About Lee

While previously serving in the SC Senate, Lee Bright was known as South Carolina’s most conservative State Senator. Now, he is returning to the fight.

Lee won election to the State Senate in 2008 after a hard-fought, primary and run-off. Since then, he has been a powerful advocate for conservative ideas. On issues ranging from pro-business to pro-life, he has proven himself a competent and energetic leader with the skills necessary to shepherd controversial legislation through the fractious Senate — without compromising his principles.

A life-long resident of Spartanburg, Lee is married and has two children, along with three grandchildren. He serves as the president of Bright Insurance Agency.

Lee has been unflinching in his commitment to passing good legislation. In the 2012 session, he led to passage a bill overhauling South Carolina’s woefully mismanaged unemployment insurance system, saving employers millions. He accomplished this by staging a, literally, last-hour filibuster on the final day of session which forced Senate leadership to bring the bill up for a vote.

Lee was also the lead sponsor of the Constitutional Carry bill (removing restrictions on law-abiding citizens who exercise their Second Amendment rights), the Firearms Freedom Act (exempting firearms manufactured in-state from unnecessary regulations), and legislation to reform judicial appointments. And, even though (at the time) many said it was futile, Lee pushed relentlessly for the Freedom of Choice Healthcare Act to “opt-out” of Obamacare.

Lee has been given high marks by every conservative group in the state, including 100% ratings from S.C. Business & Industry Political Education Committee, S.C. National Federation of Independent Business, and the South Carolina Club for Growth.

Before running for the State Senate, Lee previously served as a member of the School Board. In his first year, he saved the taxpayers nearly a half-a-million dollars when he led opposition to an unnecessary consulting contract related to a school construction project.

Even the Spartanburg Herald Journal was forced to agree: “It seems like a waste to pay almost half a million dollars for a consultant can’t be held liable for failures in its oversight.” For his efforts he was honored with the Taxpayer Hero Award by the Spartanburg County Taxpayers Association.

A member of Roebuck Baptist Church, Lee has served as a board member of the Palmetto Family Council, Attorney General’s Commission on the Family, Board of Visitors Southeastern Baptist Seminary, and the SBC Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.