Joe Cunningham

Joe Cunningham

Democratic Party

Prior offices

U.S. House South Carolina District 1

Successor: Nancy Mace

Predecessor: Mark Sanford

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Elections and appointments

Last election

November 8, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

Florida Atlantic University

Law

Northern Kentucky University

Personal

Profession

Lawyer

Contact

Campaign website

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Joe Cunningham (Democratic Party) was a member of the U.S. House, representing South Carolina's 1st Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2019. He left office on January 3, 2021.

Cunningham (Democratic Party) ran for election for Governor of South Carolina. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Biography

Joe Cunningham was born in Kentucky. Cunningham earned a B.S. in engineering from Florida Atlantic University and a law degree from Northern Kentucky University. His career experience includes working as a lawyer and in ocean engineering with government agencies and environmental groups. Cunningham has been affiliated with the Charleston Lawyers Club, Charleston County Bar Association, South Carolina Young Lawyers Division, and the American Bar Association.

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2019-2020

Cunningham was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• House Committee on Veterans' Affairs
• Committee on Natural Resources

Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021

The 116th United States Congress began on January 9, 2019, and ended on January 3, 2021. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (235-200), and Republicans held the majority in the U.S. Senate (53-47). Donald Trump (R) was the president and Mike Pence (R) was the vice president. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021
Vote	Bill and description	Status
Yea	Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2020   The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2020 (H.R. 1044) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives seeking to increase the cap on employment-based visas, establish certain rules governing such visas, and impose some additional requirements on employers hiring holders of such visas. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to suspend the rules and pass the bill as amended.	Passed (365-65)
Nay	The Heroes Act   The HEROES Act (H.R. 6800) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to address the COVID-19 outbreak by providing $1,200 payments to individuals, extending and expanding the moratorium on some evictions and foreclosures, outlining requirements and establishing finding for contact tracing and COVID-19 testing, providing emergency supplemental appropriations to federal agencies for fiscal year 2020, and eliminating cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatments. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (208-199)
Yea	For the People Act of 2019   The For the People Act of 2019 (H.R.1) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to protect election security, revise rules on campaign funding, introduce new provisions related to ethics, establish independent, nonpartisan redistricting commissions, and establish new rules on the release of tax returns for presidential and vice presidential candidates. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (234-193)
Yea	CARES Act   The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (H.R. 748) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on March 27, 2020, that expanded benefits through the joint federal-state unemployment insurance program during the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation also included $1,200 payments to certain individuals, funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and funds for businesses, hospitals, and state and local governments. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.	Passed (419-6)
Yea	Equality Act   The Equality Act (H.R. 5) was a bill approved by the House Representatives that sought to ban discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity by expanding the definition of establishments that fall under public accomodation and prohibiting the denial of access to a shared facility that is in agreement with an indiviual's gender indenitity. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (236-173)
Yea	Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019   The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 (H.R. 8) was a bill approved by the House that sought to ban firearm transfers between private parties unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer first takes possession of the firearm to conduct a background check. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (240-190)
Yea	American Dream and Promise Act of 2019   The American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 (H.R.6) was a bill approved by the House Representatives that sought to protect certain immigrants from removal proceedings and provide a path to permanent resident status by establishing streamlined procedures for permanant residency and canceling removal proceedings against certain qualifed individuals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (237-187)
Yea	National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (S. 1790) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, setting policies and appropriations for the Department of Defense. Key features of this bill include appropriations for research/development, procurement, military construction, and operation/maintenence, as well as policies for paid family leave, North Korea nuclear sanctions, limiting the use of criminal history in federal hiring and contracting, military housing privatization, and paid family leave for federal personnel. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (377-48)
Yea	Families First Coronavirus Response Act   The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on March 18, 2020, addressing the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing access to unemployment benefits and food assistance, increasing funding for Medicaid, providing free testing for COVID-19, and requiring employers to provide paid sick time to employees who cannot work due to COVID-19. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.	Passed (363-40)
Yea	Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019   The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (H.R. 1994) was a bill passed by the House Representatives that sought to change the requirements for employer provided retirement plans, IRAs, and other tax-favored savings accounts by modfying the requirements for things such as loans, lifetime income options, required minimum distributions, the eligibility rules for certain long-term, part-time employees, and nondiscrimination rules. The bill also sought to treat taxable non-tuition fellowship and stipend payments as compensation for the purpose of an IRA, repeal the maximum age for traditional IRA contributions, increase penalties for failing to file tax returns, allow penalty-free withdrawals from retirement plans if a child is born or adopted, and expand the purposes for which qualified tuition programs may be used. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (417-3)
