This article will answer every question you have about Henry McMaster. Below are some of the frequently asked questions about him.
- What does Henry do for a living?
- Who are Henry’s parents and siblings?
- What are Henry’s interests and hobbies?
- Is Henry married or does he have a girlfriend/boyfriend?
- Does Henry have any children?
- Where is Henry now?
- How tall is Henry?
- How much money does Henry earn?
- What is Henry’s net worth?
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Who is Henry McMaster?
Henry Dargan McMaster is an American eminent politician and attorney serving as the 117th governor of South Carolina since January 24, 2017. He is a member of the Republican Party. He worked for U.S. senator Strom Thurmond, in private practice, and as a federal prosecutor. In 1981, he was appointed United States attorney for the District of South Carolina by President Ronald Reagan. He then gained attention when he investigated South Carolina marijuana smugglers in Operation Jackpot.
Next, he was the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in South Carolina in 1986 but lost to incumbent Democrat Fritz Hollings. In 1990, he was then defeated for lieutenant governor of South Carolina by Democrat Nick Theodore. From 1993 to 2002, he chaired the South Carolina Republican Party. And in 2002, he was elected attorney general of South Carolina and was reelected in 2006. In 2010, he ran for governor but lost to Nikki Haley in the Republican primary. The following year, he was appointed to the South Carolina Ports Authority. He went on and held this position from which he resigned after being elected lieutenant governor of South Carolina in 2014.
In 2017, he succeeded to the office of the governor when Haley resigned to become the United States ambassador to the United Nations. He then won a full four-year term in the 2018 gubernatorial election after narrowly winning a runoff for the Republican nomination and defeating Democratic nominee James E. Smith Jr. in the general election. In November 2022, he won reelection.
How Old Is Henry McMaster?
He is 75 years old as of November 2022, having been born on May 27, 1947, in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. Henry shares his birthdate with celebrities such as; Zach Herron, Mark Anastasio, Lily-Rose Depp, Princess Mae, Kat Zoe Clark, and many more.
Henry McMaster Family
Who are Henry McMaster’s Parents?
He was born to John Gregg (Father) and Ida Dargan McMaster (Mother).
Does Henry McMaster have Siblings?
He has a younger brother by the name of Frank McMaster.
Henry McMaster Education
He received his education at The University of South Carolina where he received a bachelor’s degree in history in 1969. Later, he attended The University of South Carolina School of Law where he graduated in 1973.
Henry McMaster’s Marital Status
He is married to the love of his life Peggy McMaster. They married in 1978.
Henry McMaster Kids
He and his wife Peggy have two adult kids. A son by the name of Henry McMaster Jr. and a daughter by the name of Mary Rogers.
Henry McMaster Early Political Career
A Career as United States Attorney
Upon Thurmond’s recommendation, in 1981, President Ronald Reagan nominated Henry as United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina, Reagen’s first nomination for U.S. attorney. On May 21, 1981, the Senate confirmed Henry. Henry then headed the South Carolina Law Enforcement Coordinating CVommittee from 1981 to 1985. During his tenure, he created the federal task force Operation Jackpot to investigate South Carolina, marijuana smugglers. The operation went on and ultimately arrested more than 100 people for crimes related to marijuana and hashish trafficking. On December 31, 1985, he completed his term as a U.S. attorney.
An Election Bids and State Appointments
After considering races for South Carolina lieutenant governor and attorney general, in 1986, he won the spirited Republican primary for the United States Senate against Henry Jordan 27,696 votes (53.4%) to 24,164 (46.6%). However, he lost the general election to four-term Democratic incumbent Ernest Hollings, 463,354 votes (63.1%) to 261,394 (35.6%). But he only managed to carry Lexington County. In 1990, he ran for lieutenant governor.
And went on to defeat Sherry Martschink in the Republican primary, 49,463 votes (51.46%) to 46,660 (48.54%). However, he lost to the Democratic incumbent by receiving 309,038 votes (41.19%) to Nick Theodore’s 440,844 (58.75%). The following year, Governor Carroll A. Campbell Jr. appointed Henry to the state’s Commission on Higher Education and South Carolina Senate confirmed him. Moreover, he served on the Board of Directors of the nonprofit South Carlina Policy Council from 1991 to 2003. And served as board chairman from 1992 to 1993. In 2015, he left the Ports Authority.
A Career as South Carolina Republican Party Chair
On May 8, 1993, he was elected chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party. In 1996, 1998, and 2000. he was reelected by the State Republican Convention. From 1993 to 2002, he served as a member of the Republican National Committee. Under his chairmanship, the Republican Party captured the governorship, several statewide offices, and (with party switches) the State House of Representatives in 1994. Finally, captured control of the powerful State Senate in 2000. On March 28, 2002, he announced his resignation as party chairman so that he could run for attorney general.
A Career at Attorney General of South Carolina
He placed first in the Republican primary for attorney general with 126,164 votes (42.41%) ahead of State Senator and former judge Larry Richter and attorney Jon E. Ozimint. In the runoff, he defeated Richter, 162,014 votes (55.8%) to 128,721 (44.2%). In the general election, he defeated Democratic attorney and former director of the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services Stephen K. Benjamin, 601,931 votes (55.5%) to 482,560 (44.5%). He was then reelected in 2006, unopposed in both the Republican primary and the general election.
