Jessica Holdman

Jessica Holdman

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Jessica Holdman is a senior reporter for the SC Daily Gazette. She has more than a decade of newspaper experience, most recently with The Post and Courier. Before moving to South Carolina in 2019, she worked for newspapers in North Dakota, Washington and her home state of Missouri. Her reporting has won awards from the North Dakota and South Carolina press associations. Jessica reports on South Carolina’s workforce, the economy and higher education.

The story of Maj. James Capers, SC’s most recent Medal of Honor recipient
South Carolina

‘Extraordinary valor’: How Maj. James Capers became SC’s newest Medal of Honor recipient

Nov 11, 2026
Jessica Holdman
U.S. Marine Corps Maj. James Capers Jr. led his nine-man reconnaissance team to safety following an ambush during the Vietnam War, even stepping off the overweight helicopter several times as it struggled to evacuate as his squad pulled him back...
How SC plans to boost its profile in the energy industry, bringing in new companies and jobs
South Carolina

How SC plans to boost its profile in the energy industry, bringing in new companies and jobs

Nov 10, 2026
Jessica Holdman
COLUMBIA — South Carolina’s economic development agency wants to turn the state into a powerhouse of energy manufacturing and research. It’s leaning on a federally-funded research program to make that happen. For the past three years, a conglomerate of South...
Former Columbia mayor, White House adviser funds USC leadership scholarships, speakers
South Carolina

Former Columbia mayor, White House adviser funds USC leadership scholarships, speakers

Nov 05, 2026
Jessica Holdman
COLUMBIA — Steve Benjamin, the former mayor of South Carolina’s capital city and adviser to President Joe Biden, donated $1 million to his alma mater to promote student leadership and community service. In response, the University of South Carolina named...
What SC voters had to say about the midterm election
South Carolina

What SC voters had to say about the midterm election

Nov 05, 2026
Skylar Laird Jessica Holdman Katharine Wilson
Ahead of the vote-counting for Tuesday’s historic election in South Carolina, SC Daily Gazette reporters headed to the polls to hear what mattered most to voters. The election brought record-high turnout for a year without a presidential race on the...
Nancy Lacore declares victory in SC’s 1st Congressional District
South Carolina

Nancy Lacore declares victory in flipping SC’s 1st District

Nov 04, 2026
Jessica Holdman
MOUNT PLEASANT — Retired Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore claimed the win, albeit a narrow one, in South Carolina’s coastal 1st Congressional District. “We knew it wouldn’t be easy, but we also knew that South Carolinians are frustrated, tired, and looking...
SC Democrats flip 10 state House seats, undoing GOP supermajority
South Carolina

‘Through the roof’: Here’s how SC Democrats erased the House’s GOP supermajority

Nov 04, 2026
Skylar Laird Jessica Holdman
COLUMBIA — South Carolina’s GOP will no longer rule with supermajority power in both chambers following Democratic upsets in the state House. Democrats managed to flip 10 seats across the Palmetto State on Election Day, according to unofficial results from...
Republicans win SC’s top accounting, investment banking roles
South Carolina

Republicans keep SC’s top accounting, investment banking roles

Nov 04, 2026
Jessica Holdman
COLUMBIA — Republicans took South Carolina’s two top financial offices Tuesday. Incumbent Treasure Curtis Loftis won a fifth term over Democrat Vincent Coe to remain the state’s chief banker. And Mike Burkhold, the founder of a healthcare technology company, beat...
SC secretary of state wins 7th term leading office for business filings
South Carolina

SC secretary of state wins 7th term leading office for business filings

Nov 04, 2026
Jessica Holdman
COLUMBIA — South Carolina’s longtime secretary of state won a seventh term in office Tuesday. Republican Mark Hammond defeated Jason Belton, a Democrat and union organizer, with 53% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the state Election Commission...
SC elects first Democrat to US Senate in 28 years in stunning win over Trump’s pick
South Carolina

SC elects first Democrat to US Senate in 28 years in stunning win over Trump’s pick

Nov 03, 2026
Jessica Holdman Katharine Wilson Seanna Adcox
CHARLESTON — Dr. Annie Andrews will be South Carolina’s next U.S. senator, becoming the first Democrat in 28 years to win the statewide office. When The Associated Press called the race at 10:40 p.m., the Lowcountry pediatrician had 50.6% of...
A wastewaster manager faces 3 years in prison for hiding 3 years of E. coli contamination from SC
South Carolina

A wastewater manager faces 3 years in prison for hiding 3 years of E. coli contamination from SC

Nov 02, 2026
Jessica Holdman
COLUMBIA — A South Carolina wastewater treatment plant manager pleaded guilty to federal Clean Water Act violations for concealing E. coli contamination. John Lorick, senior manager for the Saluda Commission of Public Works, entered a guilty plea in federal court...
Santee Cooper approves rate increase, including early expenses for new gas plant
South Carolina

Santee Cooper approves rate increase, including early expenses for new gas plant

Oct 30, 2026
Jessica Holdman
Customers of South Carolina’s state-owned utility will see their bills go up 9% over the next two years under a rate hike unanimously approved by the company’s governing board Friday. Under the new rates, Santee Cooper residential customers’ base rates...
Auto seat maker opening $30M manufacturing plant at Scout Motors site
South Carolina

Auto seat maker opening $30M manufacturing plant at Scout Motors site

Oct 28, 2026
Jessica Holdman
COLUMBIA — A seat maker for cars is the latest Scout Motors supplier to announce a South Carolina location. Brose Sitech, which makes car seats and interior parts, plans to open in the supplier park on the site of Scout’s...