Boyd Brown
H. Boyd Brown (born October 27, 1986) is a former Democratic member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from Fairfield County, South Carolina.
Bio
Brown graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2007, with a degree in Political Science.
Brown comes from a family of politicians. He was a third generation member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, and is the grandson of Walter B. Brown, a former legislator, lobbyist and railroad executive. His father David was one of the longest serving County Commissioners in South Carolina, and served multiple terms as Chairman of Fairfield County Council. His uncle, Judge Walter Boyd "B" Brown, Jr. was a state Family Court Judge until the time of his death, and his great-grandfather, Boyd Brown, was also a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from Fairfield County, and served as Chairman of the House Labor and Commerce Committee. Brown's older brother serves on Town Council in Ridgeway, South Carolina.
2008 Election
In 2008, Brown defeated incumbent Fairfield County School Board member Annie McDaniel with 54% in the Democratic Primary, and cruised to election in November, defeating his Republican challenger Sean Schaeffner with 81% of the electorate. At the time of his election, he was the youngest elected state lawmaker in the United States. Upon taking office, Brown was appointed to the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee.
2010 Re-election
Brown's seat was up for re-election in 2010. In the heavily Democratic seat, he defeated a June primary rival before running unopposed in November. In his second term, Brown was appointed to the powerful House Judiciary Committee.
Retirement from S.C. House of Representatives
Brown surprised many by announcing that he would not seek a third term in the South Carolina General Assembly. Wanting to start a successful career in the private sector, Brown issued a press release announcing his departure from the South Carolina House of Representatives. In a farewell address in June 2012, Brown talked about the issues important to his generation. The speech garnered national attention, with The Washington Post referring to him as "The Voice of a Generation."
Post-Legislative Career
Brown resides in Columbia, South Carolina, works in commercial real estate and owns a bipartisan government affairs firm. In 2015, he was appointed by the Republican President Pro Tempore of the State Senate to serve on the nine member board of the South Carolina Conservation Bank. Brown also served on the board of his local hospital, Fairfield Memorial in Winnsboro, South Carolina, and he was one of South Carolina's three members on the Democratic National Committee from 2012-2016.