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Rex Rice

{{short description|American politician from South Carolina}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2020}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Rex Rice

| honorific-suffix =

| image =

| caption =

| alt =

| state_senate = South Carolina

| district = 2nd

| term_start = November 14, 2016

| term_end =

| predecessor = Larry A. Martin

| successor =

| prior_term =

| state_house1 = South Carolina

| district1 = 26th

| term_start1 = 1994

| term_end1 = 2010

| predecessor1 = Jim Mattos

| successor1 = Eric Bikas

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|05|09}}

| birth_place = Pensacola, Florida

| death_date =

| death_place =

| alma_mater = Anderson College
University of South Carolina

| party = Republican

| occupation = Politician, businessman

| parents =

| spouse = {{marriage|Ruth Britts|April 17, 1982}}

| children = 2

}}

Rex Fontaine Rice (born May 9, 1957) is an American politician and businessman currently serving as the senator for South Carolina's 2nd Senate District, a position he has held since 2016. He previously served as the representative for House District 26 in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1994 to 2010. Known for his fiscal conservatism, Rice has advocated for state control over education and environmental issues, the repeal of the No Child Left Behind Act, and the abolition of income tax in favor of increased sales taxes. He is a member of the Republican Party.

S.C. House of Representatives (1994-2010)

Rice was first elected to represent South Carolina State House District 26 in 1994.{{cite web |title=Member Biography: Senator Rex F. Rice |url=https://www.scstatehouse.gov/member.php?code=1547727087 |accessdate=June 3, 2020 |website=South Carolina General Assembly}} He did not seek re-election in 2010, instead opting to run for South Carolina's 3rd Congressional District when Gresham Barrett stepped down to run for Governor of South Carolina in the 2010 election.{{Cite web |last=Davenport |first=Jim |date=2009-03-22 |title=Field expands to fill vacancy to be left by Barrett |url=https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/state_politics/field-expands-to-fill-vacancy-to-be-left-by-barrett/article_3c4e02ae-7179-5d95-ba5b-dba83cdf740c.html |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=The Post and Courier |language=en |agency=Associated Press}}

As a house representative, Rice was a recognized fiscal conservative.{{Cite web |last=South Carolina General Assembly |date=May 27, 2010 |title=H. 5039: Honorable Rex Fontaine Rice |url=https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess118_2009-2010/bills/5039.docx |access-date=April 11, 2024 |website=SCStateHouse.gov}} He advocated for the idea that education and environment issues should be left entirely to the states. An example of this was his advocacy for the repeal of the No Child Left Behind Act.{{Cite web |last=Adcox |first=Seanna |date=May 26, 2010 |title=GOP candidates for SC 3rd District blast Obama |url=https://www.goupstate.com/story/news/2010/05/26/gop-candidates-for-sc-3rd-district-blast-obama/29829107007/ |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=Spartanburg Herald Journal |language=en-US}} Additionally, he argued for the abolition of income tax in favor of expanded regressive tax policies such as the increase of sales tax.{{Cite web |date=2009-11-09 |title=Tax talk tonight in Summerville |url=https://www.postandcourier.com/news/tax-talk-tonight-in-summerville/article_6ec31fb6-8a21-5f0f-8cb6-a19cc5c1592f.html |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=The Post and Courier |language=en}}

S.C. Senate

Rice has represented the 2nd Senate District (parts of Pickens County) since 2016, when he defeated longtime incumbent Larry Martin during the Republican primary.

{{As of|2024|April}}, Rice serves on the Corrections and Penology Committee, the Education Committee, the Judiciary Committee, the Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee, and the Transportation Committee.