Yea	Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act   The Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3) was a bill approved by the House Representatives that sought to address the price of healthcare by requiring the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate prices for certain drugs, requiring drug manufactures to issue rebates for certain drugs covered under Medicare, requiring drug price transparency from drug manufacturers, expanding Medicare coverage, and providing funds for certain public health programs. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (230-192)
Yea	Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020   The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 1865) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, providing appropriations for federal agencies in fiscal year 2020. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (297-120)
Yea	Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019   The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 (S. 1838) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on November 27, 2019, directing several federal departments to assess Hong Kong's unique treatment under U.S. law. Key features of the bill include directing the Department of State to report and certify annually to Congress as to whether Hong Kong is sufficiently autonomous from China to justify its unique treatment, and directing the Department of Commerce to report annually to Congress on China's efforts to use Hong Kong to evade U.S. export controls and sanctions. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.	Passed (417-1)
Yea	MORE Act of 2020   The MORE Act of 2020 (H.R. 3884) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to decriminalize marijuana by removing marijuana as a scheduled controlled substance and eliminating criminal penalties for an individual who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana. This bill required a simple majority vote from the House.	Passed (228-164)
Yea	Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020   The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 6074) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 6, 2020, providing emergency funding to federal agencies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Key features of the bill include funding for vaccine research, small business loans, humanitarian assistance to affected foreign countries, emergency preparedness, and grants for public health agencies and organizations. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to suspend the rules and pass the bill.	Passed (415-2)
Yea	Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019   The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.J.Res. 31) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on February 15, 2019, providing approrations for Fiscal Year 2019. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (300 -128)
Yea	John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act   The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (S. 47) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Doanld Trump on March 12, 2019. This bill sought to set provisions for federal land management and conservation by doing things such as conducting land exchanges and conveyances, establishing programs to respond to wildfires, and extending and reauthorizing wildlife conservation programs. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.	Passed (363-62)
Yea	William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (On passage)   The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump on December 23, 2020. Congress voted to override Trump's veto, and the bill became law on January 1, 2021. The bill set Department of Defense policies and appropriations for Fiscal Year 2021. Trump vetoed the bill due to disagreement with provisions related to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the renaming of certain military installations, limits on emergency military construction fund usage, and limits on troop withdrawals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House on passage, and a two-thirds majority vote in the House to override Trump's veto.	Passed (335-78)
Yea	William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Overcoming veto)   The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump on December 23, 2020. Congress voted to override Trump's veto, and the bill became law on January 1, 2021. The bill set Department of Defense policies and appropriations for Fiscal Year 2021. Trump vetoed the bill due to disagreement with provisions related to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the renaming of certain military installations, limits on emergency military construction fund usage, and limits on troop withdrawals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House on passage, and a two-thirds majority vote in the House to override Trump's veto.	Passed (322-87)
Yea	Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019   The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (S.24) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on January 16, 2019, that requires federal employees who were furloughed or compelled to work during a lapse in government funding to be compensated for that time. The bill also required those employees to be compensated as soon as the lapse in funding ends, irregardless of official pay date. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to suspend the rules and pass the bill.	Passed (411-7)
Yea	Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (Article 1)   The 2020 impeachment of Donald Trump (R) was a resolution before the 116th Congress to set forth two articles of impeachment saying that Trump abused his power and obstructed congress. The first article was related to allegations that Trump requested the Ukrainian government investigate former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and his son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for aid, and the second was related to Trump's response to the impeachment inquiry. The House of Representatives approved both articles of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of either charge. The articles of impeachment required a simple majority vote in the House.	Guilty (230-197)
Yea	Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (Article 2)   The 2020 impeachment of Donald Trump (R) was a resolution before the 116th Congress to set forth two articles of impeachment saying that Trump abused his power and obstructed congress. The first article was related to allegations that Trump requested the Ukrainian government investigate former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and his son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for aid, and the second was related to Trump's response to the impeachment inquiry. The House of Representatives approved both articles of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of either charge. The articles of impeachment required a simple majority vote in the House.	Guilty (229-198)

