Neal Anthony Collins | |
|---|---|
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| Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 5th district | |
| Assumed office 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Phil Owens |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Neal Anthony Collins[1] July 6, 1982 Easley, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Residence(s) | Easley, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of South Carolina School of Law (JD) Furman University (BA) |
| Occupation | Attorney |
Neal Collins (born July 6, 1982) is a Republican member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing the 5th district. He was first elected in 2014, and re-elected in every subsequent election. In 2010, he was one of several candidates running for the open seat of 3rd congressional district of South Carolina in the House of Representatives, which was held by J. Gresham Barrett, but left to compete in the 2010 Gubernatorial election for the Governor of South Carolina.[2]
Neal Collins was born in Easley, South Carolina in Pickens County. Collins attended Furman University and graduated in 2004 with a double major in Political Science and French. Collins later earned a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2007. He has passed both the North Carolina and South Carolina bars. He has been in private practice for over seven years. Currently, he works for Brock & Scott, PLLC practicing real estate law in both South Carolina as well as North Carolina where he currently has a home.
Collins announced his candidacy on July 4, 2009, in Easley in front of Michael's Pizzeria.[3] Collins has made numerous appearances at public gatherings, debates, and radio interviews as well as working tirelessly going door-to-door in the 3rd district of South Carolina which consists of nine whole counties (Abbeville, Anderson, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Oconee, Pickens, and Saluda) and a part of a tenth (Aiken County).[4] Collins' emphasis on a back-to-basics approach to government under his platform "Responsibility, Recovery, Reform" includes such ideals as limited government, lower taxes, accountability of government, and elimination of nepotism. Collins lost the election after receiving 8.2% of the vote.[5]
Collins announced his candidacy on March 19, 2014, in Easley, South Carolina after the retirement of state Representative Phil Owens. He won the primary with a majority of the vote, defeating Rick Tate and Harley Taton by a wide margin.[6] In the general election, he won without opposition.[7]
In the 2016 legislative session, Collins proposed a bill that would strengthen the penalties for killing police dogs and horses.[8] He also co-authored a bill on moped law reform.[9]
Collins was one of only 18 state representatives to vote against the 2017 transportation bill, which would raise South Carolina's gas tax, and have the State Secretary of Transportation be chosen by the Transportation Commission. He instead proposed an amendment which would have allowed the governor to appoint the Secretary of Transportation.[10]
Collins faced a primary challenge from Rick Tate, who he had defeated in 2014. Collins won the primary, and faced no opposition in the general election.[11]
Collins was an early supporter of Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign, and was his campaign co-chair in South Carolina.[12][13] In the general election, Collins criticized Republican nominee Donald Trump, and said he would either vote for independent Evan McMullin or leave that part of the ballot blank.[14]