Since 2022, he has opposed efforts to pass a hate crime bill in South Carolina.{{Cite web |last=Chhetri |first=Devyani |date=March 2, 2022 |title=Could the lack of a hate crimes bill hurt job growth in South Carolina? |url=https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/south-carolina/2022/03/02/south-carolina-hate-crimes-law-uphill-battle-statehouse-sc-general-assembly-republicans-oppose/6909882001/ |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=The Greenville News |language=en-US}}

In February 2023, he filed a resolution to limit congressional terms.{{Cite web |last=Selleck |first=Stacey |date=2023-02-07 |title=South Carolina Senator Rex Rice Files Resolution to Term Limit Congress - U.S. Term Limits |url=https://www.termlimits.com/rex-rice-files-resolution-to-term-limit-congress/,%20https://www.termlimits.com/rex-rice-files-resolution-to-term-limit-congress/ |access-date=2024-04-11 |language=en-US}} This would make South Carolina one of 34 states that would need to call a national convention to amend the US Constitution.

In November 2023, he sponsored Constitutional Carry legislation to relax gun control laws by lowering the age of carrying a handgun and getting rid of requiring permits, training, and background checks.{{Cite web |last=Llerena |first=Rey |date=2023-11-14 |title=Gun safety organization holds meeting to discuss potential new 'Constitutional carry' bill |url=https://www.wyff4.com/article/organization-holds-meeting-potential-new-constitutional-carry-bill/45828925 |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=WYFF |language=en}}

= Reproductive rights =

As a Senator, Rice has supported a near-total ban on abortion, without exceptions for rape or incest.{{Cite news |last=Paquette |first=Danielle |date=2023-05-23 |title=As S.C. abortion vote nears, GOP women rebuke the men: 'It's always about control' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/05/22/south-carolina-abortion-ban/ |access-date=2024-04-11 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite web |date=2012-10-24 |title=Larry Martin, Rex Rice Debate Issues |url=https://patch.com/south-carolina/easley/larry-martin-rex-rice-debate-issues |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=Easley, SC Patch |language=en}} Instead, he supports exceptions only in cases where a mother's life might be at risk.{{Cite web |last=Pollard |first=James |date=2022-08-31 |title=Abortion ban reaches SC Senate despite GOP factions |url=https://www.postandcourier.com/ap/abortion-ban-reaches-sc-senate-despite-gop-factions/article_cb21da7c-2985-11ed-9970-bbb6a1ab5c99.html |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=The Post and Courier |language=en |agency=Associated Press}}

Controversies

= Dark money ads =

Rice tried (and failed) to unseat Larry Martin in 2012. In 2016, when Rice re-challenged Martin, the Republican primary became highly contentious. During the run-off, dark money ad donors funded attack ads against Martin, though Rice denied any role in their funding.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Tim |date=October 10, 2018 |title=Statehouse corruption probe: Upstate senator was victim of veiled attacks, grand jury says |url=https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/south-carolina/2018/10/10/statehouse-corruption-upstate-senator-victim-veiled-attacks-grand-jury/1581744002/ |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=The Greenville News |language=en-US}}

Personal life

Rice lives in Easley, South Carolina with his wife Ruth. He owns a construction company. He is Presbyterian. He graduated from Anderson University and the University of South Carolina.

Electoral history

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%; text-align:center;"
style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Year

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Office

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Type

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Party

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Main opponent

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Party

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=4 | Votes for Rice

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Result

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Swing

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Ref.

style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Total

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | %

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | {{abbr|2=Position|P}}.

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | {{tooltip|2=Change in percentage value since previous election|±%}}

style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 1992

| rowspan=9 | S.C. Representative

| General

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| Jim Mattos{{efn|name=fn1|Incumbent seeking re-election.}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |

| Democratic

| 3,594

| 46.01%

| 2nd

| N/A

| {{no|Lost}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |

| Hold

|{{Cite web |date=1993-06-30 |title=South Carolina Election Report (1992-1993) |url=https://scvotes.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Election_Report_1992-1993.pdf |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=South Carolina Election Commission}}

style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 1994

| General

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| Jim Mattos{{efn|name=fn1}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |

| Democratic

| 3,409

| 53.74%

| 1st

| +7.73%

| {{yes2|Won}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Gain

|{{Cite web |title=South Carolina Election Report (1994-1995) |url=https://scvotes.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Election_Report_1994-1995.pdf |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=South Carolina Election Commission}}

