{"id":184,"date":"2026-05-21T09:06:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T09:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=184"},"modified":"2026-05-21T09:06:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T09:06:11","slug":"how-mcmasters-interim-dph-director-is-a-political-football-in-sc-governors-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=184","title":{"rendered":"How McMaster\u2019s interim DPH director is a political football in SC governor\u2019s race"},"content":{"rendered":"<article><!-- --><!-- --><!-- WPS-5038 -- removed the script from WPS and added the placeholder for trinity player --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- CONTENT --><!--[--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>When Dr. Ed Simmer\u2019s tenure at the helm of the state\u2019s public health department came to an end May 14, Gov. Henry McMaster had to put someone in charge until he made a formal appointment.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=182\">The U.S. indicted Raul Castro. Will they bring him to Miami to be prosecuted?<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>McMaster picked Dr. Brannon Traxler to be the acting director of the Department of Public Health, a decision that led to criticism from those running for the Republican nomination for governor and forced the sitting lieutenant governor to share her views on Traxler.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Simmer, was unpopular among conservatives in the state following the former Department of Health and Environmental Control policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Simmer was the director when the DHEC split bill went into effect in 2024. That law named Simmer as the new Department of Public Health\u2019s director, and McMaster formally nominated him for the role in November 2024. Because Simmer was not confirmed when the General Assembly adjourned sine die May 14, Simmer\u2019s job ended.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>The next day, McMaster named Traxler as the acting director. She has worked in medicine and public health for 18 years and was part of the state\u2019s public health department\u2019s COVID response.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cDr. Traxler has spent her career improving the well-being of the people of South Carolina and has earned the trust and respect of those she has worked alongside,\u201d McMaster said in a statement. \u201cHer experience in medicine, surgery, and public health leadership gives her a strong understanding of the challenges facing our state and the expertise needed to lead the Department of Public Health.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>The Department of Public Health declined to comment for this story and referred questions to the governor\u2019s office.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Despite McMaster\u2019s words lauding Traxler, naming her the interim director was criticized by conservatives. Former Freedom Caucus Chairman Adam Morgan pointed that Traxler donated to President Joe Biden\u2019s campaign in 2020 and other Democratic candidates.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>And candidates for governor also pounced as a way to take a shot at Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, who McMaster has endorsed in the race.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Attorney General Alan Wilson asked whether Evette had any role in naming Traxler.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cSouth Carolinians deserve answers from Pam Evette about why Dr. Traxler was selected to lead our Department of Public Health,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cPam Evette has repeatedly said she is \u2018in the room\u2019 helping make important decisions in this administration, going so far as to claim she signed bills into law.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=180\">What\u2019s the deadline? SC\u2019s \u2018deliberative body\u2019 fast tracks redistricting debate<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Isle of Palms businessman Rom Reddy called Traxler \u201cSimmer on Steroids\u201d for her push for people to take vaccines.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is not reform. This is not listening to the people. This is institutional self-preservation. Makes us wonder what they are hiding from us,\u201d Reddy said in an email to supporters. \u201cIf ever there is a reason to believe these career politicians will never fix the system and are tone-deaf to the needs of us citizens, this is a perfect example.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace called for Traxler to be removed from the job.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis woman pushed mask mandates and shutdowns and called for President Trump to be impeached. How does this happen? Why does Pam support this?\u201d Mace posted.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman criticized the pick as well.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis wouldn\u2019t happen under a Norman administration!! I fought the COVID lockdown nonsense then, and as governor, I\u2019d appoint leaders who believe in individual freedom and REAL science. Common sense matters!\u201d Norman posted.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<h2>Evette responds<\/h2>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>On social media Evette said she would not appoint Traxler to the role if she were governor. Evette said she supports medical freedom, would want a health director who protects parents\u2019 rights and \u201cmakes decisions based on science, not woke politics.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you don\u2019t meet that, you aren\u2019t getting appointed. Dr. Traxler is 0-for-3 and won\u2019t be my nominee or part of the Evette Administration,\u201d Evette posted.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Evette, while speaking to reporters in the State House, pushed back against her opponents attacks saying all Traxler is doing is filling a seat until a formal appointment is made.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Evette said she\u2019s not worried the Traxler role would become a political liability for her.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think the people of South Carolina know who I am. I\u2019ve made it very clear they want a business person that\u2019s very clear on their views, and that\u2019s what I\u2019ve been giving them,\u201d Evette said.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=178\">Catawba Indians open doors to 1st phase of their $1.25 billion NC casino<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--]--><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Governor McMaster\u2019s naming of Brannon Traxler as interim DPH director has sparked GOP criticism and debate among South Carolina governor candidates over public health policy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":183,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-184","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - 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