A Career Run for Governor; Ports Authority
In 2010, he ran for governor but finished 3rd in the Republican primary with 71,187 votes (16.94%). Ahead of Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer’s 52,324 (12.45%) but behind U.S. representative Gresham Barrett’s 91,461 (21.76%) and state representative Nikki Haley’s 205,360 (48.86%). Haley then appointed Henry to the South Carolina Ports Authority in 2011, succeeding Harry Butler Jr., and was replaced by Kurt D. Grindstaff.
A Career as Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina
On March 27, 2014, he filed to run for lieutenant governor of South Carolina. In the Republican Party primary, he received 44% of the vote in a four-way, thus forcing him into a runoff between him and Mike Campbell, son of former governor Carroll A. Campbell Jr. He then went on and defeated Campbell with 63.6% of the vote and faced Democratic nominee state representative Bakari Sellers in the general election. In the general election on November 4, 2014, he was elected lieutenant governor with 58.8% of the vote.
A Career as Governor of South Carolina
Elections
President-elect Donald Trump announced on November 23, 2016, his intention to nominate Haley as Ambassador of the United Nations. And the Senate confirmed Haley on January 24, 2017. However, later that day she resigned as governor and thus Henry assumed the governorship. Being inaugurated at the age of 69 years and 8 months, he is one of the oldest people to ever assume the office of governor in South Carolina. He then went on and served the remainder of Haley’s term which expired in January 2019. Before ascending to the office of governor, in September 2016, he declared that he would run in the 2018 election. In 2018, he won the election to serve his first four-year term. After his first year as governor, The State evaluated his performance and praised him for adding 17,000 jobs to the state.
2018
On June 12, 2018, he placed first in the Republican gubernatorial primary with 155,072 votes. But since that was 42.3% of the vote, he was to face John Warren in a runoff. On June 26, he won the runoff with over 53% of the vote. He then chose Pamela Evette as his running mate. Trump then endorsed Henry and Henry defeated Democratic nominee James Smith in the general election with 54% of the vote.
2022
In the June 14 primary, Henry secured the Republican nomination. And in the general election, he defeated the Democratic nominee, Joe Cunningham.
Tenure
Richard Quinn Corruption Investigation
In 2017, Henry, the University of South Carolina, BlueCross BlueShield, Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin, and a number of prominent state legislators were connected to Richard Quinn and Associates.
Nukegate
He was in office when it was announced that SCANA and Santee Cooper were on abandoning the expansion of the Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Generating Station in 2017. The event has then been nicknamed the Nukegate scandal. After Santee Cooper’s retirement as chairman, Henry appointed Charlie Condon as a replacement.
COVID-19 pandemic
In 2020, like most governors during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Henry declared a state of emergency. On April 20, 2020, he drew criticism for reopening beaches and retail stores five days after South Carolina experienced its highest number of new positive COVID-19 tests. However, he did not include additional social distancing requirements in his executive order. State epidemiologist Linda Bell said on June 19, that COVID-19 was worse in June than it was when the state was closed in March and April. By late June and early July, the COVID-19 cases in South Carolina had risen by as much as 2,000% compared to March and April.
Henry then said on July 15, in an address that South Carolina schools should give parents the option to send students to in-person classes in September 2020. On July 19, he went on and signed an executive order requiring face masks for employees and patrons in all South Carolina restaurants and bars. Prohibiting any restaurant from opening at more than 50% capacity, seating tables less than six feet apart, or allowing people to congregate at a bar. The governor’s office then announced on December 22, that Henry and his wife had both tested positive for COVID-19. Henry then said in 2021, that he would block the federal government from sending people door-to-door to promote vaccinations.
Kidnapping Plot Allegations
A federal indictment against six men associated with the Wolverine Watchmen, a Michigan-based militia group was unsealed on October 8, 2020. The indictment charges the men with plotting to kidnap Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer and violently overthrow Michigan’s government. A search warrant revealed that the suspects had also discussed targeting Henry during the early stages of their planning unsealed on October 28.
Veto Record
As of October 2022, he has signed over 600 bills, vetoed 28, and had 19 overridden.
A Career in Political Positions
Abortion
He opposes abortion, And thus he signed a bill into law that would ban most abortions on February 18, 2021. The next day, a federal judge suspended the law until June 2022.
Fiscal Policies
His first major action as governor was to request $5.18 billion from President Trump for South Carolina’s infrastructure on February 6, 2017. That same year on May 9, he vetoed a bill that would have raised the state’s gas tax by 12 cents – the largest tax increase in state history – but the South Carolina General Assembly overrode his veto the following day.
Guns
He has said that he would sign the legislation if passed by the General Assembly that “would allow anyone who is legally allowed to buy a gun to do so without a state permit and carry it openly or concealed”.
Immigration
He offered to send troops from the South Carolina National Guard to assist Texas in combating illegal immigration and drug trafficking in 2018, This came after Trump called for the deployment of thousands of soldiers along the Mexico-United States border.
LGBT Rights
As chairman of the GOP, in 1993, he criticized a bill cosponsored by the late Senator Fritz Holdings, Democrat from South Carolina. The bill would prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation. As Attorney General, in 2006, he successfully led the fight to ban same-sex marriage in South Carolina. Also, he indicated that South Carolina should “seceded” over Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. He then said in an October 2022 gubernatorial debate he would enforce a same-sex marriage ban in South Carolina if the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Obergefell v. Hodges.
Henry McMaster Height and Measurements
Adding up to his well-built body is a height of 5ft 8inches (1.73m) and a weight of about 70kg (154lbs).
Henry McMaster’s Salary and Net Worth
He has a base salary of $106,078 and an estimated net worth of between $1 and $3 million.