style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 1996

| General

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| Write-in

| |

| N/A

| 5,269

| 100.00%

| 1st

| +46.26%

| {{yes2|Won}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Hold

|{{Cite web |title=South Carolina Election Report (1995-1996) |url=https://scvotes.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Election_Report_1995-1996.pdf |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=South Carolina Election Commission}}

style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 1998

| General

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| Write-in

| |

| N/A

| 5,508

| 98.48%

| 1st

| -1.52%

| {{yes2|Won}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Hold

|{{Cite web |title=South Carolina Election Report (1997-1998) |url=https://scvotes.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Election_Report_1997-1998.pdf |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=South Carolina Election Commission}}

style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 2000

| General

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| Write-in

| |

| N/A

| 6,868

| 98.52%

| 1st

| +0.04%

| {{yes2|Won}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Hold

|{{Cite web |title=South Carolina Election Report 2000 |url=https://scvotes.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Election_Report_2000.pdf |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=South Carolina Election Commission}}

style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 2002

| General

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| Write-in

| |

| N/A

| 5,823

| 98.56%

| 1st

| +0.04%

| {{yes2|Won}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Hold

|{{Cite web |title=South Carolina Election Report (2002) |url=https://scvotes.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Election_Report_2002.pdf |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=South Carolina Election Commission}}

style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 2004

| General

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| Write-in

| |

| N/A

| 8,360

| 99.57%

| 1st

| +1.01%

| {{yes2|Won}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Hold

|{{Cite web |title=South Carolina Election Report (2004) |url=https://scvotes.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Election_Report_2004.pdf |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=South Carolina Election Commission}}

style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 2006

| General

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| Write-in

| |

| N/A

| 5,685

| 99.37%

| 1st

| -0.20%

| {{yes2|Won}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Hold

|{{Cite web |title=South Carolina Election Report (2006) |url=https://scvotes.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Election_Report_2006.pdf |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=South Carolina Election Commission}}

style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 2008

| General

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| Write-in

| |

| N/A

| 9,371

| 99.17%

| 1st

| -0.20%

| {{yes2|Won}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Hold

|{{Cite web |title=South Carolina Election Report (2008) |url=https://scvotes.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Election_Report_2008.pdf |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=South Carolina Election Commission}}{{Cite web |date=2009-06-01 |title=2008 General Election: State House of Representatives District 26 |url=https://www.enr-scvotes.org/SC/8562/15723/en/md.html?cid=500 |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=South Carolina Election Commission}}

style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 2010

| U.S. Representative

| Rep. primary

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| Jeff Duncan

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| 16,071

| 19.47%

| 3rd

| N/A

| {{no|Lost}}

| colspan=2 | N/A

| {{Cite web |last=Staff |first=ABC Columbia Site |date=2016-06-29 |title=Sen. Larry Martin Loses Re-Election Bid |url=https://www.abccolumbia.com/2016/06/28/188139/ |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=ABC Columbia |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=South Carolina 3rd District Race Profile - Election 2010 - The New York Times |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/elections/2010/house/south-carolina/3.html |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=archive.nytimes.com}}{{Cite web |date=2010-06-22 |title=SC 2010 Republican and Democratic Primary: U.S. House of Representatives District 3 - REP |url=https://www.enr-scvotes.org/SC/16117/28318/en/md.html?cid=109 |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=South Carolina State Election Commission}}

style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 2012

| rowspan=5 | S.C. Senator

| General

| |

| Petition

| Larry A. Martin{{efn|name=fn1}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| 13,164