Elections

2022

See also: South Carolina gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2022

General election

General election for Governor of South Carolina

Incumbent Henry McMaster defeated Joe Cunningham and Morgan Bruce Reeves in the general election for Governor of South Carolina on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Henry McMaster (R)	58.0	988,501
		Joe Cunningham (D)	40.7	692,691
		Morgan Bruce Reeves (L)	1.2	20,826
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	1,174

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,703,192
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jokie Beckett Jr. (Independence Party)
• Michael Copland (Independence Party)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of South Carolina

Joe Cunningham defeated Mia McLeod, Carlton Boyd, William Williams, and Calvin McMillan in the Democratic primary for Governor of South Carolina on June 14, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Joe Cunningham	56.4	102,473
		Mia McLeod	31.1	56,406
		Carlton Boyd	5.3	9,579
		William Williams	3.8	6,829
		Calvin McMillan	3.5	6,303

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 181,590
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of South Carolina

Incumbent Henry McMaster defeated Harrison Musselwhite in the Republican primary for Governor of South Carolina on June 14, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Henry McMaster	83.3	306,543
		Harrison Musselwhite	16.7	61,462

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 368,005
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Al BellaVance (R)
• Mindy Steele (R)

Independence Party convention

Independence Party convention for Governor of South Carolina

Jokie Beckett Jr. and Michael Copland advanced from the Independence Party convention for Governor of South Carolina on May 27, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Jokie Beckett Jr. (Independence Party)
✔		Michael Copland (Independence Party)

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Gary Votour (Labor Party)

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Governor of South Carolina

Morgan Bruce Reeves advanced from the Libertarian convention for Governor of South Carolina on June 18, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Morgan Bruce Reeves (L)

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2020

See also: South Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2020

South Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2020 (June 9 Republican primary)

South Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2020 (June 9 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House South Carolina District 1

Nancy Mace defeated incumbent Joe Cunningham in the general election for U.S. House South Carolina District 1 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Nancy Mace (R)	50.6	216,042
		Joe Cunningham (D)	49.3	210,627
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	442

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 427,111
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Joe Cunningham advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 1.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Benjamin Frasier (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 1

Nancy Mace defeated Kathy Landing, Chris Cox, and Brad Mole in the Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 1 on June 9, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Nancy Mace	57.5	48,411
		Kathy Landing	25.9	21,835
		Chris Cox	9.7	8,179
		Brad Mole	6.9	5,800

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 84,225
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jamison Johnson (R)
• Logan Cunningham (R)
• Phillip Norris (R)
• Mike Covert (R)

2018

See also: South Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2018

See also: South Carolina's 1st Congressional District election (June 12, 2018 Democratic primary)

See also: South Carolina's 1st Congressional District election (June 12, 2018 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House South Carolina District 1

Joe Cunningham defeated Katie Arrington in the general election for U.S. House South Carolina District 1 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Joe Cunningham (D)	50.6	145,455
		Katie Arrington (R)	49.2	141,473
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	505

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 287,433
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 1

Joe Cunningham defeated Toby Smith in the Democratic primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 1 on June 12, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Joe Cunningham	71.5	23,493
		Toby Smith	28.5	9,366

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 32,859
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 1

Katie Arrington defeated incumbent Mark Sanford and Dimitri Cherny in the Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 1 on June 12, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Katie Arrington	50.6	33,153
		Mark Sanford	46.5	30,496
		Dimitri Cherny	2.9	1,932

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 65,581
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Joe Cunningham did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Cunningham's campaign website stated the following:

