get 42% of the vote in South Carolina
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Unacceptable. Unsustainable. And a major reason why everything is so expensive - our purchasing power is crushed by currency debasement
BREAKING: The US government is now running a primary budget deficit of -3.59% of GDP, the largest among major advanced economies.
The primary budget deficit EXCLUDES the $1.1+ trillion in interest payments on existing government debt.
This is followed by the UK at -3.51% of the country’s GDP.
Belgium, France, Austria, and the Euro Area run primary budget deficits of -2.14%, -1.97%, -1.66%, and -1.40%, respectively.
In other words, even excluding the cost of servicing existing debt, which is the 2nd-largest US government expenditure, even larger than defense spending, the US deficit is the biggest relative to GDP among all major advanced economies.
US deficit spending is out of control.
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Wes Climer retweeted
Great being with Louisiana Senator @SenJohnKennedy and our next Congressman, Senator @WesClimer, last night!
Senator Kennedy fired up the crowd as we rallied behind Wes and his campaign to keep the 5th District red and send a proven conservative fighter to Washington.
Let’s send Wes Climer to Congress!
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Wes Climer retweeted
“Woke 1” led to an invasion at our border. It gave us the highest inflation in a generation. It defunded our police and made our streets less safe.
It destroyed lives and livelihoods.
Democrats can try to laugh it off, but the American people won’t forget.
AOC on Francesca Hong's old tweets calling for abolishing prisons and the police:
"Woke 1 was crazy."
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Wes Climer retweeted
SECRETARY RUBIO: "This is a distinctive and unique evil. It has always been driven by a hatred, above all else, for civilization itself."
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Wes Climer retweeted
South Carolina is doing its part to crack down on health care fraud.
My office proudly joined @TheJusticeDept’s historic National Health Care Fraud Takedown, helping uncover more than $6.5 billion in alleged fraud nationwide.
Here in South Carolina, our VAMPF Unit brought charges against seven defendants and continues to hold those who exploit vulnerable adults, abuse Medicaid, and defraud taxpayers accountable.
Protecting our seniors, vulnerable adults, and taxpayer dollars will always be one of my top priorities. If you break the law and prey on those who need protection most, we’ll hold you accountable.
SC attorney general charges 7 in cases tied to ‘health care fraud takedown’ thestate.com/news/local/crim…
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Wes Climer retweeted
Smart move by SC lawmakers to enact an auto-CR mechanism earlier this year.
🏛️💸 South Carolina's @SCSenateGOP could create BILLIONS of dollars for tax relief simply by doing NOTHING over the next 72 hours. Will they hold the line? We'll see... but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for truly historic relief. #SCStateHouse #SCBudget fitsnews.com/2026/06/28/sout…
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BREAKING: President Trump signs a presidential memo to make it easier for Americans to repair their own cars by protecting the right to fix vehicles and opening up more options for approving aftermarket parts.
"It came to my attention because I noticed they were arresting people for fixing their car."
"We rule by common sense."
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Wes Climer retweeted
Today was disappointing.
Not because a bill failed, but because South Carolinians lost the opportunity to buy ivermectin over the counter after consulting with a pharmacist—a bill that had already passed the House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support.
@JayforHouse85 deserves a tremendous amount of credit. He worked tirelessly to move this bill through the House, accepted compromises when necessary, worked with the Senate, and built a coalition to get it across the finish line. @SCFreedomCaucus members stood shoulder to shoulder with him because we believed this was good policy and something the people of South Carolina wanted.
A couple of things are worth pointing out.
• A majority of House Republicans (37) voted NOT to kill the bill. Only 31 Republicans joined Democrats to send it back to committee.
• Several Republicans who voted to kill the bill today voted for it just two months ago. The legislation was amended along the way—as most bills are—but its core purpose remained the same. What changed wasn't the bill. It was the political calendar.
As disappointing as today was, I actually feel encouraged.
I'm encouraged by the Republican House Caucus members who, despite pressure to change their vote, stood their ground. They didn't vote to keep this bill alive because they wanted to help the Freedom Caucus. They voted to keep it alive because they believed it was the right thing to do for the people they represent.
This is what I mean when I say Republicans need to come together.
There will always be people in every caucus who want to keep the drama alive because it benefits them politically. There will always be personalities, hurt feelings, and reasons to keep fighting each other.
But there are also good conservatives in both caucuses who care more about advancing conservative policy than winning internal political battles.
