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.

SC governors take different sides in Senate race ahead of Trump rally
South Carolina

Trump rallies for Darline Graham ahead of US Senate runoff

Aug 21, 2026
Jessica Holdman
MYRTLE BEACH — President Donald Trump asked thousands of supporters gathered Friday in Myrtle Beach to vote for U.S. Sen. Darline Graham as a tribute to her late brother. Graham faces U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman in Tuesday’s runoff to replace...
Nuclear training center, ROTC building named for Lindsey Graham among USC’s 2027 budget asks
South Carolina

Nuclear training center, ROTC building named for Lindsey Graham among USC’s 2027 budget asks

Aug 21, 2026
Jessica Holdman
COLUMBIA — The University of South Carolina is making plans for a nuclear workforce training center within its engineering school, as well as a new, $60 million Reserve Officers’ Training Corps center to be named in honor of the late...
USC among top college users of ChatGPT, renews OpenAI contract for $2.5M
South Carolina

USC among top college users of ChatGPT, renews OpenAI contract for $2.5M

Aug 20, 2026
Jessica Holdman
COLUMBIA — University of South Carolina students and staff gobbled up 30 million credits on ChatGPT last school year — 30 times what it was contracted for — making it one of the top college users on the platform in...
State-funded testing of COVID-19 treatment approved to start 3,000-person clinical trial
South Carolina

State-funded testing of COVID-19 treatment approved to start 3,000-person clinical trial

Aug 19, 2026
Jessica Holdman
COLUMBIA – For one in 10 people who catch the flu, COVID-19 or other respiratory viruses, the symptoms can turn life-threatening. The Medical University of South Carolina wants to help treat those symptoms before they lead to hospitalization. And it’s...
Duke Energy appeals to SC Supreme Court after regulators deny rate increase under new program
South Carolina

Duke Energy appeals to SC Supreme Court after regulators deny rate increase under new program

Aug 18, 2026
Jessica Holdman
COLUMBIA — Duke Energy is asking South Carolina’s Supreme Court to clear the path to hike rates 4% this year for its Pee Dee customers. In March, Duke became the first utility in the state to apply to participate in...
President Trump expected to rally in SC ahead of GOP Senate runoff
South Carolina

President Trump expected to rally in SC ahead of GOP Senate runoff

Aug 17, 2026
Jessica Holdman
President Donald Trump is expected to hold a rally in Myrtle Beach on Friday, the last day of early voting in the GOP runoff for U.S. Senate, according to a release Monday by the state Republican Party. Trump endorsed Sen...
Five judges so far file to run for SC Supreme Court seat
South Carolina

Five judges so far file to run for SC Supreme Court seat

Aug 14, 2026
Jessica Holdman
COLUMBIA — Five judges, so far, have filed to run for a seat on South Carolina’s highest court, including the ex-wife of a late Republican state representative and two sitting Appeals Court judges. Hopefuls still have until Aug. 24 to...
U.S. Rep. Russell Fry endorses Sen. Darline Graham in GOP runoff
South Carolina

U.S. Rep. Russell Fry endorses Sen. Darline Graham in GOP runoff

Aug 14, 2026
Jessica Holdman
U.S. Rep. Russell Fry is backing Sen. Darline Graham in the runoff to replace her late brother as the GOP’s Senate nominee. Fry, who placed third of 10 candidates in the special GOP primary earlier this week, endorsed Graham on...
Historic portraits telling the story of Black South Carolinians now online through USC library
South Carolina

Historic portraits telling the story of Black South Carolinians now online through USC library

Aug 08, 2026
Jessica Holdman
COLUMBIA — A young boy looks directly into the camera with his arms wrapped around his pet rooster. A boxer crouches in a fighting stance, gloves up in front of his face. Nurses dressed head to toe in white in...
USC celebrates record $358M in fundraising, other SC colleges also set records
South Carolina

USC celebrates record $358M in fundraising, other SC colleges also set records

Aug 05, 2026
Jessica Holdman
COLUMBIA — The University of South Carolina is touting a record-breaking year of fundraising. The eight-school system, with a main campus in Columbia and seven other two- and four-year schools scattered around the state, raised $357.6 million in the budget...
SC utility regulators set January deadline for decision on Dominion, NextEra merger
South Carolina

SC utility regulators set January deadline for decision on Dominion, NextEra merger

Aug 04, 2026
Jessica Holdman
COLUMBIA — South Carolina regulators are expected to make a decision within six months on whether to approve a utility mega merger valued at $67 billion. The state Public Service Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt a regulatory schedule proposed...
US Senate candidate asks judge to put him on special GOP primary ballot
South Carolina

US Senate candidate asks judge to put him on special GOP primary ballot

Aug 03, 2026
Jessica Holdman
COLUMBIA — A decertified candidate for U.S. Senate is asking a judge to order his name be included on special GOP primary ballots going forward. But with absentee and overseas military ballots already in the mail, the South Carolina Republican...