‘Time for a new chapter’: House Speaker Lucas won’t run again
House Speaker Jay Lucas, R-Hartsville, will not seek another term in the S.C. House. NEWS & PRESS FILE PHOTO
By Bobby Bryant, Editor
editor@newsandpress.net
Hartsville attorney Jay Lucas, who for the past eight years has been the most powerful man in the S.C. House, announced last Tuesday he won’t run for another term.
The decision means an end to Lucas’ 24-year career in the House and to his nearly decade-long run as House speaker, one of the most influential positions in state government.
Lucas, 64, a Republican, announced during a House session March 15 he won’t seek re-election in 2022.
“You have graciously bestowed upon me one of the greatest honors of my life and I hope I was up to the job,” he told the House members.
“When it ends, I will miss it every day. I will miss all of you in countless ways,” he said. “I can only hope that each of you believes that I have been a worthy servant of this chamber and worthy of the job you have so graciously bestowed upon me. My time will come to an end as this session ends. It will be time for a new chapter to be written for the House.”
Lawmakers gave him a standing ovation. Lucas has been a House member, representing District 65, since 1999.
Accolades quickly came in from fellow Republicans. Gov. Henry McMaster said in a statement: “Speaker Jay Lucas has served the people of South Carolina with distinction for over two decades, and I have been fortunate enough to call him a friend for all of those years. Our work together has been close and constant and his leadership has produced unprecedented growth and prosperity for all the people in our great state. I look forward to continuing our partnership through the end of this session.”
The Associated Press called Lucas a “kinder, gentler” speaker. He was elected to the post in 2014 after former speaker Bobby Harrell was indicted for violating campaign-finance laws. Harrell’s problems preoccupied the House for many months, and members
welcomed the smooth sailing that came with Lucas’ rise to speaker.
Why is Lucas ending his House career? He said that originally, he wanted to change House rules so that a speaker could only hold that job for eight years. A committee settled on 10 years. Lucas said he felt “it would be a little disingenuous of me” to go for another term as speaker; he said it would be “breaking his word” in a sense. And, he pointed out, it would have been tough to go back to being a typical House member after being speaker for so long.
State Rep. Robert Williams, a Darlington Democrat, said losing Lucas as speaker will be “a great loss” for the Pee Dee politically, especially combined with the recent death of Florence Sen. Hugh Leatherman, whose seniority helped steer projects toward the Pee Dee.
“I was kind of surprised” by Lucas’ decision not to run again, Williams said. “I didn’t hear anything.”
Williams gave Lucas good reviews for his service as speaker. “He’s been an advocate for the Pee Dee,” Williams said. “Jay (has been) pretty good as speaker. He kept the House afloat.”