Those are the members I'm encouraged by today.
𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐎 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞: 𝐒𝐂 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐎𝐓𝐂 𝐈𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥
By Preston Baines @PrestonBaines
South Carolina was poised to join several other Republican-led states by allowing Ivermectin to be purchased over the counter after consultation with a pharmacist. The legislation had already passed both the House and Senate by overwhelming margins.
Today, Republican leadership killed it.
While lawmakers returned to Columbia to finalize the state budget, they also took up unfinished business. In one of his final acts before retiring, House Majority Leader Davey Hiott (R-Pickens) moved to commiit the bill to the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee, a procedural move that effectively killed the legislation for the year.
The outcome was particularly striking given the bill’s path. On March 25, 2026, after clearing subcommittee and full committee (and after its sponsor agreed to compromises requested by House leadership) the bill finally reached the House floor following more than five weeks of delays. It passed 100-9. The Senate then fast-tracked the measure, approving it 38-3. When it returned to the House at the end of the regular session, Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter (D-Orangeburg) delayed final action, pushing the bill into the special session.
Between the close of regular session on May 18 and lawmakers’ return on June 25, Republican primary elections reshaped the political landscape. During those races, the bill’s sponsor, Freedom Caucus Rep. Jay Kilmartin (R-Lexington), endorsed several challengers to incumbent Republican legislators.
According to multiple sources, the House Republican Caucus’s closed-door meeting on June 25 centered almost entirely on members who had supported primary challengers. Freedom Caucus members are not allowed to attend these meetings because they declined to sign the caucus loyalty pledge.
One of the chief grievances discussed was Kilmartin’s endorsement of John Allen in the House District 69 primary against incumbent Rep. Chris Wooten (R-Lexington). Kilmartin and several Freedom Caucus members - and, in some cases, their spouses - also contributed to Allen’s campaign. Wooten ultimately won re-election.
Hiott, who himself first entered the House by defeating a Republican incumbent, reportedly made clear that supporting challengers to sitting House members would not be tolerated.
Hours later, he followed through by moving to commit the Ivermectin bill, ending its chances of becoming law. The motion succeeded after enough Republican members joined Democrats to send the legislation back to committee.
This year’s Republican primaries ended in a stalemate between the House Republican Caucus establishment and the Freedom Caucus. State Rep. Luke Rankin (R-Laurens) lost his bid for re-election, while Hunter Hackett replaced retiring state Rep. Ryan McCabe (R-Lexington).
Throughout the primary campaign, several incumbent Republicans dismissed criticism of their voting records or argued their votes had been taken out of context. Expect similar explanations following the decision to kill one of the session’s highest-profile medical freedom bills.
New day. Same politics. Same pettiness.
𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦? 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘴𝘤-𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮
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Wes Climer retweeted
I am honored to have the endorsement of President Donald J. Trump. President Trump has fought harder than anyone to secure our border, restore American strength, drain the swamp, protect our freedoms, and put working families first.
As South Carolina’s Attorney General, I have been proud to stand with him in that fight. I defended President Trump’s executive orders. I backed his America First cabinet. I fought back against the Left’s lawfare and political prosecutions. I defended election integrity. I took the Biden Administration to court when they tried to force their woke, unconstitutional agenda on South Carolina.
And I never backed down.
When President Trump needed fighters, I was in the fight. Now, I am running for Governor to keep South Carolina strong, conservative, and free. Thank you, President Trump. I am grateful for your support and I am ready to keep fighting for South Carolina.
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Wes Climer retweeted
Senator @WesClimer is a leading voice for judicial reform, and I've been advocating for it for years. I'm grateful for his support.
As Governor, SC will restore equal power to all three branches of government and clean up the lawyer-legislator influence over our judiciary.
Vote Alan Wilson on June 23. Let's finish the job.
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Thank you, Mr. President! It’s an honor to have earned your support, and I’m ready to get to work in Congress to deliver results for the America First Agenda!
🚨 NEW COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT OF @WesClimer FOR SOUTH CAROLINA'S 5TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!
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Thank you, Chairwoman McClain!
I am proud to ENDORSE Wes Climer for Congress. He is a dedicated husband, father, business owner, and State Senator. He has a strong record of fighting for lower taxes and eliminating wasteful spending. Wes will bring that same passion to Congress and fight for Trump’s America First agenda. I look forward to working with him to always put COMMON SENSE over CRAZY! 🇺🇸
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