Julie Zimmerman

Julie Zimmerman earned a high school diploma from Saluda High School, a bachelor's degree from the University of South Carolina, Aiken, in 1998, and a graduate degree from South University in 2003.

Zimmerman's career experience includes working as a therapist.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Born in Spartanburg, Julie Zimmerman was raised by two South Carolina public school teachers. Her mother was a special education teacher, and her father taught science and coached high school football for 43 years. From them, she learned early the importance of showing up for others and doing the work, even when it’s hard.

She worked her way through USC Aiken while holding two jobs, relying on Pell Grants and student loans. For 18 years, she worked in straight-commission sales in the industrial maintenance field, serving both public and private sector. Today, she is a licensed therapist (LPC), supporting individuals and families through life challenges. She knows what it’s like to sit at the kitchen table making ends meet.

Julie is running for office because she believes Columbia has grown out of touch with the people it serves. She believes every child deserves a strong public education. She believes our land, wildlife, and water should be protected while dealing with the growth of our state with proper, proactive planning for all of our infrastructure, such as roads and bridges. She believes families deserve access to affordable healthcare, including mental health and reproductive care. It should be individuals, not politicians, that should make decisions about their own lives.

Julie will stand for constitutional freedoms and liberties. She believes South Carolina needs leadership rooted in lived experience, compassion, and common sense, not politics as usual.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Responsible Growth & Smart Use of Tax Dollars:

South Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, ranking among the top 10 in population growth in recent years. That growth brings opportunity, but it also places increasing pressure on our roads, water systems, farmland, forests, and wildlife habitats.

If we start with using our tax dollars wisely and invest in programs that will benefit every South Carolinian, people will be able to thrive instead just survive. When we use our tax dollars wisely, we will be able to invest in expanded access to mental health and healthcare, improvement in schools, increase teacher pay, fix roads and bridges, and deal with the growth through appropriate planning.Women's rights, voting rights, and civil rights are not partisan issues. They are fundamental rights.

I believe every person deserves the freedom to make their own healthcare decisions, the right to have their voice heard at the ballot box, and the opportunity to live free from discrimination.

Our democracy is strongest when everyone can participate. That's why I'll continue fighting to protect voting rights, defend civil liberties, and ensure that every South Carolinian is treated with dignity, respect, and fairness.

The rights we enjoy today were secured by generations who spoke up, organized, and refused to give up. Now it's our turn to protect them for future generationsI understand what our land, water, and wildlife mean to the people of this state. South Carolina’s natural beauty, strong communities, and quality of life have helped drive the rapid growth we’ve seen in recent years.

We need stronger policies and increased funding to preserve green space, safeguard clean water, modernize infrastructure, and protect the natural resources that make South Carolina special.

I will fight for clean water, healthy soil, and clean air through practical environmental initiatives in our schools and communities. That includes conservation education, encouraging civic engagement, and expanding community gardens in underserved neighborhoods and food desert areas.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As your representative, I will fight to expand access to quality mental health care in both schools and communities.

As a licensed therapist, I see every day how mental health affects every area of life; our families, our schools, our workplaces, and our communities. As an LPC, I continue to work with Medicaid clients because everyone deserves access to a fully licensed therapist in a private practice setting, regardless of income.

For far too long, stigma and lack of funding have left families and communities vulnerable, unable to find qualified mental health professionals when they need help most. Across South Carolina, there are mental health deserts where access to care is limited or nonexistent. That must change

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Ann Richards, I would like to be at the tables where decisions are made for South Carolinians just like me. Ann Richards as an elected official fought to make sure women were at the tables where decisions are made. This has inspired me to run for office and be one of those women.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Common Sense and Compassion

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To uphold the Constitution, both state and federal. And be good stewards of the law and the land.