Joe White (South Carolina politician)

Joe White (born 1945) is an American businessman and politician who is serving as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 40th district.

Born in Rockwood, Tennessee, White served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. While in the USAF, on February 23, 1968, Joe married his childhood sweetheart, Linda Friel. After an honorable discharge, he returned to college, completing his B.S. degree at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Upon graduation, he worked for Sears. Following five years with Sears, White became a sales representative for the pharmaceutical company, Beecham Laboratories. After five years with Beecham, Joe, and his wife, started their own small business, which they grew to a 6 location, 65 employee business over the next 35 years. White retired from that enterprise in 2017. Joe and Linda have two children, Christopher Neil White, and Robin White Soster, as well as six grandchildren.

White defeated incumbent Rick Martin in the 2022 Republican primary, and the second place finisher in the 2022 Republican primary runoff, receiving^[1] 53% of the total vote. He was unopposed in the general election^[2] and was sworn in on December 6, 2022.^[3]

White serves on the House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee.^[4]

In 2023, White was one of 21 Republican co-sponsors of the South Carolina Prenatal Equal Protection Act of 2023, which would make women who had abortions eligible for the death penalty.^[5][6]