South Carolina Lede

Weekly Podcast
  • Hosted by Gavin Jackson

South Carolina Lede ("lede" is the old school term for the introductory section of a news story) is a podcast about the people and issues shaping South Carolina state politics. Join host Gavin Jackson each week as we break down state political news and go inside the legislative happenings that could affect you, your family, and your pocketbook. We'll also examine the biggest stories out of the statehouse with reporters from across the Palmetto State.

Music by Jason Shaw of audionautix.com.

Ways to Connect

SC Lede: Have A Great V.C. Summer

Jun 28, 2018
Gavin Jackson (l) speaks with Jamie Lovegrove and Andy Brown (r) on Thursday, June 28, 2018.
A.T. Shire/SC Public Radio

As South Carolina Lede heads into summer hiatus, host Gavin Jackson is joined by Post and Courier reporters Jamie Lovegrove and Andy Brown to discuss the results of the Republican gubernatorial primary runoff as well as legislation passed by state lawmakers this week dealing with the failed V.C. Summer nuclear project.

SC Lede: Primary Runoff Pregame

Jun 21, 2018
Gavin Jackson (r) speaks with Jamie Lovegrove and Meg Kinnard (l) on Thursday, June 21, 2018.
A.T. Shire/SC Public Radio

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by Jamie Lovegrove, statehouse reporter for The Post and Courier, and Meg Kinnard, South Carolina reporter for The Associated Press, to break down this week's primary runoff debate between Republican gubernatorial candidates Gov. Henry McMaster and John Warren. 

SC Lede: Primary Hangover

Jun 13, 2018
Gavin Jackson (l) speaks with Jamie Lovegrove and Meg Kinnard (r) in the South Carolina Public Radio studios on Wednesday, June 13, 2018.
A.T. Shire/SC Public Radio

On this week's edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by Meg Kinnard, South Carolina reporter for The Associated Press, and Jamie Lovegrove, statehouse reporter for The Post and Courier, to recap the results of the South Carolina Republican and Democratic primary elections.

SC Lede: Governor Battle Royale, Part 2

Jun 6, 2018
Gavin Jackson (l) speaks with Seanna Adcox and Andy Shain (r) in the South Carolina Public Radio studios on Wednesday, June 6, 2018.
Sean Birch/SC Public Radio

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson speaks with The Post and Courier's Columbia Bureau Chief Andy Shain and Assistant Columbia Bureau Chief Seanna Adcox about the final round of Republican and Democratic gubernatorial primary debates.

SC Lede: Governor Battle Royale, Part 1

May 29, 2018
Gavin Jackson (l) speaks with Meg Kinnard and Jamie Lovegrove (r) in the South Carolina Public Radio studios on Friday, May 25, 2018.
Sean Brich/SC Public Radio

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by Meg Kinnard, South Carolina reporter for The Associated Press, and Jamie Lovegrove, statehouse reporter for The Post and Courier, to discuss the first round of primary debates for Republican and Democratic candidates vying for the governor's seat.

SC Lede: No Cable For Old Bridge

May 22, 2018
Victoria Hansen/SC Public Radio

It's been a week since the westbound lanes of the Wando River Bridge in Charleston were closed due to one of the eight cables holding the concrete segments together snapped, slowing traffic throughout the Lowcountry.

SC Lede: So Long And Thanks For All The Bills

May 15, 2018
Gavin Jackson (r) speaks with Andy Brown (l) and Jamie Lovegrove in the South Carolina Public Radio studios on Monday, May 14, 2018.
A.T. Shire/SC Public Radio

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by Post and Courier Statehouse Reporters Andy Brown and Jamie Lovegrove to look back on the 2018 South Carolina legislative session.

While lawmakers managed to pass several high profile bills to the governor's desk this session, they will reconvene later this month and in June to continue debate over the $8.2 billion state budget and bills dealing with the failed V.C. Summer nuclear project.

SC Lede: Finals Week 2018

May 8, 2018
Gavin Jackson (c) speaks with Russ McKinney (l) and Jamie Lovegrove in the South Carolina Public Radio studios on Monday, May 7, 2018.
A.T. Shire/SC Public Radio

This week is the final week of the 2018 South Carolina legislative session.

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by Post and Courier Statehouse Reporter Jamie Lovegrove and South Carolina Public Radio Reporter Russ McKinney to break down what the last three days of the session may hold, including the dozens of bills state lawmakers still have on their calendars.

SC Lede: Six More Days

May 1, 2018
Gavin Jackson (r) speaks with Russ McKinney (l) and Andy Shain in the South Carolina Public Radio studios on Monday, April 30, 2018.
A.T. Shire/SC Public Radio

There are six working days left in the 2018 South Carolina state legislative session, and the stage has been set to make these final two weeks a bit chaotic, with debates over budget spending, SCE&G rate reductions, and more.

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson looks at the biggest stories coming out of the statehouse with Andy Shain, Columbia bureau chief for The Post and Courier, and South Carolina Public Radio Reporter Russ McKinney.

Gavin Jackson (l) speaks with Jamie Lovegrove and Meg Kinnard (r) in the South Carolina Public Radio studios on Monday, April 23, 2018.
A.T. Shire/SC Public Radio

Last week saw two South Carolina news stories make local and national headlines.

First, a riot at the Lee Correction Institution maximum-security prison in central South Carolina left seven inmates dead and several others injured. The alleged gang fight was over territory and contraband, and was the deadliest prison riot in 25 years.

