South Carolina Sees Major Wins for Pro Life Movement: Abortions down more than 40% since 2023; Supreme Court Rules in Favor of SC defunding Planned Parenthood

 

Written by Tony J. Spain, Palmetto Examiner
July 3, 2025

COLUMBIA, SC—(PE) The pro-life movement is stacking wins in the abortion fight in South Carolina as new data released Tuesday from the South Carolina Department of Health shows the number of South Carolinians getting abortions in the Palmetto State is in major decline since 2023, and the U.S. Supreme court ruled 6-3 in favor of South Carolina to defund Planned Parenthood last Thursday.

The data compiled by SCDHEC from August 2023 through all of 2024 shows the South Carolina Supreme Court’s ruling to uphold the Fetal Heartbeat Act, banning abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy, has led to the number of women getting abortions in the Palmetto State to drop by more than 40 percent.

Overall, there were 8,187 abortions in 2023 vs 3,025 in 2024 for a difference of more than 5,000 fewer abortions.

Of the total abortions carried out in South Carolina in 2024, 84% of them were medication induced (AKA Abortion Pill). Additionally, 27% of abortions were carried out for women between the ages of 20-24 in 2024.

South Carolina allowed abortions up to 20 weeks after pregnancy before the six week ban making it one of the least restrictive states and an abortion destination in the Southeast. After the ruling that was no longer the case.

Data released Tuesday from the Department of Public Health shows a 92% drop in out-of-state residents getting abortions in South Carolina from 2023-2024.

The conservative Christian family advocacy group Palmetto Family Council praised the numbers saying it showed the great effectiveness of the state’s Fetal Heartbeat Law”

“There’s no point in traveling to South Carolina [for an abortion] now  and that’s a positive,” Justin Hall, Palmetto Family Council Communications Director said. “We don’t want to be viewed as a state where I can go and end life of another human legally. We wanted to stop that. We would like to see other states follow that mode, but certainly we’ve cut down on that destination vacation spot.”


Planned Parenthood—among the groups that criticized the ban as prohibiting abortions before the time many women know they are pregnant—said they have had to turn people away and those people are going to North Carolina…

“75% of the people who come to see us have had to be turned away. They want an abortion, they’ve already decided they want an abortion, but we are not able to help them provide the care that we are able to provide because they are too far along,” Vicki Ringer with Planned Parenthood South Atlantic said.

The organization said these restrictions have not ended abortions, just moved them to other states.

“Half of all out-of-state abortions in North Carolina are from South Carolina. So while the abortion ban in South Carolina has been very effective at shutting down care for people here, as we have always said, people will find a way,” Ringer said.

Data from the new DPH report runs through December 2024, with figures from 2025 to be released next summer.

You can view the full 2024 report here.

In another big win for the pro-life movement, last Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of South Carolina’s decision to defund Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funding.

The ruling supports the state’s move to prevent taxpayer dollars from being allocated to the organization.

You can read the ruling here.

“Seven years ago, we took a stand to protect the sanctity of life and defend South Carolina’s authority and values—and today, we are finally victorious,” South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster wrote on social media. “The legality of my executive order prohibiting taxpayer dollars from being used to fund abortion providers like Planned Parenthood has been affirmed by the highest court in the land.”

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About the Author: 

Tony Spain is a former candidate for Richland County Council 2020 and an award winning former military photographer and journalist while in the Public Affairs Office for the U.S. Army. His photos and writing have been published in numerous publications such as The Commercial News, Danville, Ill.; The Paraglide, Fort Bragg, N.C.; Soldier of Fortune Magazine; The State Newspaper, Columbia, S.C., and more.

He lives in Columbia, S.C.

