2025 Year-End Update

Sunday, December 28, 2025

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends. Hanukkah was a bit earlier and sadly marked by violence globally, but I pray that the tradition of lighting the candle each night still reminded people of God's miracles and love for His people. Together, we can all look forward to celebrating the beginning of a new year and a new spirit of hope with so many major accomplishments toward security in our country and peace in our world. As we near the end of 2025, it seems appropriate to summarize what has been achieved this year, as well as to outline goals for the new year. After 3 years serving in the SC State House, I have learned many things, some of which are worth sharing. Please allow me to expound on these things I have learned.

First, it is much harder to get to the right answer every time than you think. This is not an excuse, it is a statement of fact. So much of what we vote on is thrown at us in minimal time and with limited, slanted information. I have learned to trust my instincts as with everything else I've done in life, and to seek help and advice from experts I trust when my instincts come up short due to lack of knowledge.

Second, tenure means far more in the State House than experience and expertise. I have colleagues in positions of leadership with just one term more in the House than me, but with a very short tenure in their professional careers vs. my 41 years in business and finance. The good news is that if elected for a third term, I may potentially have a more influential voice just by surviving the process. It gives new meaning to "earning your stripes." As someone who believes in the power of term limits, it is hard for me to accept the current thinking, but it would require a huge paradigm shift for many of my colleagues to understand why term limits would help far more than hurt the process of governing. Just saying elections are term limits is simply not true, as proven by how many people in the SC House have been there for 20 years or more, elected at least 10 times! 

Third, for every major issue, there are passionate views on either side that mean it is impossible to make everyone happy. I am not referring to Republican vs. Democratic views, because that is straightforward. I mean nuanced views about how far to push an issue, or how to vote on something that doesn't seem quite right but is better than doing nothing. This is very frustrating at times because I strive to get it right every time even when "right" is grey and not black & white. As part of this, there is a political battle waged constantly in the House for "gotcha" votes that would not achieve their stated objective, but make everyone look weak if they vote against in some way. Gotcha votes are a way to try to primary an incumbent with misleading information to the voters. You see them from time to time when receiving texts or mailers that do not sound like your Representative's views. Often these are outright lies, but the gotcha vote makes it hard to discern the truth. Many of the amendments or motions that fit this scenario were in the past initiated by a former member of the House who is now in jail due to terrible, criminal behavior. What some people did not realize is that aside from the criminal behavior, he had a serious conflict of interest in profiting greatly off of candidates running against other Members of the House. If you ever hear of a vote that does not sound like my normal, conservative behavior, please feel free to email and ask me about it. Chances are that it was one of these random gotcha motions or amendments, and I will be happy to explain what was going on in the House at the time, and why I could not support something that was for show and not substantive policy.

Finally, collaboration is the only way to get things done. This does not necessarily mean compromise, because we all know that usually leads to watering down what we know is right. What it does mean is working with my fellow House Members on Committees to craft the best possible legislation, support others who have great ideas, and treat everyone with respect even if I don't agree with their position. I have learned from first-hand observation that if no one wants to work with you, and Leadership doesn't support your ideas, your bills will not be passed and may not even ever be heard. It does not accomplish anything to alienate everyone else.

I will summarize with the following thoughts. I sometimes make mistakes, and will always do my best to correct them as soon as possible. Any decision I make on your behalf will be guided by my own moral compass combined with listening to all the input I receive from those I represent. Unfortunately, this means I will have to seemingly reject some opinions as many constituents do not have the full story on any given issue. Having the courage of my convictions has never been easy, but in the end has seemed to yield the best results. I can do no less than stand up for what I believe is right, no matter the outcome. With that thought in mind, I am officially announcing my run for reelection to the State House for a third term. If you would like to see me continue to serve you and all our neighbors in District 80, please consider donating to my campaign here. Avoiding a Primary is the best way to assure that I can continue to serve, and working hard to serve you, plus having the funds already in place to win is the most effective way to deter opponents. Thank you for your consideration, support, and continued input.

December 12th House GOP Caucus Meeting

The House GOP Caucus met in Columbia on Friday, December 12th just before the deadline for pre-filing of bills for the second year of the 126th Session. Majority Leader Davey Hiott, who is serving his last term in office presented the following: 

Our Mission: Fighting for Freedom, Families, and a More Affordable South Carolina.

