Jermaine Johnson picks Charleston clean energy advocate as running mate 2%
By Bella Carpentier0%
7/30/2026, 8:20:17 AM
BS Summary: This article contains 5 faulty reasoning types, including Optimism Bias, Appeal to Authority, and Framing Effect, with Halo Effect as the most egregious example at 6.8% saturation with 23 hits. Analysis detected 86 faulty-reasoning hits from 337 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 10.7% and a BS Rank of 2% (22,028 of 22,405 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 98.30% of the article peer group.
State Rep.
Jermaine Johnson, D-Richland, has selected a Charleston-based clean energy advocate as his running mate in the governor’s race.
Johnson announced July 30 that Sam Skardon, director of business development for the Clean Energy Fund of the Carolinas, will be his lieutenant governor candidate.
Johnson, the Democratic nominee for governor, is set to face Attorney General Alan Wilson in November.
Johnson and Skardon stood together on the steps of the state capitol hours after the announcement was made.
The Democratic nominee for governor said he picked Skardon because he has spent his career "doing the work," not just talking about it.
"In the years that I have known Sam, he has been an individual who has never changed," Johnson said.
"He has never waivered from doing what's right."
Skardon grew up in Mount Pleasant and studied at Emory University in Atlanta.
He worked as a congressional aide to U.S.
Rep.
John Lewis, D-Georgia, who died in 2020, before earning his masters of business administration at Georgetown University.
Skardon served two years as chair of the Charleston County Democratic Party, and he ran for state Senate in 2020.
He lost the race to the Republican candidate by less than two percentage points.
Before working for the Clean Energy Fund of the Carolinas, Skardon worked for the CLIMB Fund, which helps small businesses access loans.
Skardon described his vision and priorities in South Carolina during the statehouse event.
He said he wants to address affordability in South Carolina by investing in affordable housing, childcare, infrastructure and public education.
"There has never been a bigger thirst for change in my lifetime," Skardon said.
"The opportunity is here."
Johnson and Skardon will appear on a ticket against Wilson and State Sen.
Mike Reichenbach, R-Florence.
The winner of the Nov. 3 race will succeed Gov.
Henry McMaster, who has held the governor's office since 2017.
Bella Carpentier covers the South Carolina legislature, state, and Greenville County politics.
Contact her at bcarpentier@gannett.com
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