Lexington, SC 09/20/2024 (Paul Kirby) – Lexington resident and Democrat Francie Kleckley is running for SC Senate District 10 against incumbent Republican Billy Garrett. Kleckley lives in the Secret Cove neighborhood of Lexington County.
District 10 picked up a larger part of Lexington County during the last reapportionment. It now includes parts of Greenwood, Saluda, and Lexington Counties. She just opened a campaign headquarters in Greenwood, SC last Saturday.
Kleckley is a single mom who raised 2 children who are now grown. Sadly, 1 of her 2 children passed away from breast cancer several years ago. Currently, she has 1 grandchild.
Kleckley retired from the US Department of Treasury where she worked for 36 years. “I know about money,” Kleckley said during a recent interview with The Ledger. “The experience gained from my career gave me a tremendous education in money, leadership, and the ability to work with anyone. I feel these skills would serve me and the people of District 10 well when I make it to Columbia.” She said she also supports term limits but did not put a time frame on that during this interview.
Kleckley says that she is a strong supporter of gun rights, however she doesn’t believe that turning 18-years-old and not having a criminal record should qualify anyone to be able to openly or conceal carry a weapon. “I’m a proud gun owner but I think that everyone who carries a weapon should be required to have some training. Also, being able to have a gun on your person or just stored anyplace in a vehicle with no requirement to notify a law enforcement officer that might have pulled you over is just unsafe for the officer and yourself. I also believe that we should require background checks for all gun sales. That includes buyers at gun shows and private sales.” She went on to explain that people with criminal records, a history of domestic violence, or a history of mental illnesses can currently buy a firearm at a gun show or through a private sale and then use it as fast as they can get ammunition in it. “This is just unsafe for everyone, yet currently that’s the way it is in South Carolina.”
South Carolina also needs to pass a strong Hate Crime Bill according to Kleckley. “Right now, violence against someone who has an alternate lifestyle, is of a different religion, and anyone who has a skin color or heritage that can label them as a minority can be physically attacked for those reasons and law enforcement would charge the perpetrator as they would anyone else. A Hate Crime Bill would allow for enhanced penalties if the reason for the attack is simply because the perpetrator hates the victim because they are different.”
Kleckley also said that she is pro-abortion. “I believe that what a woman does with her body is between her, her doctor, and her God.” She went on to say that she would support a referendum on abortion in South Carolina that would allow its citizens to vote on the abortion issue. “I don’t believe that what goes on with a woman’s body should be left to a bunch of men at the SC State House in Columbia.”
She also is for the expansion of Medicaid. “I can’t believe that we haven’t accepted federal funds that are currently out there for expanding Medicaid. There are a lot of South Carolinians out there who must make choices between buying groceries, going to the doctor, or filling their prescriptions. Everyone has the right to health care no matter what their situation is. If the federal dollars are out there for and expansion of Medicaid, we need to be grabbing our fair share of these funds.”
Kleckley has some very strong opinions when it comes to the education of South Carolina’s children. “I think every child in this state deserves a high-quality education no matter what their zip code is,” she said. “I certainly don’t see us handing out vouchers that parents can use for private or religious school tuitions. Taxpayer’s money should be used to support our public schools.” She went on to say, “Our state’s schools are rated as some of the worst in the nation. To improve that, we need to increase the support we provide for our teachers and school staff members. They need competitive pay and the proper funding and support to do their jobs. I believe that educators and parents know best when it comes to a child’s education. I am also a strong supporter of the educators’ associations we have working in our states. Legislatures should stay out of the schools and leave the operation of those to these trained educators. Instead of banning books and worrying about the curriculum a teacher is using, or the day-to-day operations of our schools, they should be listening to teachers’ associations and finding the funds to allow us to better recruit and retain quality educators,” she concluded. “Most of the elected officials at the state house are attorneys or businessmen. They have never spent a day in a classroom teaching. What qualifies these elected officials to decide what goes on in our classrooms?”
“I also don’t think that a trained school counselor should be forbidden from talking with a child who has begun exploring or questioning their sexuality from doing so. I realize that this is a touchy subject, but some parents just aren’t qualified or will not discuss the subject of sexuality at all. This is certainly true if a child has already tried to initiate a conversation with their parents and been shut down completely. Those students should be able to talk with the trained professionals counselors at school,” she said. “Everyone is different and when a child begins to feel different or confused about their sexuality inside it can lead to dangerous mental health issues. God forbid that a child gets depressed and begins to contemplate harming themselves because they had no one to talk with or they get bad advice from a peer regarding this subject.”
Kleckley believes that right now is the time for the SC State Legislature to address issues that affect our state’s small businesses. “One is the crisis of Venue Liability. It is something we need to be working on right now. Last year, some restaurants, bars, and pubs saw their liability insurance increase by as much as 1,000 percent. That can easily force a small business working on tight margins to close. I certainly don’t believe in these businesses overserving their customers alcohol, but I think that some of the responsibility of overindulging also lies with the consumer. This needs to be addressed right now before some of our small businesses are forced out by the cost of insurance. One of the first things we need to do is define what liability really is. This is one of many things we need to be working on to protect our state’s small businesses and their owners.”
In closing, Kleckley said that our legislature has lost its way and South Carolinians are paying the price. “It’s time to focus on our families, our freedoms, and our future. Instead, the SC State Legislature is fighting, pointing their fingers at others, and focusing on fringe issues. The only way to stop this is to elect candidates that will act with our best interest at heart. That’s why you need to cast your vote for Francie Kleckley on November 5th.”
To learn more about Kleckley’s platform, go to https://www.franciekleckley.com/. You can also follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/francieforscsenate/.
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