Cayce, SC 07/31/2023 (Paul Kirby) – Abbott “Tre” Bray, who currently sits on the Lexington County School District Two Board of Trustees, has launched a campaign to run against current Cayce Mayor Elise Partin. Partin’s term expires in November of 2023 according to the city’s website. Partin was first elected in 2008 in a special election. Cayce’s elections are non-partisan.
Bray’s family is well-known in the Cayce West Columbia area. His father Abby Bray was a much-loved career educator, athletic director, and football coach at Brookland-Cayce High School. He stepped down in 2010 after he contracted pancreatic cancer. He died a few years later.
According to his website www.voteforbray.com, Tre is actually a fifth-generation Cayce resident. He was raised on Indigo Avenue by his mother, Deborah, and his father Abby. Both were teachers. Tre attended Brookland Cayce High School and went on to serve 12 Years in the Army National Guard with the 132 MP CO located on Platt Springs Road.
His secondary education includes a business degree from Limestone University and an MBA from the University of South Carolina, Aiken.
During his time in the National Guard, Tre was activated to assist with Hurricane Katrina relief in 2005, served as a Team Leader during a combat tour in Sadr City, Baghdad, Iraq from 2007-2008, and led his Platoon during the 2015 Floods in South Carolina. Tre graduated from the renowned Palmetto Military Academy. His military decorations include:
Soldier of the Quarter, Iraq 2008 Q2; Distinguished Honor Graduate OSUT, Fort Leonardwood, MO; Honor graduate, Palmetto Military Academy; NCO of the Year, 132 MP Company; Soldier of the Year, 132 MP Company. He has been awarded multiple medals that include ARCOM with Oak Leaf Cluster, AAM, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Service Ribbon, South Carolina National Guard Mobilization Support Award, and the South Carolina National Guard Counter-Drug Medal.
Currently, Tre manages a nationwide Department of Defense contract valued at nearly $100 million. He and his team of 200+ employees provide risk reduction services including Substance Abuse and Suicide Prevention training to the Army and Air National Guard. Additionally, he is part-owner of a Service-Disabled Veteran-owned Small Business providing Child and Youth services for the Department of Defense as well as management consulting services.
Tre was elected to serve on the Lexington School District Two Board of Trustees in 2020 with over 6,800 votes. Tre led the district in removing the mask mandate for Lexington 2 schools; pushed for an IT audit which resulted in entire infrastructure overhaul; and he continually advocates for transparency, accountability, proactivity, and sustainable growth for the district.
Tre is a devout Christian who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He and his family are currently members of Golden Corner Church. Tre is married to Diana Bray, a CPA, and Auditor for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Together they’re the proud parents of their son, Abbott, 9, and a daughter Josie who is currently 7. In his free time, Tre enjoys traveling with his family, birding, and pickleball.
Tre is running for mayor of Cayce because he believes that he can make a difference in the lives of his constituents. He is committed to making Cayce a better place to live, work, and raise a family.
He also says that in the past under Partin's leadership, Cayce has leaned into a Strong Mayor Model; he will seek to restore a true 5-vote model to enhance transparency and empower you through your elected Council Members. Cayce's actual leadership style is the Council/Manager form of government. Brae says he will work to minimize close door meetings and operate in a client-focused manner whether we are listening to a Constituent or a CEO. We will empower the city manager to manage city operations.
As a former combat veteran, he knows what real service and leadership looks like and as Mayor, and says he will act as a leader and not a political identity. He will work together to be more transparent, responsive, and accountable.
According to his webpage, Brae has a strong track record for transparency and debate, as shown throughout his tenure on the Lexington Two School District Board of Trustees. Brae says that under his leadership, the Cayce City Council will work as a team to construct all meeting agendas, increase detail for executive session items, and all meetings will be recorded. Brae says that he will ensure all agendas and meeting minutes will be online, easy to navigate, and searchable platform.
For more information on his campaign, check out his website at: https://www.voteforbray.com/
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