Paul Thurmond
Paul Reynolds Thurmond (born January 9, 1976) is an American politician from the state of South Carolina. A member of the Republican Party, Thurmond is a former member of the South Carolina Senate. He is the youngest child of Strom Thurmond, who served in the United States Senate for 48 years, and famously became a father again, at 73 years old with Paul.
Paul Thurmond | |
---|---|
Thurmond with his father and Gerald Ford in 1976 | |
Member of the South Carolina Senate from the 41st district | |
In office January 2013 – January 2017 | |
Preceded by | Walter Hundley |
Succeeded by | Sandy Senn |
Personal details | |
Born | Paul Reynolds Thurmond January 9, 1976 Aiken, South Carolina, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Relations | James Strom Thurmond Jr. (brother) Essie Mae Washington-Williams (half-sister) |
Parents | Strom Thurmond Nancy Moore Thurmond |
Alma mater | |
Occupation | Attorney |
Early life
Paul was born to Nancy (née Moore) and Strom Thurmond on January 9, 1976, the couple's fourth child.[1] Strom was 73 years old at the time of Paul's birth.[2] In February 1976, Strom enrolled Paul in The Citadel for a 1993 admission.[1][3] He attended Aiken High School in Aiken, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt University, where he received a scholarship to play tennis.[4][5] He received his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law.[6][7]
Career
Thurmond served as an assistant solicitor in the Ninth Circuit Solicitor's Office, leaving the position in 2005 to open his own law firm, formerly Thurmond Kirchner Timbes & Yelverton, P.A., now Thurmond, Kirchner, and Timbes Law Firm[6] In 2006, he was elected to the Charleston County council. Though he initially announced he would leave politics in 2009, opting not to run for a second term as a councilman,[8] Thurmond chose to run for a seat in the United States House of Representatives, representing South Carolina's 1st congressional district, following Henry E. Brown, Jr.'s retirement in 2010.[9] Thurmond finished second in the Republican primary, forcing a runoff election against Tim Scott.[10] Scott defeated Thurmond in the runoff.[11]
Thurmond ran for the South Carolina Senate in 2012 to represent the 41st district. The seat was vacated by Glenn F. McConnell, who became Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina.[12] Thurmond defeated Walter Hundley, who succeeded McConnell in a special election held in July 2012.[13] Thurmond won the general election, defeating Paul Tinkler, a Charleston City Councilman and member of the Democratic Party, on November 6, 2012.[14]
Thurmond did not seek re-election in 2016. The American Conservative Union gave him an 88% evaluation and the Club for Growth gave him a 90% evalution. [15]
Confederate flag
In a speech to the State Senate in July 2015, Thurmond called for the Confederate flag to be permanently removed from the grounds of the State House.[16] The move was triggered by the shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church in Charleston which occurred a month earlier, in which nine people—including Thurmond's colleague Clementa Pinckney—were killed. The massacre was carried out by white supremacist Dylann Roof, who was a prominent exhibitionist of the flag.
Personal
Thurmond has a wife, Katie, three sons and two daughters.[7] He is the half brother of the late Essie Mae Washington-Williams, 50 years his senior through his father.
References
- "Paul Reynolds Thurmond..." Eugene Register-Guard. Wire Service Reports. February 23, 1976. p. 2A.
- "Thurmond Names New Baby". The Times-News. Hendersonville, North Carolina. Associated Press. January 12, 1976. p. 14.
- "Thurmonds Get a Headstart". Times Daily. United Press International. February 23, 1976. p. 8.
- "Thurmond says he'll seek First District Congressional seat". SCNow. January 20, 2010.
- Brewington, Peter (April 22, 1994). "Christ the King points with pride to success in getting scholarships". USA Today. Retrieved December 17, 2012. (subscription required)
- "Thurmond leaving solicitor's office to open law firm with 2 friends". The Post and Courier. August 1, 2005. p. 3E.
- "Thurmond says he'll seek First District Congressional seat". The Morning News (SCNow.com). January 20, 2010.
- "Paul Thurmond leaving politics, for now". The State. South Carolina. October 7, 2009. p. 15. (subscription required)
- "Paul Thurmond to run for congressional seat – The Post and Courier". Postandcourier.com. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
- Behre, Robert. Thurmond, Scott head for runoff, Charleston Post and Courier, June 9, 2010.
- Kiely, Kathy.Tim Scott wins nomination to become first black Republican congressman since 2003, USA Today, June 22, 2010.
- "Thurmond, Pinckney for S.C. Senate – The Post and Courier". Postandcourier.com. November 1, 2012. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
- "Thurmond defeats Hundley handily in Dist. 41 primary runoff – Live5News.com | Charleston, SC | News, Weather, Sports". Live5News.com. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
- "AP.org "South Carolina State Senate and State House Election Results" Accessed November 7, 2012". Hosted.ap.org. November 8, 2012. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
- "Charleston Post & Courier "State Sen. Paul Thurmond won't run for re-election next year" Accessed January 25, 2017". Evening Post Industries. August 10, 2015. Retrieved January 25, 2017.