“	Expand Medicaid My first act as governor will be to expand Medicaid for 180,000 working people in this state. For the governor to deny the federal government's offer to pay for 95% of Medicaid Expansion - just to make a political statement - is not only shameful and cruel, it's also bad business. Expanding Medicaid would create 40,000 new jobs, prevent hospitals from shutting down, and supercharge our economy - all without raising taxes. It's why 38 states - including many Republican states - have chosen to expand. Improving Our Schools and Raising Teacher Pay I'm the father of a three-year-old son who is about to be a South Carolina public school student. And if you ask me if I'm satisfied with the current state of public education in this state, the answer is no. We have a teacher shortage here in South Carolina and it's because we don't pay our teachers enough. That leads to teachers leaving the profession, class sizes getting bigger, and students falling behind. It's time to pay our teachers the national average and provide strong incentives for new teachers to teach in our poorest school districts. We should also make good on a promise that was made a long time ago when we passed the lottery to make in-state public college tuition-free for students who make a B average or better. Ending the Assault on Women's Rights We need a governor who is going to respect a woman's right to choose. I'll be a governor who doesn't stand in the way of women making their own healthcare decisions but shows them the respect and autonomy they deserve. As governor, at least half of my cabinet agencies will be run by women and people of color because state government should look like the people it represents. Go Big on Infrastructure We don't need Welcome to South Carolina signs when you cross the border from North Carolina or Georgia, you can just tell by the quality of the roads. It's an embarrassment. What's even more embarrassing is that Governor McMaster VETOED the bill to fix those same dilapidated roads. And when it comes to rebuilding our infrastructure, we need to think big. That means widening I-26 from North Charleston all the way to North Carolina. It means repairing the 745 structurally deficient bridges in South Carolina. Investing in our infrastructure will create jobs, help bring new businesses to our state, it'll save us time in traffic, and less potholes means less money you have to spend replacing your tires. Diversity, Inclusion, and Police Reform We will make sure state government is as diverse and inclusive as the people it represents. That means a more diverse judiciary and cabinet, and I'm committed to having the most diverse cabinet and staff of any governor in our state's history. We should provide tax and economic incentives - like we offer to foreign companies - to minority-owned businesses right here in South Carolina. And we must get serious about policing reform in this state so young black men and women can feel safe on the streets of their own community. Lead on Voting Rights As governor I will put an immediate stop to the dangerous and unAmerican efforts in South Carolina to make it harder for people of color to cast their vote. Instead, our state should lead on voting rights through: Implementing same-day registration Ending straight ticket voting Allowing early voting without an excuse Passing automatic voter registration Eliminating the unnecessary requirement to have a witness signature on mail-in ballots which is designed to confuse voters Restoring Election Day as a state holiday in the state of South Carolina End the Prohibition and Criminalization of Marijuana As governor I will end the prohibition and criminalization of marijuana in South Carolina. My plan is to: 1. Legalize marijuana for medical and recreational use to allow law enforcement to spend more resources on violent crime, save taxpayer money, provide critical medical care and curb opioid abuse, and end the racial disparities in marijuana enforcement. 2. Raise revenue through legalization and responsible regulation. 3. Offer South Carolinians a second chance and expunge the criminal records of people with low-level marijuana convictions. 4. Create jobs and give local farmers a boost. Getting Rid of Career Politicians We have to get serious about tackling corruption at the state house and that starts with eliminating career politicians. We need to implement term limits on all legislators, ban them from raising money during the legislative session so they can focus more on doing their job than keeping their job, shorten session and save taxpayers millions of dollars, and end gerrymandering once and for all so legislators can't draw their own districts to protect themselves from accountability. As governor, I will fight for an independent redistricting commission to draw district lines and I will work to ensure that those lines are fair and representative of our state. Gun Safety Reform As a gun owner, I support the 2nd Amendment and the right to bear arms, and I also support everyone's right to a safe community. That's why it's time to close the Charleston gun loophole and pass universal background checks in South Carolina. As a parent, I shouldn't have to worry about whether my son will make it home from school alive. South Carolinians should be able to go to the movies, to the grocery store, or to the post office without worrying whether they will make it out alive. Reasonable gun safety reforms can create a safer South Carolina for all of us. Tackling Climate Change and Preserving Our Environment Governor McMaster may not be willing to say this, but I am: I believe in science and I believe in climate change. South Carolina has the opportunity to use our natural resources to be a global leader in the fight against climate change and invest in clean energy jobs of the future - and I will make sure we don't waste it. Climate change is causing sea level rise which then causes flooding on our coast - particularly In the Lowcountry. Charleston continues to shatter records for tidal flood days; even on sunny days, downtown Charleston streets can flood. Let's make it clear: climate change has the potential to destroy our economy. Our tourism economy is at risk due to rising tides and flooding and our agriculture economy is at risk due to increasing heat, more severe weather, and floods. These are our largest industries and we need bold climate plans to protect them. We must also pledge to protect our coastline and our tourism economy and oppose offshore drilling and seismic airgun blasting. Finally, it's time to split up DHEC and make Environmental Protection it's own cabinet agency in South Carolina. Better Jobs and Higher Wages We have to change our approach to economic development in this state. Instead of spending hundreds of millions of dollars bringing foreign businesses to South Carolina who only produce a fraction of the jobs they promise, we should spend that money investing in new and existing small businesses, who are already here, to help them grow and expand. And we will be unafraid to explore new industries that can bring in jobs and new revenue to our state. Investing in the businesses that are already in our state will save taxpayer money and end up creating even more jobs. We'll make sure those jobs are available to all our citizens - and that those jobs can pay the bills. It's shameful that South Carolina doesn't have a minimum wage. No one in this country can live off of $7.25 an hour. I support raising the minimum wage to $12 an hour because no one who works full-time should live in poverty.	”
—Joe Cunningham's campaign website (2022)

