SC senator announces run for Ralph Norman’s 5th District seat in Congress
Republican state Sen. Wes Climer is running for Congress, seeking to succeed U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, who is running for South Carolina governor.
Climer announced his run at Southern Charm Events in Rock Hill Thursday evening, promising to be an ally to President Donald Trump in Congress and push an “America First” agenda.
“I’ve had enough and I think you have too,” Climer said Thursday. “Enough of the career politicians. Enough of unelected bureaucrats running our lives. Enough of special interests calling the shots.”
South Carolina’s 5th Congressional district includes all of York, Lee, Lancaster, Union, Cherokee, Chester, Fairfield and Kershaw counties, as well as portions of Sumter and Spartanburg counties. The district heavily favors Republicans, and Climer is the biggest name in the race so far.
Climer joins two Democrats already in the 2026 race, Alex Harper and Andrew Clough.
Climer endorsed Norman’s run for governor at the Thursday event, encouraging York County Republicans in attendance to vote for him.
Who is Wes Climer?
Climer is in his third term in the state Senate, representing District 15 in York County since 2016. He is the chairman of the S.C. Senate’s agriculture and natural resources committee. He formerly served as the chairman of the York County Republican Party.
In July, Climer filed a lawsuit over the General Assembly-approved pay increase for lawmakers, The State reported. He called the increase of $1,500 a month “unconstitutional.”
Climer also advocated this year for candy and soda to be excluded from SNAP benefits, and voted against the confirmation of Myra Reece as director of the Department of Environmental Services. Climer said at the time he did not want the state to make rules based on “thoroughly unproven theories,” citing climate change as an example.
Climer described himself Thursday as a Christian, a small business owner and “a lifelong conservative who is sick and tired of watching this county get hollowed out by people who either don’t know what they’re doing or don’t care.”
What are Climer’s campaign priorities?
Climer said his campaign priorities include cutting the federal budget, sealing the Southern border, fighting against Critical Race Theory in schools and overhauling the Department of Justice.
He said in South Carolina he will push for better coordination between federal, local and state governments to manage the state’s growth.
Climer emphasized his record in the state senate fighting for constitutional carry, tax cuts, school choice and anti-Critical Race Theory measures.
“We don’t need more noise in Washington,” Climer said. “We need results,”
What is Climer’s experience?
Climer has served in the state Senate for nearly nine years and ranks 23rd out of 46 senators in seniority. When asked why he would give up the seniority he has gained in the smaller chamber to be one of 435 U.S. representatives, Climer said he believes Congress is where he can make the biggest impact.
“The real fight for the future of this country is happening in Washington,” he said. “The stakes are incredibly high. I have learned a lot serving in the State House about how to accomplish conservative objectives, not just talking about it, not just doing a press release or a tweet, but moving it from an idea into a law. I think we need more of that in Washington, people who not only can make the argument, but people who can close the deal.”
His experience makes him a good candidate for Congress, said Alex Stroman, a former SC GOP executive director. Climer has worked on Capitol Hill and is a popular senator throughout the state, Stroman said.
“He will be able to go in with an understanding that I think a lot of freshmen members of Congress don’t have,” Stroman said. “He knows how it works, and he knows how to get things done. He knows what to avoid, and I think that the legislative experience that he’s had and the leadership experience he’s had in the South Carolina Senate really will make him an even better congressman. It’s kind of a no-brainer.”
Is Climer aligned with President Donald Trump?
Climer is aligned with the president’s agenda, Stroman said. Though he deals more with state-specific issues as a senator, he has maintained a strong Republican stance, he said.
“Those Republican values that he’s had for years being a county party chairman, working in the Senate, focusing on constituent service issues, really taking some really tough stances at times in the South Carolina Senate that I think are more aligned with… the president’s agenda.”
Climer said he would be an ally to the president in Congress.
Climer told The Charlotte Observer on Thursday he doesn’t disagree with any Trump policy.
What advantages does Climer have?
Stroman said some of Climer’s biggest strengths include his personality, strong stances in the senate and his ability to raise money.
“Climer is someone who can disagree without being disagreeable. He’s somebody who has really taken tough stances at times in the South Carolina legislature and led on issues,” he said. “I think that he has so many built-in advantages that will prove him well in a Republican primary and a general election.”
Climer told the Observer his record in the state senate is his biggest advantage.
“Most people, when they run for office, they have to run from their record in a conservative primary,” he said. “I’m running on my record as a principled conservative who delivers results.”
This story was originally published July 31, 2025 at 9:13 PM.
