James decided to run for office after returning from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital with his daughter, where doctors saved her life. He is now fighting to bring a St. Jude partnership to South Carolina so families here can access world-class care without having to travel across the country.

As a small business owner, James has created more than 100 jobs here in the Lowcountry. He has seen firsthand how burdensome regulations affect local businesses and how rapid growth can threaten our quality of life. He brought that experience to the House Regulations Committee, where he chairs the Education and Administrative Procedures Subcommittee and serves on the Cybersecurity Subcommittee. He also serves on the House Education and Public Works Committee.

That combination of personal and professional experience guides James’s work in Columbia. It is why he has worked to reduce burdens on small businesses, supported teacher raises and school resource officers, and stood with the first responders who protect our communities. His commitment earned him recognition as the 2026 First Responder Legislator of the Year from South Carolina’s firefighters. James and his family were also recipients of the 2025 St. Jude Hope Award for helping raise more than $4.5 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.