The 2024 session of the South Carolina General Assembly kicked off on Tuesday, January 9th. The first order of business in the Senate was the swearing-in ceremony for two new senators who won special elections to complete the terms of former senators.
Tameika Isaac Devine won the special election for Senate District 19 in Richland County. She was elected to fill the seat vacated by the death of the late Senator John Scott.
After being sworn in, Senator Devine thanked the voters, her supporters and her family for allowing her to serve.
“I stand here before you today with pride as the newest senator to represent the citizens of South Carolina Senate District 19,” Senator Devine said. “I thank my family, who has always been with me through this journey of service. My mother, Veronica Isaac, is always there, no matter what I do; and my husband Jamie L. Devine, who also has served 15 years as a member of Richland School District One and has served as Chairman several times. We are a family who is about community.”
Senator Devine also thanked her children for being her biggest supporters before praising the work done by her predecessor.
“I know that the shoes of John Scott can never be filled,” said Senator Devine. “But I know that with him as an angel looking down on us that I will continue to not only build on the foundation that he started, but continue opportunities for our great district.”
Senator Devine vowed that she will be a lion in the Senate when it comes to fighting for the interests of her constituents.
“I’m going to bring my tenacity for issues. I’m going to bring my ability to work across the aisle to build bridges. And most importantly, I’m going to use my dedication to this great state to continue to find ways that we can build a better South Carolina,” she concluded.
Senator Deon Tedder of Senate District 42 (based in Charleston and Dorchester Counties) was also sworn in. During his remarks, he began by thanking his wife, who he recently married. He joked that they got married shortly before the election, and spent the first five months of their marriage on the campaign trail. Senator Tedder also thanked his mother, who worked two jobs to ensure that
he got a college education after his father died. With great pride and emotion, he said, “This woman has sacrificed so much so that I can have opportunities that she did not have. I felt guilty going off to college because I was leaving my mom during such a challenging time. But she pushed me to pursue higher education. I felt even more guilty when she started to work a second job in addition to a full-time job to support me. I noticed how stressful it was to work two jobs every day. But she continued to make those sacrifices amongst others so that her only child – that would be me — could graduate from college. As a first-generation college graduate, thank you mom!”
Tedder is no stranger to the South Carolina General Assembly. He pledged to continue the work that he did in the South Carolina House of Representatives when he served in House District 109.
“While I’m new in this chamber, I’m not new to the General Assembly. I’ve had the pleasure to serve a term and a half in the House of Representatives just across the hall. In the house, I worked across the aisle to get things done, and I plan to do the same in the Senate. I take this position seriously. And I’m here to speak and work on behalf of those who elected me back home.”
Wrapping up his remarks, Senator Tedder told his colleagues that he plans to use his voice to make the state a better place to live for all South Carolinians.
“There’s a scripture that has gotten me through difficult times in life, and it’s Jeremiah 29:11,” Tedder said.
“‘While on the plans I have for you declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’ So at the end of the day, as the youngest member of the State Senate, I’m enthusiastic to carry out the plan God has for me to work together with all of you, and be the best advocate for our constituents so we can continue to make South Carolina prosperous and provide a bright future for all South Carolinians. The South Carolina Senate is now better with Tedder.”
