By admin 
Incumbent state Rep. John Lastinger, a Republican, and Democratic challenger Jeremy Jones are competing to represent the District 88 in the South Carolina state House.
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Lastinger has represented the Lexington County district since he won a special election bid in 2025.
Jones, 33, is a claims examiner.
Lastinger, 72, is a pastor living in incorporated area of West Columbia.
Election Day is Nov. 3. Early voting is open Oct. 19 through Oct. 31, Monday through Saturday.
The State sent questions to Jones and Lastinger about their views on topics like artificial intelligence and tax reform. Both candidates responded in emails. Responses were edited for length, clarity and style.
Why should people in your district vote for you?
Jones: I have always fought for a better District 88, and I find that with my tenacity and energy, we will get better roads, more smart growth with planning for our infrastructure needs, better schools top to bottom, a better mental health and healthcare system with better benefits and better pay jobs that offer more family planning, vacation and sick benefits.
Lastinger: I represent their values as a Christian conservative Republican. I love people and want to help them. I have standards and moral values I live by. Our roads and schools both need work, and I’m working to help get both done. I’ll stand for family values, for faith and our biblical standards and for firearms and farms. I will protect parental rights, I am pro-life and believe God made male and female.
How should the General Assembly approach tax reform in the state?
Jones: We should raise taxes on those making over $5 million and make sure our elderly, disabled, first-responders pay no property tax or income tax.
Lastinger: Don’t spend more than you make! I support continued reduction of the state income tax. We need to go back to the core values of what the government is for and cut wasteful spending and fine-tune the budget to only what’s necessary. Fully fund roads, law enforcement, first responders, and schools. Don’t hand tax dollars to big business or special interest groups. As one voice in the House, I’ve worked to push for less taxes and smaller government. I also believe we should eliminate property taxes for seniors, as a start. Lower taxes mean people keep more of their own money to better their own lives.
How would you want South Carolina to regulate the growth of new data centers?
Jones: I would like a full ban on new data centers and put energy, economic and location taxes, so that they pay for themselves.
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Lastinger: We do not need to incentivize data centers to come to our state. Agriculture is our number one industry in South Carolina. Don’t take up our rich, fertile farmland. Build any data centers that do come on the most worthless land such as old landfills, sandy ground that won’t grow anything or other poor soil instead of our prime farmland. Data centers should be limited and must pay for their own infrastructure and mitigate power use and noise so they’re good neighbors. They should not burden our citizens or hurt our farms.
How should population and economic growth be managed in the state and in your district?
Jones: District 88 is growing because we have opportunities for growth. We must plan for every instance of housing, sewage and water problems so that we can solve them before making any new economic or housing development. That should go for the state as well.
Lastinger: I’ve lived here my entire life and have seen a lot of growth. Local governments can further limit density and zone to protect their communities. We must get ahead of growth before it is uncontrollable. Protection of our infrastructure and quality of life is very important. Let’s manage growth wiser.
As a legislator I’m watchful of your tax dollars. I’m not a big fan of handouts to big business or special interests as businesses can compete in the free market. I’ve co-sponsored bills to amend impact fees so it’s easier for growth to pay for growth and road resurfacing as well. We need to encourage young farmers to keep agricultural land, require infrastructure sign-offs before permits and allow private wells instead of forced city water (this one recently became law). With that said, we do want needed businesses to come here. They provide goods and services that help improve SC families.
What guardrails, if any, would you like to place on emerging technologies, like Flock cameras, AI and social media?
Jones: We need to ban Flock cameras and put strict age [regulations] on social media companies. And if a community or company goes against these initiatives, they will be penalized with at least tax or jail time.
Lastinger: Flock cameras should be stopped and disconnected until they prove they’re not building a surveillance state that tracks innocent people and collects our data at all times. The technology just isn’t here yet that would protect the innocent. Unreasonable search and seizure violates our Fourth Amendment rights.
AI is only as good as the people or the country that controls it. It monitors all your data and information the same way and raises the same constitutional concerns as Flock cameras.
Social media must be age-appropriate for when children and teens use it. I co-sponsored the bill the governor signed this year to strengthen parental controls to better protect our kids. It all goes back to standards of protecting our future and families.
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Responses are listed alphabetically by candidate last name.