Colonel "Chuck" Hightower
Veteran for State House
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Meet Chuck
Colonel Hightower has dedicated his life to serving our country. In the U.S. Army he provided medical care to wounded soldiers and coordinated the Army’s medical operations in response to natural disasters at home and abroad. Now he’s running to represent Lexington County in the State House to fight for our veterans, improve public education, and support small businesses.
Colonel Hightower is a South Carolina native. A proud alum of South Carolina State University, he was commissioned as a Medical Corps Service Officer after graduating in 1977. Chuck also holds degrees from Troy State University and the Army War College.
For 30 years, Chuck served his country with distinction. He served as the Director of Health Care Operations for the Army Medical Department and Army Surgeon General. He was in charge of re-engineering the Army’s Medical Department in the 1990s. He commanded a medical brigade of 6,000 troops during the initial phases of Operation Iraqi Freedom. And he coordinated the medical support plan for the Army’s response to Hurricane Katrina.
Chuck is a recipient of two Bronze Stars, seven Meritorious Service Medals and five Legions of Merit. He retired as a colonel in 2007.
Chuck never forgot where he came from. At Fort Jackson, he helped establish the Warrior Transition Unit for soldiers and their families. He also served as the Chief Operations Officer at Moncrief Army Community Hospital at Fort Jackson.
A strong supporter of education, Chuck continued to serve his community after retiring from the military, teaching at Webster University in Columbia where he was named “Professor of the Year” three times. He is also the director of the Scooter Scott Project, a GED program serving residents in Lexington County.
Chuck lives in Lexington with his wife Deborah, who served as an educator in Lexington School District 2 for over a decade, and their three children. Chuck is running for the State House because he believes we need more servant leaders in Columbia who will work to solve the complex problems facing our state - like education and growth.
I’m running to represent District 88 to bring the values of service and sacrifice I learned in the Army to the State House. We need serious leaders focused on supporting Lexington County, and we need to restore the sense of honor and duty in public service.”
Lower Costs for Working Families
We must make life more affordable for people in District 88. Prices are rising and many folks are struggling just to make ends meet. Whether it’s in the grocery store, at the gas pump, or making rent or mortgage payments – we all know that the cost of living keeps going up. I’m committed to lowering costs for working families. Let’s start by lowering state income taxes, so you can keep more of your money. In the State House, I’ll work with Republicans and Democrats to address the affordability crisis.
Responsible Growth & Infrastructure
I believe we should promote responsible growth and improve our infrastructure to ensure our community remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family. In the State House, I’ll work to secure funding for projects like road improvements and I’ll work with our leaders in local government to ensure the needs in our community are addressed.
Quality Public Schools
The children of today are the leaders of tomorrow. We must fully fund public education and work to address the teacher shortage to ensure our children are able to succeed and enter the workforce. I’m a proud graduate of South Carolina public schools and my wife was a teacher at Airport High School for many years, so I firmly believe in the value of education.
Affordable Health Care
Everyone deserves access to affordable, quality health care. Nobody should go bankrupt from medical bills. We must support our local hospitals and health clinics, as well as telehealth options, to ensure that care is easily accessible for people in our community. We must also expand affordable health insurance coverage to those who need it.
Support for Our Veterans
A nation is judged by how well it treats its veterans. We must do everything we can to take care of the brave men and women who fought and sacrificed for our freedom. This means we must make sure they have access to jobs, housing, and health care once they are back home.