Tom Corbin Explained

Tom Corbin
State Senate:South Carolina
District:5th
Term Start:2012
Predecessor:Phillip Shoopman
State House1:South Carolina
District1:17th
Term Start1:2010
Term End1:2012
Predecessor1:Harry Cato
Successor1:Mike Burns
Birth Date:11 January 1965
Birth Place:Greenville, South Carolina, US
Children:2
Profession:Businessman
Alma Mater:Clemson University (B.S., 1987)
Party:Republican

Thomas D. Corbin (born January 11, 1965) is an American businessman and politician. Since 2012, he has served as a member of the South Carolina Senate from the 5th District. Prior to that, he served for two years as a member in the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 17th District. He is a member of the Republican party.

Early life and education

Tom Corbin was born on January 11, 1965, in Greenville, South Carolina to Barbee and Gail McCarty Corbin. He attended Clemson University, graduating in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in ornamental horticulture.

S.C. House of Representatives (2010-2012)

Corbin was first elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 2010 when he defeated Republican incumbent Harry Cato, who was seeking an eleventh term.[1]

After serving his first term, Corbin ran for reelection in the House uncontested. After Corbin qualified for the general election, it was announced that incumbent State Sen. Phillip Shoopman would step down, leaving the seat open. As a result, Corbin ran concurrently in both races.[2] After winning both races, Corbin resigned his House seat, triggering a special election that was won by Mike Burns.[3]

S.C. Senate

Since 2012, Corbin has represented South Carolina's 5th Senate district covering parts of Greenville and Spartanburg Counties. He was elected after Republican Phillip Shoopman announced he would not seek re-election.

Corbin formerly served on the Senate's general and judiciary committees, and currently serves on the finance; fish, game and forestry; labor, commerce and industry; medical affairs; and rules committees, as well as serving on the subcommittee on natural resources and the transportation and regulatory subcommittee.[4]

Corbin is a conservative and a member of the Republican Party. As of 2018, he holds a 54% lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union.[5] As is listed on his 2020 campaign website, Corbin is pro-life, and supports gun rights, lowering taxes, and cutting government spending.[6]

Medical Cannabis Legislation

Corbin has generally been against the legalization of medicinal marijuana, consistently voting against advancing the legislation out of sub-committees and committees he sits on.[7] [8] [9] In a new round of legalization proposals in 2024, Corbin got the senate to adopt his amendment that would allow landlords and property owners to prohibit vaping cannabis products in their homes.[10]

Controversy

Corbin has been involved in controversy regarding comments he has made about women. In 2015, in a comment directed at South Carolina Sen. Katrina Shealy, the lone female senator at the time, Corbin said, "Well, you know God created man first. Then he took the rib out of man to make woman. And you know, a rib is a lesser cut of meat." Corbin later apologized, claiming that the comment was made "in jest", and that Shealy "chose to be offended and make a big deal out of all this".[11] Although accepting his apology, Shealy later responded that "whether the person speaking them thinks they are in jest or not, these words are hurtful and disrespectful."

Corbin has also allegedly remarked that women "do not belong in the South Carolina General Assembly", but rather "at home baking cookies" or "barefoot and pregnant".[12]

Personal life

Corbin is married to Leann Robertson, with whom he has two children.[13] The family currently resides in Travelers Rest. Corbin is a Baptist, and serves as a deacon and Sunday school teacher at Clearview Baptist Church. He has served as vice president and president of the Burban Creek Plantation, a hunting reserve located in Taylors, South Carolina.

Electoral history

YearOfficeTypePartyMain opponentPartyVotes for CorbinResultSwingRef.
Total%.
2010S.C. RepresentativeRep. primaryRepublicanHarry CatoRepublican3,379 59.46% 1stN/AN/A[14] [15]
GeneralRepublicanStephen Salter Democratic8,817 81.38%1st N/AHold[16]
2012GeneralRepublicanWrite-inN/A13,137 98.74%1st+39.28%Hold[17]
S.C. SenatorRep. primaryRepublicanAmanda Tieder Somers Republican3,050 65.37%1stN/AN/A[18]
GeneralRepublicanWrite-inN/A33,491 98.80%1stN/AHold[19]
2016Rep. primaryRepublicanJohn B. WhiteRepublican5,442 51.54%1st-13.83%N/A[20] [21]
GeneralRepublicanWrite-inN/A39,364 98.89% 1st+0.09% Hold[22] [23]
2020Rep. primaryRepublicanDave Edwards Republican9,254 70.37%1st+18.83%N/A[24] [25]
GeneralRepublicanMichael McCordDemocratic44,808 76.13%1st-22.76%Hold[26]

