How State Politics Shape Greenville w/ Rep. Stephen Frank
- Ien Araneta
- Jul 23
- 3 min read
Columbia feels far away—until it shows up as a pothole, an insurance hike, or a school policy. In this episode of the Selling Greenville, host Stan McCune talks with Rep. Stephen Frank (first-term state representative and lifelong local) about how State House decisions ripple through everyday life in the Upstate.
Meet Rep. Stephen Frank
Rep. Stephen Frank didn’t go hunting for a seat—he was asked to run. He calls the campaign one of the hardest, most personal things he’s done (lots of door-knocking), and says the responsibility hits him every time he pulls into the State House garage. He was the underdog, but local roots—and, as he puts it, God’s sovereignty—carried him over the line. He’s not ladder-climbing; a handful of terms at most, family first.
The Vibe in Columbia
Voters here are broadly conservative. Frank’s read: plenty of what passes in Columbia doesn’t reflect that, even with a GOP supermajority. Short sessions make big reforms hard. Another wrinkle—lawyer-legislators pick the judges they’ll practice before—keeps influence tight.
Roads: Who’s Actually in Charge?
Greenville County says the state claimed the roads, so the state should fix them. Frank agrees the setup is inefficient—money piles up while committees point fingers.
His fix list: restructure SCDOT, give one office clear accountability (he even floats the Lt. Governor), and shift most roads back to counties that live with the potholes.
Reality check: expect more appetite next session; roads were the No. 1 thing he heard at doors.
On “new” revenue ideas: when Stan floated sports betting or cannabis taxes for roads, Frank’s answer was blunt—shrink government first, don’t build fresh revenue streams to feed the same machine.
Tort Reform: Why Premiums Aren’t Dropping
Yes, a tort bill passed. Frank—coming from the insurance world—calls it a half step. His example: a bar paid about $15,000 in premium; one incident ran ~$80,000 in investigative and legal costs before any damages. With risk like that, carriers either hike or leave. He plans to push again. He also notes how the bill moved—last-minute, “strike-and-replace”—and points to the lawyer-legislator ecosystem that benefits from the status quo.
Growth, Incentives, and Affordability
Frank is pro-business, but skeptical of South Carolina’s “jobs, jobs, jobs” playbook. Big incentive packages (he cites $1.3B for Scout Motors) grow the tax base without touching tax rates, but they also pull in more people who need housing. Meanwhile, counties push back on new neighborhoods. Demand up, supply throttled—prices and infrastructure get squeezed. Counties are stuck balancing property rights with real-world limits on roads, schools, and the grid.
Lobbyists—Helpful and… Sometimes Not
Not every lobbyist is a villain. Frank leans on some for data and connections to owners on the ground (especially on insurance). Where he balks is protectionist bills that wall off competition.
Schools and Health: “Healthy & Free SC”
This is where he’s most energized. With help from RFK Jr.’s policy team, Frank is working on a practical “Make America Healthy Again” track for South Carolina:
Healthier school lunches (House-passed; Senate takes it up next session) to clean up dyes/ingredients.
A SNAP waiver to remove candy and soda (his bill directs the state to request the USDA waiver).
School choice: he’ll back forward motion across models; his preference is a refundable state income-tax credit (around $5k–$7k per child) parents can use for homeschool, private school, or micro-schools.
He even gives Governor McMaster credit for focusing on South Carolina—even though they disagree on the “how.”
What to Watch Next
A real run at road accountability and shifting more control to counties
Tort reform 2.0 with teeth
Movement on healthier school lunches, the SNAP waiver, and school choice options
Watch or Listen to the Selling Greenville Podcast
Subscribe to the Selling Greenville podcast for real-time insights, bold perspectives, and unfiltered takes on the Upstate housing scene. Whether you’re buying, selling, or simply watching the market unfold—this is where Greenville goes to stay informed.
How to Reach Rep. Frank
Website: votestephenfrank.com
You’ll find links there to Facebook and X, plus his email and phone.
If this stuff matters to you—and it should—follow Stan for weekly real-estate-meets-real-life insights around Greenville and the Upstate.
Bottom Line
State policy shows up on your street, your insurance bill, and your kid’s lunch tray. In this conversation, Stan McCune and Rep. Stephen Frank connect the dots—roads that need owners, lawsuits that need limits, growth that needs balance, and schools that can get healthier and more flexible. Follow Stan for more grounded real-estate insights from the Upstate, and catch the full episode above.
Ien Araneta
Journal & Podcast Editor | Selling Greenville
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