Bentley Oliver is running for the United States Senate to bring principled, accountable leadership to Washington and put South Carolina first.
A commitment to service
Bentley believes public office is a responsibility—not a reward. This campaign is about listening to South Carolinians, defending individual liberty, and building a future where hard work and responsibility are honored.
Why this race matters
Washington needs leaders willing to stand firm, speak plainly, and remember who they serve. Bentley is prepared to challenge business as usual and fight for safe communities, responsible spending, economic opportunity, and a strong America.
A Letter From Bentley
Hello everyone,
Three (3) days ago, I was focused on my farm, my family, starting my doctoral degree, and just living my life. The death of Lindsey Graham had a deep effect on me, and the country as a whole, and started me thinking about my roots…..
I am a licensed mental health therapist, and currently working on my doctorate in human services. I have run mobile crisis teams, ridden with officers while clad in body armor to 911 mental health calls, run rehabs for substance abuse, changed legislation in NM and I am working to change legislation here in SC to make the state of our mental health responses better, and run an animal sanctuary on my farm at the same time. I have spent my life living with the belief that you cannot change a system by standing outside of it throwing rocks. You have to be willing to be a part of it. I grew up watching my parents change the world, writing both state and federal legislation. I have pictures of my father testifying before Congress at the nation’s Capitol, and learning the process of change. I have also spent my life declaring I would never go into politics, as I felt the system was designed for only the rich to really win.
When Lindsey Graham died, I was reminded of a quote that I read when I was younger that changed me. “In a modern society, ‘civil servant’ is semantically equal to ‘civil master'” (Robert Heinlein). I was lucky enough to see Senator Graham recently at a speaking engagement in Greenwood SC, and see how he truly was a civil servant, and the embodiment of what a representative of the people should be. Unfortunately, this idea of civil service seems to be something that is not upheld to the highest standard in all of government, and I remembered the lesson I learned about being willing to be in a system in order to create change.
Which brings us to now! On a whim, I started researching what would be necessary to run for the U.S. Senate. The first thing I experienced was absolute sticker shock. The filing fee for a Republican candidate in South Carolina is almost $11,000 just to have the opportunity to put your name on the ballot. Almost $11,000! All I could think was how out of reach that would be for the average American to simply hand over, and that is just for the opportunity to put their name in the race. I personally do not have almost $11,000 to hand over for the opportunity to be a civil servant.
Now, when faced with a challenge, we have a few options. We can give up. We can vent about the problem to our friends/family or whoever will listen. Or………. we can decide to try to change it. This website, this campaign, is the work of approximately 3 days of talking, running through ideas, and trying to see if it was even possible.
So here is where we are. I am attempting to raise the money to simply file, for the opportunity to actually run. If I make it, I will dedicate myself to trying to win because I believe I can make a positive difference and continue the legacy of civil service in South Carolina. If I don’t make enough, that’s okay because I believe that everything happens for a reason, and will use this to motivate me to see where else I can serve and try to make this state, and this country, an even more amazing place to be.
I am not a politician. I do not have millions to “loan” to my campaign and then pay myself back with other people’s donations. I have lived paycheck to paycheck, and know all too well that we are all one disaster from our lives being destroyed. I represent the majority of Americans, not just in South Carolina, but in the entire country. I cannot promise I will make everything better. But I will promise I will work every day coming from a place of knowing how most Americans live, what their priorities are, and constantly striving to fix what I can while mitigating that which I cannot change. If this sounds like the kind of service, and leadership, you want, then support me! If not, the amazing thing about America is we do get to put our support towards where our beliefs lie.
And just to give you an idea of who I am as a human being…. My father was an avid gun collector which has been passed through the family, I rescue animals and people as often as possible, I go big and always give my best. If I don’t know the answer to something, I’ll happily tell you that, and then do my research. I can’t have all the answers, but I can always strive to do better than I did before.
I can’t promise the world, but I can promise I will give everything I have. And I promise that as I learn better, I will always do better. If you have any questions, reach out! I would love a chance to talk to anyone who would like a conversation. If you like what I’ve had to say, please help us reach the $11,000 goal so that at least someone who doesn’t come from wealth has a chance at representing you! From there…………….. who knows. Maybe together we can change the world. I believe we can.
I would like to end this letter with a favorite quote of mine. It feels relevant to the situation. Enjoy.
“Certainly the game is rigged! Don’t let that stop you. If you don’t bet, you *can’t* win.” – Robert Heinlein
I’m betting on myself. And all of you. Let’s do this.