COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina is rejoining the National Governors Association and has hired a staff member in Washington, D.C.
Gov. Henry McMaster told cabinet members earlier this month the benefits outweigh the costs to reopen the office and rejoin the association news outlets reported.
The state’s office in Washington was closed by Gov. Mark Sanford in 2010 to save money during the recession. Gov. Nikki Haley did not reopen the office during her time in office.
“There was a trend of governors who did not join the NGA to make some sort of statement. I think that has by and large stopped,” said former Democratic Gov. Jim Hodges, Sanford’s predecessor who helped pitch McMaster on rejoining the organization.
The man who ran McMaster’s 2018 election campaign, Jordan Marsh, will run the Washington office to help state agencies as they deal with federal agencies. He’ll earn $75,000 a year.
“We want all of them to have immediate access to everything that’s going on in Washington,” McMaster said. “That’s the place to go.”
Marsh also previously worked for U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham. He also worked on the South Carolina Alliance to Fix Our Roads, a group that supports increased state highway funding.
The bipartisan National Governors Association has a professional development segment that hosts regular policy conferences and provides resources for understanding how federal legislation and rulemaking affect local issues.
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