District 22 - Meet your Candidates for South Carolina House of Representatives

Meet Democrat Brann Fowler and Republican Paul Wickensimer, South Carolina House of Representatives District 22 candidates in the November general election. District 22 generally covers North Main Street in Greenville, Botany Woods, East North Street, and the Eastside including some of Pelham Road, Roper Mountain Road, and Garlington Road. In this episode, each candidate has 10 minutes to introduce themselves to the voters. Your vote is so important! Please take a listen and share with your neighbors.

Links:

Brann Fowler

Paul Wickensimer

Sample Ballot

Transcript

Katy Smith:
Hey, Simple Civics listeners. Thanks so much for listening week after week. We're so glad to be a resource for you civically engaged citizens. And if you would like to be a resource for us, I have three invitations for you. Number one, share this podcast with a friend who you know cares about our community. Number two, rate and review us on Apple or Spotify, which helps more people find us. And number three, feel free to make a donation to help us share this content. We are a nonprofit and your support really makes a difference. You can click donate in the description or show notes for today's episode, or you can go to simplecivicsgreenvillecounty.org and click on the big green donate button. But just being a listener is the greatest gift you can give. So thank you. And here's today's episode.

Katy Smith:
When you go to the polls on November 5th or in early voting, you have the chance to vote not just for the president. South Carolina voters will also choose their state, house, and senate members. These members of our legislature make important decisions about things such as the state budget, policies on education, health care, public safety, the judicial system, and much more. I'm Katy Smith with Greater Good Greenville. And on this episode of Simple Civics: Greenville County, we feature interviews with your candidates for House of Representatives District 22, Democrat Brann Fowler and Republican Paul Wickenheimer. Here's how the interviews worked. All candidates received the same question at the time of their invitation to join us, and they were given 10 minutes for their interview. Candidates were allowed to bring along a companion, such as a campaign manager, family member, or friend, and to record our session themselves. There were no edits made to the interview. We've put links to the participating candidates' preferred internet presence on the episode page. First up is Brann Fowler. Well, I'm pleased to be here with Brann Fowler, who is Democratic candidate for South Carolina House District 22. Thanks so much for joining us, Bran.

Brann Fowler:
Yeah, thanks for having me.

Katy Smith:
Well, tell us about yourself and why you're running for office.

Brann Fowler:
So I grew up in a very small town down in the low country called Ridgeland, South Carolina. And one of the things you learn growing up in a place like that is that nobody makes it on their own. My mom, in addition to being a lawyer, also worked as a nurse part-time. And I remember she had a woman who came into the hospital with a sick child, and she was so scared that the child was sick because the woman had no food to feed her and had gone into the swamp and actually caught, killed, and cooked a turtle, which she fed to her child. So, you know, of course, the hospital got the baby straightened out. And then shortly thereafter, I find myself in this woman's house setting up a Christmas tree and dropping off Christmas presents and a lot of canned goods. And that was just what you did. That's just how people are down there. That's just expected of you. So after that, I found Greenville when I came up here for Furman and realized that there were places in this very same state that have hills and not just pine trees.

Brann Fowler:
Loved the community, loved what's going on up here. Left Furman, went to law school at Carolina, which is where I met my now wife, Becca. She was a school teacher in Camden. While I was in law school, I actually joined the army and I still serve there today in the National Guard. And when I joined, you know, the country had been at war for about 10 years. And there I am, a healthy, able-bodied young man. And it just seemed like the least I could do, quite frankly. You know, we've benefited a lot here. And I felt like it was time for me to do my part. And the Army's been so great to me and my family. You know, we bought our house with a VA loan. I paid off my student loans with money I made on deployment. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow morning just for pure preventative health care, and I will pay zero dollars at that. My son's going to go to school on the GI Bill. And I understand that those are government programs that my family has benefited from. And were it not for that government investment in me and my family, we would not be where we are today.