SC Lede: Gubernatorial Arms Race

Apr 17, 2018
Gavin Jackson and Jamie Lovegrove
A.T. Shire/SC Public Radio

We're less than two months away from the June 12 South Carolina primary. On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson speaks with Post and Courier Statehouse Reporter Jamie Lovegrove about the latest on the race for the governor's office.

SC Lede: Nuclear Boondoggle II - Red Flags

Apr 10, 2018
Gavin Jackson and Andy Brown
A.T. Shire/SC Public Radio

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by Post and Courier Statehouse Reporter Andy Brown to discuss the latest issues surrounding the V.C. Summer nuclear project.

We'll talk about new revelations of what South Carolina Electric & Gas and Santee Cooper executives knew about the fate of the failed project, and examine recent actions taken by the Legislature concerning its future.  

SC Lede: Amazing Race - SC Edition

Apr 3, 2018
Gavin Jackson and Jamie Lovegrove
A.T. Shire/SC Public Radio

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by Post and Courier Statehouse Reporter Jamie Lovegrove for a dive into the 2018 South Carolina elections, including the races for governor, congressional seats, and more.

SC Lede: 1 Liquor Bill Split 6 Ways

Mar 27, 2018
Gavin Jackson (l) speaks with Russ McKinney on Monday, March 26, 2018.
A.T. Shire/SC Public Radio

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by South Carolina Public Radio's own statehouse reporter Russ McKinney to discuss proposed legislation to increase the number of licenses liquor store owners can have statewide.

We also look at the most pressing news coming out of the capital and more.

Gavin Jackson speaks with Seanna Adcox on Monday, March 19, 2018.
A.T. Shire/SC Public Radio

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by The Post and Courier's Assistant Columbia Bureau Chief Seanna Adcox to break down the state budget approved last week by the South Carolina House of Representatives, school district consolidation, and a host of controversial bills currently before lawmakers.

SC Lede: Budget Bonanza

Mar 13, 2018
Gavin Jackson speaks with the Post and Courier's Andy Shain on Monday, March 12, 2018.
A.T. Shire/SC Public Radio

The 2018 South Carolina legislative session has passed its halfway point. Six pieces of legislation have so far been signed into law by Gov. Henry McMaster, and several more high-profile bills are currently working their way through the state House of Representatives and Senate.

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson speaks with Andy Shain, Columbia bureau chief for The Post and Courier, about major issues currently before the legislature, including the state budget and the failed V.C. Summer nuclear reactor project.

SC Lede: Senate's Nuclear Slow Walk

Mar 6, 2018
Gavin Jackson speaks with Post and Courier reporter Andy Brown on Monday, March 5 2018.
A.T. Shire/SC Public Radio

Leadership in the South Carolina House of Representatives has accused the state Senate of slow-walking a number of bills concerning the failed V.C. Summer nuclear reactor project.

On this edition of South Carolina Lede host Gavin Jackson speaks with Andy Brown, statehouse reporter for The Post and Courier, about potential differences in approach between the two houses when it comes to this legislation.

SC Lede: Gun Reform Gridlock

Feb 27, 2018
Gavin Jackson with Jamie Lovegrove and Joseph Cranney
A.T. Shire/SC Public Radio

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by Post and Courier statehouse reporters Jamie Lovegrove and Joseph Cranney to discuss the variety of gun-related legislative proposals currently before state lawmakers.

On this episode of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by reporters Andy Brown and Andy Shain of The Post and Courier to discuss the sentencing of former state Rep. Rick Quinn, Jr. (R-Lexington) to two years of probation as part of the ongoing the statehouse corruption investigation. Quinn also will have to complete 500 hours of community service and pay a $1,000 fine.

We also look at the latest news coming out of the state legislature regarding the V.C. Summer nuclear project and more!

SC Lede: SCANA, Amtrak, and Bye Bye Trey Gowdy

Feb 6, 2018
Host Gavin Jackson with The Post & Courier's Jamie Lovegrove and Andy Brown.
A.T. Shire/SC Public Radio

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by Post & Courier reporters Jamie Lovegrove and Andy Brown to discuss their story about a breakdown of trust between state lawmakers and SCANA Corp., the parent company of South Carolina Electric and Gas, over the failed V.C. Summer nuclear project.

SC Lede: Tariffs, Shutdowns, and Drilling, Oh My!

Jan 30, 2018
Gavin Jackson and Jamie Lovegrove
A.T. Shire/SC Public Radio

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, Jamie Lovegrove, reporter for The Post & Courier, joins Gavin Jackson to discuss national news stories which could have major impacts here in South Carolina. Topics include the government shutdown, tariffs, the State of the State, offshore drilling, and more.

SC Lede: The Art of the Nuclear Deal

Jan 23, 2018

On this episode of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by reporters Andy Brown and Andy Shain of The Post and Courier to discuss the prospect of a deal being reached on the current nuclear debacle unfolding in South Carolina.

SC Lede: Nuclear Boondoggle

Jan 16, 2018

On this episode of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson discusses the politics surrounding the failed V.C. Summer nuclear project and previews Gov. Henry McMaster’s first State of the State address with Andy Shain, Columbia bureau chief with The Post and Courier.

Host Gavin Jackson discusses the upcoming 2018 South Carolina Legislative Session with The Post and Courier's Columbia Bureau Chief, Andy Shain.

Topics include the VC Summer nuclear situation, ethics reform, and more!


Introducing South Carolina Lede

Jan 8, 2018

South Carolina Lede is a new podcast examining the biggest news coming out of the state capital and taking an in-depth look into the legislative happenings that could affect you.

In this short episode, host Gavin Jackson introduces you to the show and previews what you can expect every week.