York County Council Chairman Michael Johnson running for seat in state Senate
York County Council Chairman Michael Johnson will seek a seat in the state Senate, according to his campaign website.
Johnson, who was elected to council in 2012, is running to fill the District 16 seat, which covers York and Lancaster counties.
The seat will be vacated by longtime Republican lawmaker Greg Gregory, who announced in October that he will not seek re-election in 2020. Gregory served in the state Senate from 1993 to 2008 and returned in 2011.
Johnson, a Republican, represents District 1 on county council — which covers the Fort Mill and Tega Cay areas. He is serving his first term as chairman after his role as vice-chair since 2014.
He made the announcement last month.
“This wasn’t an easy decision,” Johnson said in a release. “I have enjoyed my time on council and believe we are moving in the right direction. I also think state government could benefit from the lessons we’ve learned and from the leadership I’ve provided locally.”
According to his website, Johnson’s campaign will focus on bettering the area’s schools, improving road conditions and lowering taxes.
Fort Mill School Board member Tom Audette announced in December that he is running to fill Johnson’s District 1 seat on county council. Audette, a Republican, has been on the school board since 2012.
“I will be using my experience from the Fort Mill School Board and the experience of working on budgets, on road issues, on construction, on many issues that face our local area,” Audette said in a video posted to his campaign website.
Two other candidates are running against Johnson so far for the state Senate District 16 seat. Tega Cay businessman Tom Nichols announced his candidacy in November.
Nichols, also a Republican, released an announcement video, branding himself as a “straight shooter.”
“I shoot straight when I take aim and I shoot straight in who I am, too,” Nichols said in the video. “I’m a God-fearing, Trump-loving, politically incorrect conservative.”
Nichols ran for office before. He challenged former York County Sheriff Bruce Bryant in 2017 for the S.C. House District 48 seat.
And Indian Land community leader Mike Neese, also a Republican, kicked off his campaign for the seat in December.
Candidate filing for the seat opens on March 16, according the South Carolina Election Commission.