Our Commitments:
1. Freedom: Defend the Constitution, hold government accountable, and uphold law and order.

2. Families: Protect children, empower parents, and uphold the values and safety of our communities.

3. Affordability: Cut taxes, eliminate inefficiency, and make South Carolina a place where families can build a future.

4. Roads: Fix our roads by cutting red tape and demanding transparency to reduce congestion, move projects faster, and deliver safer, shorter commutes for every South Carolinian.

2025 Legislative Wins:
1. Income Tax Cuts – We advanced the next phase of South Carolina’s tax-cut plan to lower rates, move our state closer to zero income tax, and let working families keep more of what they earn. We will work with the Senate to finish the job.
2. DEI – We passed major reforms to eliminate DEI bureaucracy statewide and restore
merit-based opportunity across South Carolina.
3. Small Business Regulatory Freedom Act – We passed landmark reforms to cut red tape, stop agency overreach, and give small businesses the freedom to grow. We will partner with the Senate to deliver this win for employers statewide.
4. School Choice Expansion – We strengthened and expanded South Carolina’s scholarship program to empower parents, increase access, and give more students the opportunity to learn where they succeed most — now enacted into law.
5. Energy Security Act – Signed into law, this major energy package strengthens grid reliability, expands generation capacity, and positions South Carolina for long-term economic growth.
6. Public Safety – We strengthened public safety by cracking down on organized retail theft, creating a felony for fentanyl-induced homicide, and passing new protections to keep children safe online.

What This Means for South Carolina in 2026
1. We are partnering with the Senate to lock in our historic income-tax cut and working closer to a zero income tax — providing real relief for families and small businesses.
2. We are using common-sense planning to accelerate road projects, attacking congestion, shortening commutes, clearing bureaucratic roadblocks, and protecting South Carolina from out-of-control growth.
3. We are cracking down on juvenile crime with tougher accountability, swift consequences, and measures that stop repeat offenses.
4. We are enforcing immigration laws with zero tolerance for sanctuary policies and strengthening partnerships with federal ICE agents to keep our communities safe.
5. We are continuing to prioritize the safety of South Carolinians through judicial reform.
6. We are implementing insurance reforms to increase affordability, availability, and provide for policy holder protections.
7. We are stopping dangerous mail-order abortion pills by holding providers accountable and ensuring women receive safe, lawful medical care.
8. We are protecting girls’ and boys’ bathrooms in schools — because privacy and safety are non-negotiable.
9. We are delivering the strongest parental-rights protections in America — no exceptions, no apologies.
10. We are partnering with the Senate to complete our DEI overhaul — eliminating DEI bureaucracy statewide and restoring merit-based opportunity.
11. We are protecting kids by keeping intoxicating hemp products completely out of reach — that door is shut.
12. We are restoring accountability in tenure and ensuring advancement in higher education is earned – not an automatic guarantee.
13. We are reforming welfare programs and getting people back to work.
14. We are protecting life, safeguarding election integrity, defending religious liberty, and ensuring government remains accountable to the people it serves.

The House Republican Caucus enters the 2026 session united behind a clear mission: Fighting for freedom, families, and a more affordable South Carolina. Our agenda cuts taxes and red tape, safeguards children and conservative values, enforces accountability across government, and advances a long-term infrastructure plan that keeps our state moving. We remain committed to results that make South Carolina the best place to live, work, and raise a family.

Around the District and the Lowcountry
Since this has already been a long newsletter, I will refer you to my recent social media posts regarding Highway 41 and other issues of local interest. You do not have to be on Facebook as a subscriber to view my political page, which is "Rep. Kathy Landing - Communication Mount Pleasant and the Lowcountry." You can view any of the information there even if you do not have your own Facebook page. Also, if you "Like" or "Follow" my page, it helps get the message out to more people because the FB analytics reward pages with more followers. You can view my page here. Please note that my personal page, which just says "Kathy DuBeau Landing," does not have any information about what is going on politically. I only post personal information about my children, my dog, birthday celebrations, etc.... The best way to stay informed is through these newsletters, my political social media, and my website all of which is linked below.

Thank you as always for your interest, your support, and your friendship. I look forward to another great year serving you in 2026. Happy New Year from our family to yours!