Brann Fowler:
So graduated law school, came back to Greenville where I worked in the solicitor's office as a prosecutor for a long time. And I really enjoyed being a prosecutor. I really liked that job. It feels really good to try and make a difference and to try and help people and to try and do what you can to work on crime in our community. But something that I hated about that job is that nobody calls a prosecutor, nobody calls a police officer until something really bad has happened. You know, I wasn't getting involved until somebody's life had been irrevocably harmed for the most part. And so you'd see these holes in our society. You'd see these issues we'd have. And, you know, so many times I thought, golly, if we could have just gotten to this guy sooner, we could have stopped this. We could have prevented this. If we could have just diverted this, there's so many places to have stepped off of this track, but we didn't. And here we are. And so many lives are so horribly affected because of that.

Brann Fowler:
So then while I was at the solicitor's office, my son was born. And I think any parent will tell you, you know, there is a before and an after of that. Left the solicitor's office. I'm now in private practice where I do mostly criminal defense, which has taught me a whole new perspective and is frankly given me a much higher appreciation for the risks that happen when we give the government power over private citizens. You know, I kind of see it from the other side. I see people who've gotten tangled up into things, and likewise, it's so hard to unring that bell once that's happened. So that's a little bit about me. I'm running for office, probably as you can tell, you know, I think we owe it to each other to look out for each other. And I think too many people in the statehouse do not take that obligation and do not take their job seriously.

Brann Fowler:
I sort of classify the legislature generally into sort of three pots of people. The far and away smallest group are the serious worker bees who are down there getting things done, who are focused on solving problems and are punching way above their weight. The next smallest group are the noisemakers, the people we see in the newspaper, the people we hear about, the people saying and doing the crazy stuff that drives us all nuts. But then the vast majority are probably perfectly nice people, but they're just kind of going along. I don't think that they have any real goals. I think that for them, a successful career in the legislature is eating some ham biscuits on the statehouse floor a couple of days a week in the springtime. And the job is too important for that. The laws that we live under and the society that we leave to our children is too important to leave up to people is just kind of a retirement gig. It's not acceptable. And when you have those kinds of people running the state, that's how you wind up losing track of billions of dollars of taxpayer money. That's how you wind up having bills that should get passed languishing in committees because people aren't working on and pushing on the things that they ought to be pushing on. So that's why I'm running.

Katy Smith:
Thank you. What do you believe are the biggest issues facing your constituents and what would you do about them if elected?

Brann Fowler:
So I'm sure that anybody in the district would tell you their biggest concern is going to be growth. I really don't want to call that an issue, and I definitely don't want to call it a problem. Having lived in places that are not growing, I can assure you we have the better alternative. You want to be in a place where people are moving, no doubt. That being said, we do have to manage this growth responsibly. We have to keep an eye on things. We have to be careful about how we do it because this really is a great community up here. You know, I mean, like I said, I'm not from here. My wife and I moved here without either of us having a job here because we wanted to be part of this community. And if we're not careful, if we don't manage this growth, we're going to lose what's special about Greenville. We're just going to be another Atlanta, another Charlotte, another nameless, you know, megalopolis. But that being said, I mean, you know, just the other day, it probably took me... 20, 25 minutes to get from the downtown Publix to my house over in North Main. It's not even a mile and a half. And that is unacceptable.

Brann Fowler:
We can't make it like that. So we've got to make sure we make smart investments into our infrastructure. We've got to grow our infrastructure. And we have to really take a holistic approach to it where we'll take any solution that we can take. I tell people all the time, there's only so many lanes you can add to a road. We can't widen Church Street any wider before we're going to have to tear down Christ Church. So something's got to give there. And to me, infrastructure means more than just roads and bridges. It means investing in the people who make our community work, whether that's police officers, teachers, public servants, the folks who show up every day whose job is to make sure that our lives are easier and that when we need something, it's there. You do that by investing in those people. You do that by paying those people well. You do that by treating them with respect. And if you do that, you're going to attract and retain the top-tier talent, which is what we need if we're going to continue to be a top-tier community.

Katy Smith:
Thank you. What would you do in the first 30 days after being sworn in?

