Russell Ott for Senate

Bringing commonsense solutions to the State Senate

I’m running for Senate to find commonsense solutions to the issues facing our community, instead of pushing petty politics. My goal as a lawmaker is to provide opportunities here for my sons – and your children – so they choose to live and work in our state when they grow up.

We live in a polarizing time and need leaders in state government who want to improve the lives of all South Carolinians, not just score political points. During my time in the State House, I’ve worked with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to get things done, like improving transparency of our electric cooperatives and supporting public education by raising teacher pay.

I believe we have the opportunity to bring change to South Carolina and reach our state’s full potential. As your State Senator, I’ll work every day to reach that goal.

The issues

Education

Public education has no more effective and outspoken advocate than Russell Ott. He has spent years advocating for our students, teachers and staff in public schools. As the son of a public school teacher, he learned from an early age the importance of a good education and the critical role schools play in our communities. He’s worked successfully to increase teacher pay, reduce classroom size, and stand up against special interest groups pushing private school vouchers.
Health Care

Russell has been a vocal proponent for Medicaid expansion in South Carolina to ensure our most vulnerable populations have access to affordable, quality health care. When former Governor Nikki Haley said “We will not expand Medicaid ever,” Russell stood up for you. He is a proponent of medical transparency so you know the cost of services and can be sure you’re covered when you need it.

Russell voted against the abortion ban law and, as your state Senator, he will vote against a total ban and any other efforts to restrict your access to care. He has been a leader on women’s health, passing the Pharmacy Access Act, which gives women access to birth control without requiring an expensive trip to the doctor.

Russell has worked to lower ER wait times and support rural health care providers. He supports legalizing medical marijuana, which would give patients an alternative to opioids. Good health care is a basic right and Russell will continue to fight for transparency, improvements, and accountability for bad actors in the industry.
Working Families & Small Businesses

Russell Ott comes from a working family. He and his father, uncle, and brother are farmers and his mother is a retired school teacher. He knows what it takes to help small businesses make it in this economy. As your state Senator, he will listen to business owners all across District 26 and take their concerns to the Senate floor.

Russell has worked on paid family leave for years and he will fight to expand benefits during this vitally important period for growing families. Russell believes we must explore new sources of revenue to allow for property tax cuts and reduce the tax burden felt by South Carolina families.
Keep Our Communities Safe

Russell supports efforts to promote public safety and crack down on crime. He believes we must increase pay for law enforcement and first responders who work hard to keep us safe. Russell voted against the permitless carry bill which allows 18 year olds to openly carry guns. He supports requiring completed background checks for gun purchases and closing the “Charleston loophole.” He also supports putting school resource officers in every school in order to keep our kids safe.
Energy Policy

When he smelled corruption with the electric utilities, Russell stood up to them and held them accountable. After the VC Summer scandal, he co-chaired the committee that was established to protect ratepayers. He wrote and passed bipartisan reforms that put an end to corruption with the electric cooperatives. Russell held SCANA executives accountable when they bilked South Carolina taxpayers for billions of dollars and wrote legislation to strengthen whistleblower protections.

Russell has focused on building comprehensive energy policy that is affordable, reliable, and – to the greatest extent possible – renewable. It’s critically important that South Carolina be positioned to take advantage of the economic opportunities of tomorrow while also ensuring energy efficiency and affordability for consumers. Right now, South Carolina is an energy deficient state and Russell will work with fellow elected officials, industry leaders, and consumers to develop comprehensive energy policy that serves businesses, homes, and the environment.
Judicial Reform

As a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Judicial Selection and Retention Russell has been a leader on judicial reform in South Carolina. He wrote important legislation that would remove the secrecy and backroom influence surrounding the selection of judges, ensuring a fair and equitable justice system. Russell believes any reforms must be bipartisan and comprehensive and he will continue to fight for those reforms in the state Senate.
Agriculture

As one of the top agricultural states in the nation, our farmers play one of the most vital roles in the lives of all South Carolinians. We’re home to nearly 25,000 farms with our agricultural industry contributing over $50 Billion annually. That’s 200,000 jobs alone. From the economy to the environment to our health, our agricultural strength is our very foundation. Russell Ott is a fourth generation farmer and he knows the business of hard work and sweat equity. He’s been fighting for our farmers for decades and he will continue that work as your state senator.

He was the lead sponsor of the Equine Advancement Act, which passed the House this session. This legislation would support our state’s equine industry by giving people the freedom to wager on horse racing. By generating new revenue, state government can reduce our overall tax burden.

Meet Russell

Russell Ott is a Christian and the proud dad to two sons, Lawson and Bryce. He was born and raised in St. Matthews, the small town his family has called home for generations. The son of a high school teacher and a farmer, Russell went to public schools before going to Clemson University. After graduating, he came back to the Midlands to earn a Masters degree from the University of South Carolina.

His passion for public service led him to serve as the town administrator for Elloree, North, and Neeses and advocate on behalf of farmers with the South Carolina Farm Bureau, which he continues to do today. He now works on the Ott family farm in Calhoun County.

In 2013, Russell was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives. He took the lessons he learned growing up on the farm – hard work, problem-solving, never giving up – to the State House where he’s been a champion for economic growth, rebuilding infrastructure, and holding government accountable.

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