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.

Tom Corbin
Member of the South Carolina Senate
from the 5th district
Assumed office
2012
Preceded byPhillip Shoopman
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
from the 17th district
In office
2010–2012
Preceded byHarry Cato
Succeeded byMike Burns
Personal details
Born (1965-01-11) January 11, 1965 (age 59)
Greenville, South Carolina, US
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Leann Robertson
(m. 2012)
Children2
Alma materClemson University (B.S., 1987)
ProfessionBusinessman

Early life and education

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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.[1]

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

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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.[2]

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.[3] After winning both races, Corbin resigned his House seat, triggering a special election that was won by Mike Burns.[4]

S.C. Senate

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Since 2012, Corbin has represented South Carolina's 5th Senate district covering parts of Greenville and Spartanburg Counties.[5] He was elected after Republican Phillip Shoopman announced he would not seek re-election.[3]

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.[1]

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.[6] As is listed on his 2020 campaign website, Corbin is pro-life, and supports gun rights, lowering taxes, and cutting government spending.[7]

Medical Cannabis Legislation

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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.[8][9][10] 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.[11]

Controversy

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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".[12] 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."[12]

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".[13]

Personal life

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Corbin is married to Leann Robertson, with whom he has two children.[5] 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.[5]

Electoral history

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Year Office Type Party Main opponent Party Votes for Corbin Result Swing Ref.
Total % P. ±%
2010 S.C. Representative Rep. primary Republican Harry Cato[a] Republican 3,379 59.46% 1st N/A Won N/A [2][14][15]
General Republican Stephen Salter Democratic 8,817 81.38% 1st N/A Won Hold [16]
2012 General Republican Write-in N/A 13,137 98.74% 1st +39.28% Won Hold [4][17]
S.C. Senator Rep. primary Republican Amanda Tieder Somers Republican 3,050 65.37% 1st N/A Won N/A [4][18]
General Republican Write-in N/A 33,491 98.80% 1st N/A Won Hold [19]
2016 Rep. primary Republican John B. White Republican 5,442 51.54% 1st -13.83% Won N/A [20][21]
General Republican Write-in N/A 39,364 98.89% 1st +0.09% Won Hold [22][23]
2020 Rep. primary Republican Dave Edwards Republican 9,254 70.37% 1st +18.83% Won N/A [24][25]
General Republican Michael McCord Democratic 44,808 76.13% 1st -22.76% Won Hold [26]

Notes

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  1. ^ Incumbent seeking re-election.

References

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

2010–2012
Succeeded by
South Carolina Senate
Preceded by Member of the South Carolina Senate
from the 5th district

2012–present
Incumbent