A Representative from South Carolina; born in Charleston, S.C., July 31, 1947; B.A., Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Va., 1969; J.D., University of South Carolina, 1972; United States Army Reserves, 1972-1975; South Carolina Army National Guard; lawyer, private practice; Deputy General Counsel, Department of Energy, 1981-1982; staff for United States Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina; staff for United States Representative Floyd Spence of South Carolina; member of the South Carolina state senate, 1984-2001; elected as a Republican to the One Hundred Seventh Congress by special election, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of United States Representative Floyd Spence, reelected to the six succeeding Congresses (December 18, 2001-present).