External links

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: 31 March 2010 . Let the (election) season begin . 8 September 2020 . Greenville Journal.
  2. Web site: Doughman . Andrew . 2012-04-16 . Sen. Shoopman not seeking re-election; SC GOP re-opens filing for seat . 2024-07-04 . Spartanburg Herald Journal . en-US.
  3. Web site: Burns files for House District 17 special election . 8 September 2020 . GreerToday.com.
  4. Web site: The Voter's Self Defense System . June 3, 2020 . Vote Smart.
  5. Web site: 2018 Ratings of South Carolina . 8 September 2020 . American Conservative Union Foundation.
  6. Web site: Platform Tom Corbin for State Senate . 8 September 2020 . www.senatorcorbin.com . en.
  7. Web site: June 9, 2020 . South Carolina Senate Medical Cannabis Voter Guide . April 21, 2024 . Marijuana Policy Project.
  8. News: Wilkinson . Jeff . March 20, 2019 . Medical marijuana advances in SC Senate . April 21, 2024 . The State.
  9. Web site: Brown . Kirk . March 29, 2018 . Medical marijuana bill advances in SC but has little chance to pass this year . 2024-04-22 . Independent Mail . en-US.
  10. Web site: Brams . Sophie . 2024-02-07 . Medical marijuana bill under consideration again in South Carolina . 2024-04-22 . WCBD News 2 . en-US.
  11. Web site: 'A lesser cut of meat'? . MSNBC . 8 September 2020 . 20 February 2015.
  12. Web site: Matney . Mandy . SC Senator Known For Calling Women 'A Lesser Cut Of Meat' Won Primary . FitsNews . June 13, 2020 . June 10, 2020.
  13. Web site: South Carolina Legislature Online – Member Biography . June 3, 2020 . www.scstatehouse.gov.
  14. Web site: June 9, 2010 . SC House top officer, 2 other GOP members lose . 8 September 2020 . wcnc.com.
  15. Web site: 2010-06-22 . South Carolina 2010 Republican and Democratic Primary: State House of Representatives District 17 - REP . 2024-07-04 . South Carolina Election Commission.
  16. Web site: 2010-11-18 . South Carolina 2010 General Election: State House of Representatives District 17 . 2024-07-04 . South Carolina Election Commission.
  17. Web site: 2013-04-09 . South Carolina 2012 General Election: State House of Representatives District 17 . 2024-07-04 . South Carolina Election Commission.
  18. Web site: 2012-07-31 . South Carolina 2012 Republican and Democratic Primary: State Senate District 5 - REP . 2024-07-04 . South Carolina Election Commission.
  19. Web site: 2013-04-09 . South Carolina 2012 General Election: State Senate District 5 . 2024-07-04 . South Carolina Election Commission.
  20. Web site: Fair . Jim . Tom Corbin edges John White by 321 votes in Senate District 5 race . 8 September 2020 . GreerToday.com.
  21. Web site: 2016-07-26 . South Carolina 2016 Republican and Democratic Primary: State Senate, District 5 - REP . 2024-07-04 . South Carolina Election Commission.
  22. Web site: Candidate Listing . 8 September 2020 . info.scvotes.sc.gov.
  23. Web site: 2023-02-01 . South Carolina 2016 Statewide General Election: State Senate, District 5 . 2024-07-04 . South Carolina Election Commission.
  24. Web site: Cary . Nathaniel . Rep. Bill Chumley, Chris Bennett in runoff in House District 35. Other incumbents sweep . 8 September 2020 . The Greenville News.
  25. Web site: 2020-06-12 . South Carolina 2020 Statewide Primaries: State Senate, District 5 - REP . 2024-07-04 . South Carolina Election Commission.
  26. Web site: 2021-06-30 . South Carolina 2020 Statewide General Election: State Senate, District 5 . 2024-07-04 . South Carolina Election Commission.