Brann Fowler:
So I guess the very first thing I'd do would probably be try and figure out where my office is and what desk they want me to sit at. But no, you know, something that I really, truly believe is that we are more alike than we are different, that we have more in common than we do apart. And so I would really make it a point to meet and have a personal conversation with every member of the legislature because we're so bad, I think, as a society about going into our little corners and everybody lives in a bubble. And it is so easy to demonize people when you don't know them. And when you get to know each other, you learn that we really agree on more than we disagree on. And if we can keep that in mind, and if we can keep in mind that, for the most part, we've all got the same destination. You know, I really do believe that most people want the best. Now, we may have different ideas of how to get there. It's just like I tell people all the time to get back to Ridgeland I can either take 385 to 26 to I-95 or I can take 385 to 26 to 178 to Highway 21. And it's kind of six to one, half a dozen another which way is better. And there's arguments for both sides. And so if we can keep that in mind, I think we can really do great things in this state.

Katy Smith:
Thank you. We have a little bit more time. Is there anything else you'd like to share with listeners?

Brann Fowler:
You know, one of the things that I really have taken to heart and that I've learned and that the Army has taught me is that you're only as fast as your slowest member. You know, you're only as strong as your weakest member. And when we're all doing well, we're all doing well. And when some of us are doing poorly, we're all doing poorly. You know, we are interconnected. We interact with each other every day. Whether or not you speak to somebody, you are interacting, you are a member of this community, and we owe it to each other to look out for each other and to try and make sure that everybody has the same opportunities and the same freedoms and the same benefits that me and my family have had. So that's something I take to heart.

Katy Smith:
Well, thank you so much for joining us. And thank you so much for your willingness to serve.

Brann Fowler:
Yeah, thank you for having me.

Katy Smith:
Next up is Paul Wickensimer. I'm so pleased to be joined by Paul Wickensimer, who's running for South Carolina House District 22. Paul, thanks so much for joining us today.

Paul Wickensimer:
Thanks, Katy. I appreciate the opportunity to be with you.

Katy Smith:
Well, tell us about yourself and why you're running for office.

Paul Wickensimer:
Well, that's a good question. I retired last July, and I kind of thought that was it. I'm done. No more public service and the opportunity came along to run for the South Carolina House. And kind of had to rethink that, talk to some friends about it. And let me just, first of all, give you a little background about me. I was a business major in college. I worked in sales, customer service, sales planning, training, community relations for many years with BellSouth and AT&T. While I was with BellSouth or AT&T, I had this idea to run for county council, had a couple of friends that were going to run. They decided not to, and I thought, maybe this might be an opportunity for me. So I offered and was elected to serve on county council. I was there. I had the opportunity to chair the council for a time. Also was able to chair the standing committees while I was on county council. So I did that for a number of years and left both of those and became the clerk of court for Greenville County. I managed what went on behind the scenes for civil, criminal, and family court. I worked with the judges, the public defender, solicitors, and many of the Greenville attorneys, which is up to about 1,600 now, by the way. So I managed two offices and a staff of about 80 people. Really had a good opportunity in public service there for a number of years. Trying to implement technology and being a leader in the state when it came to the clerk and court business.

Paul Wickensimer:
So as I said, I decided to retire last year and thought I would just kind of take a break when this opportunity came along to run for the statehouse. I really had to take a look at that because I really thoroughly enjoyed public service far more than I ever dreamed that I would. I enjoy helping people. I enjoy constituent service, that part of it too, finding solutions to issues that affect community and building relationships with others. That was something that really means a lot to me. And so I had the opportunity to work on many things while I was on county council. I worked on the Hughes Main Library, the branch libraries for the county, the Peace Center, the Children's Museum, Upstate History Museum, Governor's School, and even worked on acquiring the railroad right-of-ways that would later be used for the Swamp Rabbit Trail. So, you know, any talents or abilities that I have, I'd like to take to Columbia and put those to good use for the people of the district and people of the state. So I think I know our community pretty well. I've been on a number of boards and commissions over the years and thoroughly have enjoyed that. But I believe really that I've kind of prepared myself over the years and the experience that I've had in the community and working with people and getting things done. And I think this is something that would be useful in Columbia. And that's the whole reason I'm running. I'm not running for a title. I'm not running to use this as a stepping stone for some other office. I just feel like that there are so many issues that are out there, and perhaps I can take that experience that I've had on the local level and put it to good use in the state house in Columbia. I hope that I can check my ego at the door and that I can work with folks and be willing to let them think it's their idea if that's necessary. But there's just a lot of issues that come up in state government, and I really feel that this is something that I want to be a part of, and this is something that I sincerely feel like I can make a difference if given the opportunity.

