John Peterson

John Peterson is a former mathematician who is still working in customer service while campaigning for Congress.¹ He supervises banquets at Embassy Suites in North Charleston and says listening to customers is experience he would bring to helping constituents.²

Peterson earned his bachelor's degree at the State University of New York at Brockport.² Before seeking office himself, he canvassed for Donald Trump's 2020 campaign in North Carolina and volunteered as a caller and canvasser in the 2024 election.² He won the June Republican primary against Maurice Washington to become Clyburn's general election opponent.³

Peterson advocates reduced federal spending, less regulation of small businesses and legislation limiting each bill to a single subject rather than combining many topics in omnibus packages.² He also supports voter identification requirements and tighter limits on voting by mail.² He supports the spending cuts pursued through DOGE and calls for reducing taxpayer money sent overseas.²

He calls himself a Trump Republican, but told WCSC he opposed the president's proposed checks tied to Republican election victories, objecting to the cost and the link to voting.¹ Peterson says affordability and the national debt are priorities, and that he wants more working people to seek office.¹ He faces Democrat Jim Clyburn.⁴