Jay Byars, a Republican and a 16-year member of the Dorchester County Council, officially filed today to run for Congress in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District. Byars enters the Republican primary as the only candidate in the 10-person field with more than a decade of local government experience.
Since first being elected to Dorchester County Council in 2011, Byars said he has managed federal permitting battles, fought for infrastructure investment, protected Lowcountry conservation land and worked to keep costs down for families and retirees on fixed incomes. He also serves as chairman of the Parks and Recreation Commission and is a small business owner.
“We don’t need to send somebody to Washington, D.C., to make themselves famous,” Byars said. “We need somebody who is proven. I have spent 16 years delivering results for the people of Dorchester County. I saw the federal bureaucracy take 20 years to get the Berlin G. Myers Parkway built while nobody stood up for us and costs tripled. I have protected our conservation land and our way of life. I have worked across the aisle to keep taxes low and get things done for working families. That is what I will do in Congress. I am not learning on the job. I have done this work, and I have the track record to prove it. The Lowcountry needs a bridge builder, not another politician looking for a spotlight.”
Byars has made infrastructure the cornerstone of his campaign, pointing to his firsthand experience working on critical Lowcountry road projects.
Conservation and protecting the Lowcountry’s natural heritage are also pillars of his campaign. Byars said he has championed the preservation of the ACE Basin, one of the largest undeveloped estuaries on the East Coast, and has consistently advocated for public access to hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation land.
On affordability, Byars connects the national debt and federal spending directly to the wallets of Lowcountry families. He points to rising interest rates, which add hundreds of dollars per month to mortgage payments, and the erosion of purchasing power for retirees living on fixed incomes in communities like Sun City and Hilton Head. His message: Reckless spending in Washington has real consequences for people at home.
The Republican primary for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District is June 9, 2026. Early voting begins May 29. For more information, visit votejaybyars.com.