Patrick Orr, a Republican seeking the S.C. House Dist. 8 seat.

All candidates for the South Carolina House of Representatives seats serving Anderson County were given multiple opportunities to share their positions unedited with voters in The Anderson Observer. Here are the answers from Patrick Orr, a Republican seeking the S.C. House Dist. 8 seat.

1. Were you in favor of the last-minute redistricting of the state to create new voting districts? Explain your support or opposition.
No. I was not in favor of last-minute redistricting. Redistricting would have created confusion, cost our taxpayers money, and increased the burden of running elections for county and state elections offices with no guarantee of a 7-0 Republican congressional map. State leaders should have focused on finishing the budget and dealing with the issues already in front of the body. If redistricting needs to be discussed, it should be done through the normal process, with public input, during an off-cycle year.
2. How can the General Assembly work together to meet the challenge of being the nation’s fastest-growing state per capita?
The way I read that question is this: how do we manage growth without losing what makes South Carolina great? Growth can strengthen our economy and expand our tax base, but it also strains our roads, our schools, our sewer and water systems, law enforcement, housing, and the character of our communities. People move here because South Carolina still feels slower, easier, and more personal than many other places. We cannot stop every person from moving here, and I would not pretend we can. But we can plan for growth. That means the state working closely with counties and cities, so large developments do not get approved faster than the infrastructure needed to support them. If we wait until housing prices spike, traffic grinds down and infrastructure is overwhelmed, then the damage is already done. We need to manage growth before it manages us.
3. Can the state keep up with infrastructure to meet this growth without raising taxes?
Not if we keep doing things the same way. The roads are a perfect example. The problem is not just money. It is bureaucracy, slow project delivery, poor planning, limited construction capacity, and weak accountability. Before anyone talks about raising taxes, the state needs to prove the dollars we already collect are being used wisely. We need to look at waste, delays, project priorities, and whether the roads that need help the most are actually getting attention. If we are being honest, South Carolina doesn't just have an infrastructure problem, we have a management problem.
4. Should South Carolina do away with property taxes? Explain your conclusion. Yes, but it has to be done carefully and responsibly. I would start with retired South Carolinians who have lived here for at least 10 years. People should not work their entire lives, pay into the system, and then risk being taxed out of their homes when they retire. From there, we need to take a hard look at the budget, identify where spending can be adjusted and determine how far we can responsibly expand relief to lower-income homeowners and working families. I support reducing and eventually removing the burden of property taxes, but it has to be done in phases. The goal is to lift the burden without breaking the foundation of our communities. We cannot take money away from the services that make our communities thrive -- schools, law enforcement, fire service, and the local and county services people rely on every day.
5. What can or should state government do to find sufficient funding for road maintenance and repair for state, county, and municipal roads? Funding is a major issue, but it is not the only issue. We have limited construction crews, slow project timelines, poor coordination, and weak management. Sometimes the money is there, but the work still does not get done fast enough. Before we begin to talk about raising taxes, we need to work to fix the system that spends it. Roads should be priortized based on safety, traffic, condition and economic need. We also need real transparency so people can see where road money is going and why some projects move forward while others sit for years. The bottom line is the average resident does not if a bad road belongs to the state, the county, or the city, they just want it fixed. If we fix the management problem, we'll make sure every dollar goes further.
6. Is South Carolina’s current abortion prohibition enough, too strict, or should it be amended to reject abortions even in the case of rape, incest, or threat to the life of the mother? This is one of the hardest issues because it involves life, faith, medical judgment, law, and deeply personal situations. I am pro-life, but I also believe our laws have to be written carefully. I do not support removing protections for the life of the mother. If a mother’s life is in danger, doctors must be able to act without hesitation. On rape and incest, I understand why people have strong feelings on both sides. Before voting on any change, I would want to read the exact language of the bill. Poorly written laws can create unintended consequences for victims, families, doctors, and the courts. My position is simple: protect life, but make sure the law is clear, enforceable, and does not put women in medical danger. We need compassion, clarity, and responsibility, not confusion or unintended harm.
7. What are the three biggest challenges facing your district and the state in the next five years? For me, the three biggest challenges are unplanned growth, infrastructure that has not kept up, and protecting the character and quality of life in our communities. In District 8, growth is happening quickly. Housing developments are being approved, but roads, water and sewer, schools, public safety, and emergency services are not always keeping pace. That puts pressure on taxpayers and affects the daily lives of the people who already live here. We also have to protect the natural resources that make this area special, including Lake Hartwell, farmland, open/green space, and the rural character of our communities. Growth itself is not the enemy. But growth without planning creates traffic, overcrowded schools, higher costs and long-term damage that is hard to undo. Our challenge is to guide growth in a way that strengthens our communities instead of overwhelming them.
8. How do you view the balance between state government and local authority in both statute and funding? Local governments need a strong voice because they are closest to the people who feel the impacts of decisions about roads, zoning, growth, public safety, and local services. They see the problems first and they hear from residents every day. At the same time, the state has a responsibility to set clear laws and make sure local governments are not handing responsibilities without the funding to carry them out. Too often, the state makes decisions and the cost gets pushed down to counties, cities, and ultimately taxpayers. That is not fair, and it's not sustainable.
9. What areas need addressing that the General Assembly has not addressed or has put off addressing? Two of the biggest issues that I see are mental health and financial transparency. Mental health affects everything -- our courts,  our jails, our schools, our hospitals, our law enforcement agencies, and our families. Too many people in crisis are ending up in jail or being released without the treatment they need. We need secure treatment options, better crisis response, and a system that protects both the public and the person in crisis. When mental health breaks down, the entire community feels it. We also need full visibility into government spending. Taxpayers should be able to see where every dime goes. If the money belongs to the people, the people should be able to follow it. Transparency builds trust and without trust, nothing else works.
10. What is the top priority of an elected official? The people. An elected official’s first responsibility is not to a party, caucus, donor, lobbyist, or political career. It is to the people they represent.
11. What are the keys to working together with other members of the General Assembly to find common ground and pass legislation? Respect. That sounds simple, but it is missing in politics today. People can disagree and still work together. They can argue over policy without making everything into a personal fight. The key is remembering why you are there. We should all have the same basic goal: doing what is right for the people of South Carolina.
12. Do you or any of your family members have business dealings with any agency or organization that receives state funds? If so, please list. No.
13. Would you favor financial limits on campaign contributions? Yes, 100%. Money has too much influence in politics. Campaigns should be about ideas, character, service, and trust, not who can raise the most money or who holds the deepest political connections.
14. How have you been involved in the community, including charitable or nonprofit work, volunteer efforts, fire service, etc., and why is this important to you? I previously served as a volunteer EMT in Anderson and for the past 20 years I have worked as a volunteer in medical services at the Cooper River Bridge Run. That experience matters because it puts you face-to-face with people during some of the hardest moments of their lives. You learn quickly that public service is not about a title. It is about showing up, helping people, and doing the job when people need you most.
15. Why are you running for election or reelection for this office? I am running because we need change. I believe career politicians need to be replaced with working-class people who understand what regular families are dealing with every day. I would rather have 100 working-class citizens in the State House than 100 politicians who spent years moving from office to office and bringing the same bad habits with them. Government should serve the people. It should not exist to protect political careers.