2020

Joe Cunningham did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Cunningham’s campaign website stated the following:

“	Ban Offshore Drilling Offshore drilling and seismic testing would be devastating to our environment and our economy. As an ocean engineer, I know firsthand how destructive drilling for oil--and even just testing for oil--can be to a coastline. That’s the last thing we need here in the Lowcountry. I’ve been very clear about my opposition to drilling from day one of my campaign and am working in Washington to make sure our beaches and coastlines are protected. Term Limits and PAC Money I believe there should be term limits for all members of Congress and that D.C. should be controlled by voters and not by special interests. This is why I’ve pledged to limit myself to three terms in Congress and why I have not taken ONE dime from any PACs or special interest groups. D.C. should serve the people and it’s the people I want to continue serving. Supporting Our Veterans My father proudly served his country in the Vietnam War and was lucky enough to return home safely. Too many of our country’s heroes are less fortunate. For me, supporting our troops means: First, keeping the promises we have made as a country to those brave enough to serve. That begins with equipping them with the proper equipment whether that is on a distant battlefield or here at home. It extends to providing them with timely support during conflicts. And it continues with providing them with the care they need - both physically and mentally - upon their return home. We should work to strengthen the Veterans Affairs Department by cutting red tape and reducing inconvenient paperwork requirements. Government bureaucracy should not be an obstacle to treatment or receiving benefits that veterans have earned from their service. Secondly, supporting our troops means helping transition soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coast guardsmen back into the civilian life. Unemployment, homelessness and mental health struggles should not be something our veterans are tackling alone. Helping veterans gain employment or start their own businesses should be a priority. We also know that Post-Traumatic Stress and suicide is higher among our heroes; we need to make sure they get the care they deserve. As a new member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives, I will continue to support our troops and do everything I can to ensure they are valued and protected. Reducing the Cost of Healthcare I believe that healthcare is a right, not a privilege. No one in America should go bankrupt because they get sick. In the United States, no one should forego necessary or preventative care because they are unable to afford it. After going through the medical uncertainties of my wife’s pregnancy and the arrival of my son, I understand how stressful—both emotionally and financially—the increasing cost of healthcare can be. In times when your family members are at their most vulnerable, we shouldn’t have to focus on the costs. One of the many ways we can improve our current healthcare system is by encouraging the federal government to negotiate with drug companies to lower medication prices for people on Medicare, similar to how the Veterans Affairs Department does. Another possibility is allowing more middle class families to qualify for tax breaks to reduce their healthcare costs. We should also explore lowering the Medicare age requirement from 65 to 55 over the course of ten years. Jobs and Economy Many incredible companies, such as Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and Boeing, employ tens of thousands of Lowcountry residents. However, all of those jobs are at risk now because of this administration’s unnecessary job-killing tariffs. Volvo alone has stated that 4,000 potential South Carolina employees are at major risk of job loss. These tariffs are dangerous and could be catastrophic for Lowcountry families. I will vote to overturn these tariffs, and plan to introduce legislation to give Congress more oversight authority in approving future tariffs. Combating Climate Change As an Eagle Scout, I spent many weekends in the great outdoors, camping and hiking. Being near the ocean, fishing and diving are my favorite hobbies. It was my love of marine environment that led me to study ocean engineering, where I could be near the water and preserve it for future generations to enjoy. In the Lowcountry, our natural resources provide a high quality of life for citizens, as well as drive the local economy. I believe climate change is the single greatest non-military threat to our nation—especially living in a coastal region, where we see the impacts of rising sea levels and harsh storm systems firsthand. I believe this challenge presents an opportunity to invest in clean energy that promotes job growth and eliminates dirty energy sources, like drilling off our coast for oil, once and for all. Let’s focus on renewable sources like solar and wind to create a high tech, green economy that preserves our natural resources for many years to come. Voting Rights Our democracy is under attack by politicians who are deliberately making it harder for people to vote. I am fighting for fair access to the voting booth and work to ensure everyone’s voice is being fairly represented. I believe we can improve our current system by implementing automatic voter registration. When you turn 18, you’re immediately registered to vote. We also need to end partisan gerrymandering in this country so voters are choosing their politicians, not the other way around. Women’s Health and Equal Pay for Equal Work When my wife, Amanda, was pregnant with our son Boone, we spent countless hours in OB’s offices. In those nine months, something became very clear to me: those doctor offices are small and there is no room for anyone other than a woman, a doctor, and a supportive spouse. In Congress, I am fighting to keep the government out of intimate healthcare decisions between a woman and her doctor, and I oppose efforts to defund Planned Parenthood and other women’s health resources. Beyond healthcare, I will always support policies that advance women’s equality in the workplace. In South Carolina, women make less than 80% of what men do for the exact same work. This is unacceptable. I will always support efforts to close the gender wage gap once and for all: equal pay for equal work should not be controversial. Equal Protection Under The Law I believe in equal protection under the law for everyone, no matter who you are, or who you love. We have made so much progress towards equality under the law and in our society as a whole, but there is still much that we can do to improve the climate for our LGBTQ community. Let’s pass the Equality Act and prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity with regard to employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs, and jury service--so that everyone can participate equally in all aspects of American life. Second Amendment I support the Second Amendment and common sense gun safety measures. I own a firearm and have my concealed carry license. As a community, we should work together to ensure firearms do not fall into the hands of criminals, convicted felons or the mentally ill. I support strong background checks and closing the Charleston loophole. Bump stocks should be banned and assault weapons should be reserved for our military - not for private citizens.	”
—Joe Cunningham’s campaign website (2020)