 

What Say You? Got something you'd like to say? Letter to the Editor (Guest Column), praises, criticism, hate mail, news story tip or just want to say, howdy. Send them to Tony@palmettoexaminer.com

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1. News and Views from Around the State: June 2, 2025, Palmetto Examiner, June 2, 2025

2. Editorial: South Carolina Special Elections are tomorrow, Palmetto Examiner endorses two candidates: Oden and Ward, Palmetto Examiner, June 2, 2025

3. News and Views from Around the State: April 21, 2025, Palmetto Examiner, April 21, 2025

4. Opinion: Happy Father's Day: Fathers have a moral sacred duty to teach their sons divine masculinity, by Tony J. Spain, June 15, 2025

5. How Palmetto Examiner Endorsed Candidates did Tuesday, by Tony J. Spain, June 6, 2025

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Opinion: Happy Father’s Day: Fathers have a moral sacred duty to teach their sons divine masculinity

 

In a world gone mad with moral irrelevance and immoral normalcy, I’d like to say thanks for everything my father has done for me and everything that he has taught me throughout my life.

 Sometimes while growing up, I didn’t realize what my dad was trying to teach me nor did understand the methods he sometimes used to teach me valuable lessons in life, but now I do. The older I get the smarter my father becomes.

 To me, my father has probably been one of the biggest influences in my life and is one of the greatest men to ever live, although he would never admit to such a high claim.

 My father has always been a modest and humble man, a man that never has a whole lot to say but means what he says when he does have something to say, and he always stands his ground. He never worries about being politically correct, what people think about him. He just does what he thinks and believes to be right. In today’s world, some say he’s wrong and should be cancelled. CNN would call him a case of classic toxic masculinity and dangerous, but they would be wrong.

 While Teddy J. Spain is a bad ass and 100 percent masculine, he is zero percent toxic. He lived the life of a soldier and then a cowboy on cattle ranches in California in the 1970’s where he met my mother.

 My earliest memory of my father was waking up before the sun to have breakfast with him before he left for work. He was always working while I was growing up. He worked two of the toughest jobs out there, farming and construction.

 Even though he worked two jobs he was never too tired or too busy for me, and somehow someway he always found the time to teach me how to play baseball in the backyard, and I don’t think the man ever missed one little league game. I’m still not sure how he did it, but like I said, bad ass.

He taught me the world can be a tough place and men must be strong enough to overcome it. He taught me how to shoot, the responsibility that came with a gun, and how to hunt. He taught me never to start a fight, but if you find yourself in one, fight back.

 If I had to describe in one word the most important thing I watched my father do while growing up, I would have to say sacrifice. He worked two jobs, and I hardly ever remember him taking a day off. He never complained about doing it. He just did it.

 All those years he worked both jobs, he never had a new truck. We never had a new car, but we always had one that ran. We could have had a lot of nice things, but my father sacrificed and did with out to make sure that we had everything that we needed and opportunities that he did not.

 He sacrificed his whole life to send my two brothers and myself to a private catholic school. He did it to make sure that we had the best education that money could buy. At the time, I didn’t understand that, and didn’t even care all that much, but I do now, and I am forever grateful for it.

 However, the most valuable lessons that I have learned in life did not come from school. They came from the way of my father. They are lessons and values that cannot be taught in any school and that is the value of hard work, discipline, preparation, accountability, responsibility, faith in God and character.

 These lessons are just as applicable now as they were to me growing up. But probably the most valuable lesson that he has taught me so far is that the world doesn’t owe me a favor, and nobody is going to hand me anything in life I have to earn every bit of it. He showed me that I am always loved by him, but that I am never, ever entitled.

 He also made sure that I was thankful for what I have. I remember one time when I was whining and complaining about how things at work were going, and how I didn’t like my job. I was having a real 1-800 Waa-Haaa moment in my twenties. He didn’t say anything as I complained at first, then, all of a sudden, he just looked over at me and said, “be thankful that you’re working, a lot of guys don’t have jobs right now to complain about.” That’s my dad.

  Life is never about him. I mean, two jobs is what it took. It wasn’t a big deal to him. He was just doing what he had to do. He wasn’t trying to impress anybody. He wasn’t trying to attract attention. He was just trying to fulfill a responsibility, and he did whatever it took for his family.

  Father’s Day is a celebration of fatherhood and of manhood. God bless all the men out there taking their roles seriously, but I feel men today in America are being conditioned to conform and fall in line instead of leading and being men. We’re told we should be less masculine and manly, because manliness is toxic masculinity and responsible for the ills of the world but that is a lie.

 Toxic masculinity is the bully on the playground. It's the liar that smears his adversaries with false accusations to justify his destruction in the conquer of adversaries for what he says is for the better good of the whole. It's the self-serving, heartless greed that deals in coercive deception of false flags...

 Toxic masculinity is indeed masculinity, but it is unchecked masculinity lacking in a moral compass. It's unfortunately rampant in leadership positions throughout the Eastern and Western world right now to include in our own government, the halls of British Parliament, Canada and Australia.

  The solution to toxic masculinity is not the emasculation of men as the Western world has attempted to achieve over the years. The West has raised an entire generation of boys that have been taught, no matter what, it's never OK to fight. Fighting the bully on the playground is never the answer. Instead, find an adult.

 Well, they've outgrown the playground and are now the adults and the bullies are in charge. They have no idea how to confront, deal or fight them. It's a bad place for the Western world to be right now. 

 Where will boys learn to be men if not from us? Will they learn it in schools? Not likely. The media, entertainment or culture? The government? The internet?

 We need to teach boys about genuine divine masculinity that teaches the difference between right and wrong. The honor and integrity that says do the right thing even if no one is watching, and it says sometimes you have to fight the bully to protect yourself and those unable to protect themselves from the evils of the world.

Genuine divine masculinity is the masculinity that ridded the world of Adolf Hitler and NAZI Germany, and one day, maybe sooner than later, it may have to do it again or be ruled by the tyranny of toxic masculinity.

 It’s a father’s sacred duty to teach the lessons of this responsible masculinity to their sons. Our society, culture and the world will be doomed without it.

 Happy Father’s Day. Here’s to the fathers passing on the lessons and thank you dad for the bad ass lessons in manhood.

How Palmetto Examiner Endorsed Candidates Did Tuesday

Palmetto Examiner endorsements are not predictions. They’re an assessment of who and why we back certain candidates. Like your vote, sometimes it goes the way you want and sometimes it doesn’t.

Yes, it is our hope that our analysis and reasoning will sway you to vote for our candidates and positions, but when they are rejected, it’s not because we got the race wrong. It just means our candidate didn’t win. Palmetto Examiner candidates went 1-1 on Tuesday.

Let’s start with the victory. We were pleased to see Mike Ward win the Irmo Town Council race with 57.3 percent of the vote.

Ward defeated George Frazier and Ed Greco in a special election race that had low voter turnout as most special elections do.

Voter turnout was 6.3 percent of 5,556 registered Richland County voters and 7.8 percent of 2,937 Lexington County voters in the town.

Ward is a business owner in the technology and cybersecurity fields and previously ran for Mayor in 2019 but lost to Barry Walker. He also ran for school board in an unsuccessful bid in 2024.  

Now for the loss. Bill Oden lost the heavily blue SC House District 50 as we expected. Bishopville City Councilman Keishan Scott won decisively with 71 percent of the vote.

Again, this was no surprise to us. The heavily blue district has only had one other republican candidate in the last 20 years. Marvin Jones was the last republican to run for the seat in 2022 when republicans won a supermajority in the house. Jones lost the election 60% to 40% to long time Democrat Will Wheeler, another Bishopville Democrat, who surprisingly announced his resignation three days before the legislation session began in January prompting the special election.

Sometimes you can get a surprise win in a special election that historically has a lower voter turnout. We got the low turnout, but no surprises here.

15,000 voters cast ballots in 2022 vs 3,671 on Tuesday. 

Editorial: South Carolina Special Elections are Tomorrow: Palmetto Examiner endorses two candidates: Oden and Ward

There are some special elections currently under way in South Carolina. Early voting ended Friday. So, if you live in an area holding a special election, tomorrow is your last chance, last call for voting. Polls will be open from 7am to 7pm. And since voter turnout is usually low for special elections, your vote could matter more than ever. Here’s who Palmetto Examiner endorses, and we hope you’ll consider voting for.

Bill Oden gives a high five to a student at Liberty
Steam Charter School in Sumter during their 4th 
annual Liberty Leadership Experience May 21. An
event that allows community leaders to take
a closer look at the school's operations. 

State House District 50: Republican Bill Oden is our pick. Oden has never held any political office, but I don’t believe that is necessarily a bad thing. What he lacks in experience of holding office he makes up for in service. He’s a 20 plus year military veteran and his distinguished military service record in the United States Air Force and the South Carolina Guard brings the ideals of service, duty and honor that is needed in SC House District 50.

Oden will stand for the sanctity of life, will protect our second amendment rights and will work to cut the red tape and lower taxes to help attract new jobs and keep the ones already in District 50.

Oden also has a strong record of community service as a board member on the Sumter County SC Habitat for Humanity. A member of the Military Affairs Committee on the Sumter Conty SC Chamber of Commerce. Chairman of the Board for Hidden Wounds. Member of the Board of Trustees at SC State University and Chairman of the Sumter County GOP.

This election will replace former Democrat Rep. Will Wheeler, who unexpectantly resigned three days into the legislative session in January after holding the seat for eight years. The district includes portions of Kershaw, Lee and Sumter counties.

This district has been a democrat stronghold for too long and it’s time for a change to escape the Jim Clyburn corridor of shame of one of the most poverty strickenUS Congressional Districts in the nation.

His democrat opponent is endorsed by Clyburn and Planned Parenthood, that sounds like more of the same ole situation to us.

Mike Ward speaks at a candidate meet and greet held 
by the Lexington County NAACP on May 30, 2025.

IRMO TOWN COUNCIL: Mike Ward has been a cheerleader for Irmo. He loves the place and wants to see it succeed. Ward knows Irmo is growing fast, and he wants it to grow smart with a plan for infrastructure that keeps Irmo’s comfortable charm. He’s also the only candidate in the race We’ve met and that means a lot.

Mike has built a portfolio of trust in public service. He currently chairs the Irmo Okra Strut Commission, serves as chair of the School Improvement Council at Dutch Fork Elementary and has held key leadership positions in the South Carolina PTA.

He’s also a businessman leading two cyber security companies focused on protecting small businesses and older adults stay safe from cyber threats online. He has also worked closely with the FBI to help protect critical infrastructure across the state.

His combined experience in public service and business leadership gives him a unique and practical perspective to serve Irmo well into the future.

Now go vote, bring a like-minded friend! 

News and Views from Around the State: June 2, 2025

"Catfish wrasslin'," more commonly known as noodling,
is a unique way of fishing for catfish by hand, typically 
done during their spawning season. Noodlers insert their hands 
into catfish burrows, often under logs or rocks, and attempt 
to "wrestle" the fish out. It's a risky activity, as catfish will 
defend their nests by biting, and other animals like alligators
can inhabit the areas. (Photo credit: Philip Gentry)

SC POLITICS: DID SC LAWMAKERS VIOLATE CONSTITUTION BY VOTING THEMSELVES A PAY RAISE? The South Carolina Constitution, Article III, Section 19, suggests that is the case.  “No General Assembly shall have the power to increase the per diem of its own members.” FITSNEWS reports Former Democrat Sen. Dick Harpoolitan is considering a lawsuit if Gov. Henry McMaster doesn’t veto the raise.

