By admin 
Republican state Rep. Micah Caskey, who is now the House majority leader, is running for a sixth term in the South Carolina state House. Caskey is being challenged by Democratic nominee Joe Madge in House District 89, which is in Lexington County.
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Caskey, 45, is an attorney. Madge, 59, is an engineer.
The State sent a questionnaire to Caskey and Madge about their views on topics such as artificial intelligence and tax reform. Both candidates responded in emails. Responses were edited for length, clarity and style.
What guardrails, if any, would you want to place on emerging technologies, such as Flock cameras, artificial intelligence and social media?
Caskey: New tools can make communities safer and more prosperous, but the Constitution does not bend to convenience. License plate readers like Flock can help solve crimes and find missing children, and I support their use with clear limits. Data should be kept only as long as it serves a legitimate law enforcement purpose, access should be logged and audited, and it should never be sold or used to track law-abiding citizens going about their lives. The Fourth Amendment applies whether the officer is standing on the corner or watching through a camera.
On artificial intelligence, South Carolina should target real harms rather than smother innovation. That means strong penalties for AI-generated child exploitation material, protections against deceptive deepfakes in elections, and accountability when the technology is used to defraud seniors. With social media, parents are the first line of defense, and the state’s role is to give them tools and transparency, not to replace their judgment. Big tech companies that knowingly target children with addictive or harmful content should answer for it.
Madge: Regarding AI and social media, we must protect children with tools such as age verification and parental consent for AI chatbots. Ban AI-generated child sexual abuse material with criminal penalties. We should have time limits for social media and AI chats.
AI must be prevented from encouraging self-harm and must not be allowed to provide methods to create weapons, viruses, etc.
Flock cameras are an invasion of privacy for citizens and if we can’t ban them completely, we must put some strong regulations on them including: Data can only be stored on government owned servers, data can only be saved for 14 days, AI tools cannot be used to look at information other than license plates, judicial warrants should be required to access the information
How should the General Assembly approach tax reform in the state?
Caskey: South Carolinians work hard for their money, and government should earn every dollar it takes. The General Assembly has made real progress lowering the income tax, and I want to keep that momentum so our state stays competitive with our neighbors and keeps attracting families and employers. A simpler, flatter system is fairer and easier to live with.
Reform should be honest about tradeoffs. Cutting rates while protecting core functions like public safety, roads and schools requires discipline on the spending side. I hear constantly about property taxes, and while I’m proud to have voted to increase the homestead exemption for seniors, any serious reform conversation has to include property tax relief for more South Carolinians. Above all, tax policy should be predictable, so families and businesses can plan.
Madge: South Carolina exempts more items than it taxes for all potential sales‑taxable transactions. This entire system needs to be re-written with the goal of maintaining the existing tax revenue but lowering the effective tax rates for lower income households.
Use of fees in lieu of taxes must be examined and removed in cases where it has limited local communities from creating a sustainable tax base.
How should population and economic growth be managed in the state and in your district?
Caskey: Growth is a blessing, and it is also a responsibility. People and businesses are coming to South Carolina because of our quality of life, low costs and strong values. Our job is to protect the things that drew them here.
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Communities like Cayce, Springdale and West Columbia are feeling the pressure on roads, schools and water and sewer systems. The principle I follow is that infrastructure should keep pace with development rather than chase it years later. That means smart investment in roads, coordination between the state and local governments, and respect for local decision-making, because the people closest to a community usually understand it best.
At the state level, I want growth that brings good-paying jobs while protecting our farmland, rivers and outdoor heritage. Hunting, fishing and open spaces are part of who we are, and they are worth preserving for the next generation.
Madge: Growth must be planned for, and investments must be made now to prepare for the growth. This includes roads and bridges, water, sewer, electricity, etc. We must develop at least a 10-year plan for growth and infrastructure. We also have opportunities to incentivize the development of abandoned or vacant properties in existing neighborhoods to provide affordable housing and locations for small business.
How would you want to regulate the growth of new data centers?
Caskey: Data centers represent one of the largest economic opportunities South Carolina has seen in a generation. They bring billions in capital investment, construction jobs and a property tax base that can help fund schools and local services without raising taxes on families.
My condition is simple. These companies need to pay their fair share. If a facility requires new power generation or transmission, the cost should fall on the company building it, not on residential ratepayers or small businesses. Data centers should mean lower taxes and lower electricity rates for folks in those communities — without it, no deal.
Decisions about where a data center goes belong with the local communities that will live next to it. County councils and local leaders understand their land, their infrastructure, and their residents, and the state should respect that.
We should also be good stewards of our water and natural resources, and responsible planning up front makes that easy to do. With the right terms, data centers can strengthen our economy while keeping South Carolina the place people are proud to call home.
Madge: I support a moratorium on new data centers until we develop the regulations around these centers. This should include local community approval of any data centers in their areas, noise limits (encourage tree and shrub growth around the centers to reduce noise), minimum distances from population centers, water must be returned to its source in the same or better condition than it was received in (including cleanliness and temperature). Data Centers must provide a portion of their own energy through renewable sources such as wind and solar and the center must absorb any rate increases due to their energy consumption.
Why should people vote for you?
Caskey: I have spent my life in service. As a marine, I learned that leadership means taking care of the people around you before yourself. As a prosecutor, I worked to hold criminals accountable and stand up for victims. As an attorney with a practice right here in West Columbia, I help my neighbors with problems every day.
In my time in the House, I’ve worked hard to build the reputation that I’ll fight for our community, while simultaneously building relationships that help me get things done for our community. My experience means that I can be a strong, effective voice for District 89 when decisions are actually made.
My approach is straightforward. I believe in limited government, low taxes, public safety, and the freedoms our Constitution protects. I return calls, I show up, and I try to solve problems rather than score points. I am proud to represent the place I call home, and I would be honored to keep earning your trust.
Madge: I have worked for over 30 years as an engineer in manufacturing. As an engineer, we are trained on how to solve problems in a structured way. I want to bring that problem-solving mindset to the statehouse. I want to bring back checks and balances to the state House and work on ways to improve the lives of all South Carolinians. The opposition party has been in power for over 20 years, so if they wanted to make our lives better, they could have done it. It’s time for change!
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Responses are listed alphabetically by candidate last name.