South Carolina Overcomes RINO Opposition To Affirm Gun Rights

South Carolina recently passed a bill allowing citizens to exercise their constitutional right to carry a firearm without needing onerous special permission from the government, marking a major and decisive victory for conservatives in the state.

Known as “constitutional carry” legislation, the movement to affirm the God-given rights of its residents as stated in the U.S. Constitution has been spreading across freedom-loving states in the U.S., with South Carolina being the last state with a republican majority to pass the legislation for its residents and the 29th state to do so in the nation — Louisiana became the 28th state just a few days ago.  

The fight for constitutional carry began in early 2021 when state Rep. Bobby Cox (R–Greenville) sponsored a first-of-its-kind bill to remove strictures on citizens’ Second Amendment rights. But the bill was killed in committee due to RINOs entrenched in the Senate.

Several other constitutional carry bills died in committee over the years in South Carolina as weak conservatives blocked efforts to get each new iteration passed.

However, in early 2024, a new version of the bill gained considerable support in the state’s Senate. The bill acknowledges the right of any citizen at least 18 years of age who can legally purchase a firearm to carry a firearm in public without getting additional approvals.

The bill was close to being passed, but needed a push to get across the finish line, as a group of liberal Republicans — Sens. Stephen Goldfinch, Luke Rankin, Greg Hembree, Michael Johnson, Penry Gustafson and Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey — sought to stop the bill from reaching the governor’s desk to be signed.

With a strong bill hanging in the balance, Palmetto Gun Rights, a South Carolina Second Amendment advocacy organization, stepped in, deploying door knockers to focus on the city of Charleston tasked with informing citizens about the bill and requesting that they voice their support to their senator.

Another organization, American Action Fund, deployed a team of door knockers across South Carolina to locate supporters of the bill and empower them to contact their senators and voice their support. As public awareness for the popular bill grew, constituents began actively contacting their senators and demanding they vote to pass it.

Thanks to the hard work of patriots and patriotic organizations fighting for South Carolinians, the NRA-backed bill was passed in the Senate and signed into law by Republican Gov. Henry McMaster during a private signing ceremony — with a public singing planned on a later date.  

McMaster commented on the historic legislation on X, formerly Twitter, stating, “With my signature, South Carolina is now the 29th state in the country with constitutional carry. This bill expands the Second Amendment rights of our law-abiding citizens and will keep violent criminals behind bars with increased penalties for illegal gun use and possession.” 

Despite resistance, citizens refused to accept defeat and pushed the legislature to pass this historic bill. The story of constitutional carry in South Carolina is a lesson to all that when conservatives stand up, organize and act, they can win.