Margie Bright Matthews facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Margie Matthews
Matthews (second from left) with Henry McMaster, Hugh Weathers and others at a 2020 event with Sonny Perdue
Member of the South Carolina Senate from the 45th district
Incumbent
Assumed office October 27, 2015
Preceded by	Clementa Pinckney
Personal details
Born	(1963-02-10) February 10, 1963 (age 62) Walterboro, South Carolina, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Patrick Matthews ​ (m. 1992)​
Children	4
Education	University of South Carolina (BS, JD)

Margie Bright Matthews was born on February 10, 1963. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Since 2015, she has represented the 45th District in the South Carolina Senate. She won a special election in 2015 to take the place of Clementa Pinckney, who passed away in a tragic event that year. Margie Bright Matthews is also a lawyer who started her own law firm.

Early Life and Education

Margie Bright Matthews was born in Walterboro, South Carolina. She attended the University of South Carolina. In 1985, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree. She then continued her studies at the University of South Carolina School of Law. In 1989, she received her law degree.

Before becoming a state Senator, Matthews gained experience in government. She worked as a page in the Senate. She also served as a law clerk. In this role, she helped to write new laws.

Serving in the State Senate

Elections and Terms

Margie Bright Matthews has run for election several times. In 2016, she ran for office without anyone opposing her. In 2024, she also ran unopposed. This meant she was expected to win her third full term in office.

2015 Special Election

A special election was held in 2015. This happened after Senator Clementa C. Pinckney passed away. Many people ran in the primary election on September 1st. There were eleven Democrats and two Republicans. Matthews raised money for her campaign. She also received support from Clementa Pinckney's family.

In the Democratic primary, Matthews received the most votes. She got 37% of the votes. This led to a runoff election with Representative Kenneth Hodges. Matthews won the runoff election on September 15. On October 20, Matthews won the main election. She defeated Republican Al Fernandez with 89% of the votes. She officially started her work as a Senator on October 27, 2015.

2020 Election

In 2020, Matthews was the only Democratic candidate for her district. She won against her Republican opponent, Rodney Buncum. She received 60% of the votes in that election.

Supporting Other Leaders

Margie Bright Matthews has supported other political leaders. In 2016, she was one of several African American women. They supported Hillary Rodham Clinton for President. In 2020, she also supported Joe Biden. This was before South Carolina's primary election.

In 2018, Matthews supported James Smith. He became the Democratic candidate for governor. In 2022, she supported Mia McLeod. McLeod was another female Senator.

Matthews attended the 2024 Democratic National Convention. She was a delegate for her district.

Senator's Work and Focus Areas

In 2024, Senator Matthews was chosen for a special group. This group was the Robert Smalls Monument Commission. In 2025, she gave the Democratic response. This was to Governor Henry McMaster's State of the State address.

Improving Public Information Access

Senator Matthews worked to change South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This law helps people get public records. In 2016 and 2017, she disagreed with parts of the new FOIA bills. These bills wanted to move certain legal cases. Matthews argued that this would cost rural counties too much money. She also said it would increase costs for taxpayers.

Matthews kept raising concerns about the bill. Her actions helped to change the law. The final bill passed in 2017. It kept FOIA cases in local courts. It also set faster deadlines for handling requests. This aimed to make government information more open. It also tried to manage costs.

After the law passed, some issues remained. Some government offices still charged high fees for records. Matthews has said that costs need to be fair for everyone.

Supporting Economic Growth

Matthews has strongly supported the Jasper Ocean Terminal project. This project is a large port. She believes it is very important for the economy of Jasper County. The project faced delays. Matthews expressed her concern about these delays. She wanted the project to move forward faster.

In 2021, a plan was made to help the project. Matthews supported a bill to provide money for port improvements. She said this would help South Carolina's poorer counties. It would also bring new businesses to the area.

Protecting Women's Health Choices

Senator Matthews has always supported women's health choices. She has spoken against bills that would limit these choices. She believes in protecting women's personal decisions. In 2016, she was the only Senator to vote against a bill. This bill would have given legal rights to unborn children from conception. She argued it would lead to expensive legal challenges.

Matthews played a key role in 2018. She helped to delay a bill that would have banned most health choices. She pointed out that there were not enough women in the discussions. In 2021, she opposed a bill that would ban choices very early in pregnancy. She criticized parts of the bill.

In 2023, Matthews joined other female Senators. They were Mia McLeod, Katrina Shealy, Penry Gustafson, and Sandy Senn. They formed a group called "The Sister Senators." They worked together to oppose limits on health choices. They stopped a bill that would have banned all health choices in South Carolina. In September 2023, "The Sister Senators" received an award. It was the John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage Award. They received the award in October 2023.

Matthews has also worked to improve healthcare access. She wants to help reduce high rates of infant deaths in rural areas. She has organized events to help pregnant women. She believes in complete healthcare solutions.

Throughout her career, Matthews has asked for more women in government. She also wants people in South Carolina to vote on health choice issues. Her work shows her dedication to protecting women's rights.

Media Portrayals

A documentary film is being made about "The Sister Senators." It is called “Sister Senators.” The film is produced by Emily Harrold and Robin Hessman. Rachel Denny is a co-producer. Ruth Ann Harnisch is an executive producer. Ann Lovell is a co-executive producer. The film has been shown at the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival.