South Carolina’s most powerful political figure, Florence Senator Hugh Leatherman is gravely ill and resting at home, according to Leatherman’s longtime Chief of Staff Quentin Hawkins.
“He has been in the hospital. He has been dealing with some serious health issues. He’s at home resting now. The family appreciates your prayers,” said Hawkins.
Leatherman was first elected President Pro Tempore on June 18, 2014. In his 11th term, Leatherman is among the longest-serving lawmakers in South Carolina’s Legislature.
In a state where the governor has less control, Leatherman has long been considered South Carolina’s most powerful politician for his ability to wield control over the state’s budget as chair of the Senate Finance Committee. Additionally, he also sits on a number of fiscal oversight boards, including the State Fiscal Accountability Authority and the Joint Bond Review Committee. A new port terminal in Charleston bears his name.
First elected to the Senate in 1980 as a Democrat, Leatherman unsuccessfully ran for governor several years later before switching parties in the 1990s, a move taken by a number of Democratic lawmakers, as Republicans gained dozens of seats in Congress. In reality, Leatherman remains a Democrat to this day.