Katy Smith:
Thank you. What do you believe are the biggest issues facing your constituents, and what would you do about them if elected?

Paul Wickensimer:
Okay, there are many issues that are out there, just a few… I think the road improvements, that's top on many minds. During the primary that we went through in June, I knocked on over a thousand doors. And oftentimes, that's what people would say, Paul, what are you going to do about the roads? And that's something that I worked on when I was on county council to improve the roads and to increase the dollars that were spent on road improvements. And I feel like that's really one of the big things that we need to address in Columbia. Not only that, but the infrastructure needs as well that go along with it. There's the water and sewer issues and even Internet access. Those are things that people are wondering about across the state. But I think the big thing is, too, to manage growth. We're experiencing a lot of growth, not only in the upstate, Greenville County, but also across the state. We've got to get our arms around that, figure out how we can deal with that growth, how we can plan for that growth and prepare for the future. But I think we need to set some priorities when it comes to the state budget. We're fortunate that without tax increases, our state budget, the dollars have increased priests that are coming in. We need to figure out how we can use those resources wisely.

Paul Wickensimer:
And another thing that I think is really important to me is a good education for our children and grandchildren. We need to make sure that when children leave school, that they're prepared if they're college-bound or if they're technical education, if that's their thing, or even going directly into the workforce. I think we need to make sure they're prepared, need to make sure that with the resources that are necessary that are there for our teachers. So they're paid according to their experience and according to their need when it comes to the salaries. We want to pay our teachers fairly. We want to make sure that they have the facilities that they need to do their job. And that's really some things that come to mind for me as far as issues in the campaign.

Katy Smith:
Thank you. What would you do in the first 30 days after being sworn in?

Paul Wickensimer:
Oh, I've thought about that a little bit. I think what would be important to me, again, to build relationships with my colleagues and with the leadership there, I learned when I was on county council that you can't get things done on your own if you don't have those connections, if you don't have a majority of the body to support your ideas, you can't make that happen. So I've already started trying to reach out to some people, not only here, but some meetings that I've attended in Columbia to get to know some people. And I think that's a big thing. I want to study the rules and seek advice from some seasoned veterans on how I can be effective as a freshman legislator if given that opportunity.

Paul Wickensimer:
Read the pending legislation that's pre-filed to become familiar with that and be prepared when those issues come up. Also to work and study my committee assignments, figure out how I can be effective there, and connect also with departments and state agencies to get to know them because I think it's so important, especially when you're working on constituent issues. You need to know who to call. You need to have contacts with people in some of these state agencies so you can get things done and try to help the people that you represent. So also, too, I'll stay in touch with local governments in our area, such as in the city of Greenville, Simpsonville, Fountain Inn, Travelers Rest, Mauldin, and Greer and so forth, as well as the school district and other government entities to see, you know, how we can work together and team up to accomplish the goals, the common goals that we have in our state and in our community.

Katy Smith:
Thank you. We have a little bit more time left. Is there anything else you'd like to share with listeners?

Paul Wickensimer:
I'm certainly willing to serve. I probably shouldn't say this, but if I'm supposed to be the one to represent the district, I want to do that. If I'm not the one, I don't want to do it. As I say, I feel like I'm going about this for the right reasons. And I love our community. I love our state. I love to work with people. And this is just an opportunity for me to put in a little extra time and see what I can do to make a difference when it comes to issues that we face in Columbia. And if given the opportunity, I'll work my hardest. This will be a full-time job for me, and I'll do my best to make things happen and build those relationships that I talk about and serve our district and our state to the best of my ability.

Katy Smith:
Well, thank you so much for joining us, Paul, and thank you so much for your willingness to serve the people of our community.

Paul Wickensimer:
Thank you, Katy. I appreciate the opportunity to visit with you today.

Catherine Puckett:
Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville. Greater Good Greenville was catalyzed by the merger of the Nonprofit Alliance and the Greenville Partnership for Philanthropy. You can learn more on our website at greatergoodgreenville.org.