SOUTH CAROLINA: CRIME: JUDICIAL: WHEN AND WHY IS THE DEATH PENALTY SOUGHT IN SOUTH CAROLINA: 15 death sentences have been handed down in South Carolina since 2005. How is it determined which cases seek the death penalty in the state.  

GREENVILLE: EDUCATION: Greenville Technical College ranked among the top ten community colleges in the nation by Newsweek.

AIKEN COUNTY: SAVANAH RIVER SITE CELEBRATES 75 YEARS:  Savanah River Plant, now called the Savanah River Site started in 1950 at the request of President Harry Truman to support American nuclear weapons program during the Cold War. Seventy-five years later, South Carolina recognizes the positive impacts SRS has made and continues to make on behalf of American national security and families, US Congressman Joe Wilson writes in an op-ed.

HORRY COUNTY: CRIME: 11 INJURED IN MEMORIAL DAY SHOOTING IN LITTLE RIVER: Ten people suffered gunshot wounds during an altercation on a charter boat during a Memorial Day weekend private party in Little River. One other person suffered an “unknown non-gunfire related” injury, Horry County Police Department said.

SC POLITICS: GOVERNORS RACE: Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, and potential candidate for Governor in 2026 told Aiken Republican Club members she supports a system where judges would be nominated by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. She also told the group as “an accountant by trade” she is a fan of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

AIKEN COUNTY: EDUCATION: PROPERTY TAXES: Aiken County Board of Education approved a budget increase of $26.1 million by a vote of 7-1. That’s 9.88% higher than last year’s budget. The board also increased the millage rate on property taxes for the first time in more than a decade. Here’s what’s in the budget and how the millage rate increase affects property taxes.

WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY: RULES FOR THEE NOT FOR ME: This is a county car, and I am a county employee. A county employee told a citizen that she could park wherever she wanted when confronted about using a handicap spot at the Williamsburg County Public Service Administration Building.  

SPORTS: COLLEGE BASEBALL: COASTAL CAROLINA ADVANCES TO FOURTH NCAA SUPER REGIONAL: A sacrifice fly by senior outfielder Sebastian Alexander in the bottom of the eighth inning was the only and winning run of the championship game Sunday night, as the Chanticleers defeated East Carolina 1-0 to win the Conway Regional. It’s the fourth time the Chanticleers is headed to the NCAA Super Regional and the first since their 2016 National Championship.

SPORTS: COLLEGE BASEBALL: CLEMSON GETS BLOWN OUT AND ELIMINATED FROM OWN REGIONAL TO END SEASON: Clemson hosted a regional only to be blown out 16-4 by Kentucky and eliminated from the NCAA tournament.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE: THE HISTORY OF FROZEN PIZZA THAT WAS ALMOST A NOTHING BURGER: Nearly one million Americans will eat a slice of frozen pizza today and never know that the lucrative industry was almost a flop. In fact, pizza as a whole was an exotic food brought to America by Italian immigrants at the turn of the 20^th century and never took off until American GIs returning from Italy after WWII craved it. J. Mark Powell explains more in Holy Cow! History.

OUTDOORSMEN: WRASSLIN’ CATFISH: It’s more commonly referred to as noodling, a unique late spring outdoorsmen sport that certainly has its followers, but not much of a mainstream appeal. My grandpa used to do it… You know, when men were men or.. uh.. whatever.

Memorial Day: A Terrible Secret: Let's never forget their sacrifice

Powerful and forever the truth... I lived the "terrible secret" for many years at Fort Bragg, N.C., and it's still true today... Maj. Gen. Erik Kurilla's remarks during 2017 All-American Week is still the best Memorial Day speech I've ever heard.

God Bless the 82nd Airborne and all those that answer the call to sacrifice it all for America. It gave me chills to see my friend, Edgerton's name on that memorial... Let's honor the real heroes and be thankful to God such people willing to fight and die for this nation existed this Memorial Day.