A Senator and a Representative from South Carolina; born in North Charleston, Charleston County, S.C., September 19, 1965; attended Presbyterian College, Clinton, S.C., 1983-1984; B.S., Charleston Southern University, Charleston, S.C., 1988; entrepreneur; Charleston County, S.C. council, 1995-2008; unsuccessful candidate for the South Carolina state senate in 1996; member of the South Carolina house of representatives, 2009-2010; elected as a Republican to the One Hundred Twelfth Congress, and served from January 3, 2011, to January 2, 2013, when he resigned to become a U.S. Senator; appointed January 2, 2013, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of James DeMint; appointment took effect upon his resignation from the House of Representatives on January 2, 2013; took the oath of office on January 3, 2013.