2018

Campaign website

Cunningham's campaign website stated the following:

“	NO Offshore Drilling Offshore drilling and seismic testing would be devastating to our environment and our economy. As an ocean engineer, I know firsthand how destructive drilling for oil--and even just testing for oil--can be to a coastline. That’s the last thing we need here in the Lowcountry. I’ve been very clear about my opposition to drilling from day one of this campaign, while my opponent said she supported President Trump’s decision to lift the ban on offshore drilling. We must protect our beaches and make sure we NEVER drill offshore. End D.C. Corruption D.C. is full of corrupt politicians and broken promises. I believe there should be term limits for all members of Congress and that D.C. should be controlled by voters and not by special interests. This is why I’ve pledged to limit myself to three terms in Congress and why I have not taken ONE dime from any PACs or special interest groups. D.C. should serve the people and it’s the people I want to serve. Supporting our Troops My father proudly served his country in the Vietnam War and was lucky enough to return home safely. Too many of our country’s heroes are less fortunate. For me, supporting our troops means: First, keeping the promises we have made as a country to those brave enough to serve. That begins with equipping them with the proper equipment whether that is on a distant battlefield or here at home. It extends to providing them with timely support during conflicts. And it continues with providing them with the care they need - both physically and mentally - upon their return home. We should work to strengthen the Veterans Affairs Department by cutting red tape and reducing inconvenient paperwork requirements. Government bureaucracy should not be an obstacle to treatment or receiving benefits that veterans have earned from their service. Secondly, supporting our troops means helping transition soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coast guardsmen back into the civilian life. Unemployment, homelessness and mental health struggles should not be something our veterans are tackling alone. Helping veterans gain employment or start their own businesses should be a priority. We also know that Post-Traumatic Stress and suicide is higher among our heroes; we need to make sure they get the care they deserve. Reducing the Cost of Healthcare I believe that healthcare is a right, not a privilege. No one in America should go bankrupt because they get sick. In the United States, no one should forego necessary or preventative care because they are unable to afford it. After going through the medical uncertainties of my wife’s pregnancy and the arrival of my son, I understand how stressful—both emotionally and financially—the increasing cost of healthcare can be. In times when your family members are at their most vulnerable, we shouldn’t have to focus on the costs. One of the many ways we can improve our current healthcare system is by encouraging the federal government to negotiate with drug companies to lower medication prices for people on Medicare, similar to how the Veterans Affairs Department does. Another possibility is allowing more middle class families to qualify for tax breaks to reduce their healthcare costs. We should also explore lowering the Medicare age requirement from 65 to 55 over the course of ten years. Economy Many incredible companies, such as Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and Boeing, employ tens of thousands of Lowcountry residents. However, all of those jobs are at risk now because of this administration’s unnecessary job-killing tariffs. Volvo alone has stated that 4,000 potential South Carolina employees are at major risk of job loss. These tariffs are dangerous and could be catastrophic for Lowcountry families. In Congress, I will vote to overturn these tariffs. I also support Congressman Mark Sanford’s bill to give Congress more oversight authority in approving future tariffs. Conserving the Environment As an Eagle Scout, I spent many weekends in the great outdoors, camping and hiking. Being near the ocean, fishing and diving are my favorite hobbies. It was my