| 35.31%

| 2nd

| N/A

| {{no|Lost}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Hold

|{{Cite web |date=2012-06-08 |title=At a glance: Primary election confusion sorted out |url=https://www.wyff4.com/article/at-a-glance-primary-election-confusion-sorted-out/7001212 |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=WYFF |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Woman breaks into South Carolina's all-male Senate |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2012/11/06/south-carolina-election-results/1658423/ |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2013-04-19 |title=SC 2012 General Election Results: State Senate District 2 |url=https://www.enr-scvotes.org/SC/42513/116143/en/md.html?cid=550 |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=South Carolina Election Commission}}

rowspan=3 style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 2016

| Rep. primary

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| Larry A. Martin{{efn|name=fn1}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| 4,641

| 33.30%

| 2nd

| N/A

| Runoff

| colspan=2 | N/A

| {{Cite web |date=2016-07-26 |title=South Carolina 2016 Republican and Democratic Primary: State Senate, District 2 - REP |url=https://www.enr-scvotes.org/SC/62359/173759/en/md.html?cid=27505 |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=South Carolina Election Commission}}

Rep. primary runoff

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| Larry A. Martin{{efn|name=fn1}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| 6,022

| 54.21%

| 1st

| N/A

| {{yes2|Won}}

| colspan=2 | N/A

|{{Cite web |last=Barnett |first=Ron |date=June 29, 2016 |title=Expert: Upstate loses political clout with Martin's loss |url=https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/pickens-county/2016/06/29/martins-runoff-loss-means-upstates-loss-political-clout-columbia/86510320/ |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=The Greenville News |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Self |first=Jamie |date=June 28, 2016 |title=4 SC Senate incumbents fall in runoffs |url=https://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article86561867.html |access-date=2024-04-11 |work=The State}}{{Cite web |date=2016-06-29 |title=The Latest: Senate incumbents defeated in primary runoffs |url=https://apnews.com/4803e1a712fc47f397affe15af47894d |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=AP News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2016-07-05 |title=South Carolina 2016 Republican and Democratic Primary Runoff: State Senate, District 2 - REP |url=https://www.enr-scvotes.org/SC/62799/173206/en/md.html?cid=27505 |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=South Carolina Election Commission}}

General

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| Write-in

| |

| N/A

| 36,944

| 98.64%

| 1st

| N/A

| {{yes2|Won}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Hold

|{{Cite web |title=South Carolina 2016 Statewide General Election: State Senate, District 2 |url=https://www.enr-scvotes.org/SC/64658/316617/en/md.html?cid=27504 |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=South Carolina Election Commission}}

style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 2020

| General

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Republican

| Write-in

| |

| N/A

| 44,116

| 98.10%

| 1st

| -0.54%

| {{yes2|Won}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

| Hold

|{{Cite web |date=2021-06-30 |title=South Carolina 2020 Statewide General Election: State Senate, District 2 |url=https://www.enr-scvotes.org/SC/106502/Web02-state.264691/#/cid/27504?undefined |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=South Carolina Election Commission}}

Notes

{{noteslist}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [https://richardcash.sc/ Richard Cash for Senate]

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|us-sc-hs}}

{{s-bef

| before = Jim Mattos

}}

{{s-ttl

| title = Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
from the 26th district

| years = 1994–2010

}}

{{s-aft

| after = Eric Bikas

}}

|-

{{s-par|us-sc-sen}}

{{s-bef

| before = Larry A. Martin

}}

{{s-ttl

| title = Member of the South Carolina Senate
from the 2nd district

| years = 2016–present

}}

{{s-inc}}

{{s-end}}

{{South Carolina State Senators}}

{{commons category}}

{{Portal bar|Biography|South Carolina|Politics|Society}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rice, Rex F.}}

Category:Living people

Category:1957 births

Category:Republican Party South Carolina state senators

Category:Politicians from Pensacola, Florida

Category:Anderson University (South Carolina) alumni

Category:University of South Carolina alumni

Category:People from Easley, South Carolina

Category:Republican Party members of the South Carolina House of Representatives

Category:Businesspeople from South Carolina

Category:21st-century Presbyterians

Category:Presbyterians from South Carolina

Category:21st-century members of the South Carolina General Assembly

Category:21st-century American businesspeople