love of marine environment that led me to study ocean engineering, where I could be near the water and preserve it for future generations to enjoy. In the Lowcountry, our natural resources provide a high quality of life for citizens, as well as drive the local economy. I believe climate change is the single greatest non-military threat to our nation—especially living in a coastal region, where we see the impacts of rising sea levels and harsh storm systems firsthand. I believe this challenge presents an opportunity to invest in clean energy that promotes job growth and eliminates dirty energy sources, like drilling off our coast for oil, once and for all. Let’s focus on renewable sources like solar and wind to create a high tech, green economy that preserves our natural resources for many years to come. Voting Rights Our democracy is under attack by politicians who are deliberately making it harder for people to vote. I will fight for fair access to the voting booth and work to ensure everyone’s voice is being fairly represented. I believe we can improve our current system by implementing automatic voter registration. When you turn 18, you’re immediately registered to vote. We also need to end partisan gerrymandering in this country so voters are choosing their politicians, not the other way around. Women's Health and Equal Pay for Equal Work Throughout the past year I have spent countless hours in OB’s offices with my wife, Amanda, in anticipation of our son, Boone. And in those nine months, something became very clear to me: those doctor offices are small and there is no room for anyone other than a woman, a doctor, and a supportive spouse. In Congress, I will fight to keep the government out of intimate healthcare decisions between a woman and her doctor, and I will oppose efforts to defund Planned Parenthood and other women’s health resources. Beyond healthcare, I will always support policies that advance women’s equality in the workplace. In South Carolina, women make less than 80% of what men do for the exact same work. This is unacceptable. I will always support efforts to close the gender wage gap once and for all: equal pay for equal work should not be controversial. Equal Protection Under the Law I believe in equal protection under the law for everyone, no matter who you are, or who you love. We have made so much progress towards equality under the law and in our society as a whole, but there is still much that we can do to improve the climate for our LGBTQ community. Let’s pass the Equality Act and prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity with regard to employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs, and jury service--so that everyone can participate equally in all aspects of American life. Second Amendment I support the Second Amendment and common sense gun safety measures. I own a firearm and have my concealed carry license. As a community, we should work together to ensure firearms do not fall into the hands of criminals, convicted felons or the mentally ill. I support strong background checks and closing the Charleston loophole. Bump stocks should be banned and assault weapons should be reserved for our military - not for private citizens.	”
—Joe Cunningham (2018)

Noteworthy events

Tested positive for coronavirus on March 27, 2020

See also: Government official, politician, and candidate deaths, diagnoses, and quarantines due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

Cunningham announced on March 27, 2020, that he tested positive for coronavirus. He previously announced a self-quarantine on March 19, 2020, after learning a fellow congressman was infected.

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COVID-19, also known as coronavirus disease 2019, is the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The first confirmed case of the disease in the United States was announced on January 21, 2020. For more of Ballotpedia's coverage of the coronavirus impact on political and civic life, click here.

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Political offices
Preceded by Mark Sanford	U.S House of Representatives, South Carolina District 1 2019-2021	Succeeded by Nancy Mace (R)