Richard Hricik

Richard Hricik was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and accounting from Cleveland State University in 1989. He earned a J.D. from William & Mary Law School in 1993. Hricik's career experience includes working as an owner and trial attorney with the Law Offices of Richard A. Hricik, P.A., as a faculty member with Charleston Southern University, as a public accountant with Arthur Andersen, as a forklift operator, as a painter, as a retail employee, as a fast-food employee, as a dishwasher with a restaurant, and as an auto mechanic. He has served as a board member with the nonprofit organization Louie's Kids. He has been affiliated with the school improvement council with Wando High School, with the Charleston County Bar Wellness Committee, with Lawyers Helping Lawyers with the state bar association, and with the South Carolina Association for Justice.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

You work hard. Play by the rules. Try to do right by others. And too often it feels like only the people with more money or power are the ones getting ahead. I see it, too. Politics as usual serves them because no one is looking out for you. That’s about to change.

I’m a patriotic second-generation American who believes in God and the American Dream—and knows it is getting harder to reach. I grew up 1 of 6 kids and started working at 13. I washed dishes, painted houses, and turned wrenches before I ever turned pages in a law book.

I know what it’s like to take to do without and watch a paycheck come in and the checkbook go right back to zero. I worked full-time and put myself through college at night, the first in my family to graduate. I borrowed every penny for law school.

My circumstances are very different today. I’ve been blessedly successful. But I’ve never forgotten who I am, who I fight for, or what it feels like to be cheated, ripped off, or taken advantage of because the powerful know you alone can’t fight back.

I’ve fought the biggest bad guys for ordinary people just like you—and won—for more than 30 years.

That’s why I’m running for Attorney General—to keep you safe, support law enforcement, protect your wallet, defend what's ours, and ensure The Rule of Law applies to everyone.

I take no campaign donations because I want nothing standing between me, you, and The Rule of Law.

When you owe no one, you can fight for everyone. And I’ll fight to win for YOU.

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?

The Attorney General is the managing partner of a 300-person, 90-lawyer law firm that protects your wallet, defends your rights, fights corruption and financial fraud, protects our natural resources, handles criminal appeals, and select criminal cases. The word “General” is in the job title for a reason. AGs in other states take on all these bad guys. You need the same! I’ve spent 30+ years winning these kinds of fights. Google me! I've even had a case in the US Supreme Court. The job is not “State Solicitor.” In 2025 S.C.'s 16 circuit solicitors disposed of 136,400 General Sessions cases. The SC AG? 246—not counting appeals. You need an AG who knows how to go after all the bad guys who harm you because not all bad guys carry gunsYou deserve to be safe in your home and community. You should not lose your hard-earned money because of junk fees, debts you don’t owe, an insurance company giving you the runaround, or businesses ripping you off. And our water, marshes, beaches, and natural resources belong to all of us—they aren’t there to be abused just so a data center or some other business can make a buck. I’ve spent 30+ years fighting—and winning—for ordinary people against powerful interests. I want these fights. That’s my job! I’ll protect YOU and your family, your wallet, and what belongs to all of us. Companies have lawyers. Government has lawyers. As Attorney General, I am The People’s Attorney—and I will protect you and what’s YOURS.We just celebrated 250 years together as Americans. What brought us together then, and what holds us together now, is The Rule of Law. It is not red or blue. It is black and white and must apply to everyone the same--especially the powerful and connected. As The People’s Attorney, my job is to uphold and defend The Rule of Law for you. That means defend your rights as an American and South Carolinian as they are guaranteed in our constitutions. I teach those rights and fought those fights all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. That’s why I take no donations. No PAC money. No special-interest money. I want you to know who and what I owe: YOU and The Rule of Law. Because when you owe no one, you can fight for everyone.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The Attorney General is described in the law as The People’s Attorney and lately, that office sure doesn’t act like it. They tell you to take your consumer complaints somewhere else and it hardly uses its power to defend our God-given natural resources.

Meet the new boss. He’s definitely NOT the old boss. If a company hides junk fees, cheats you, abuses your data, pollutes your water, or builds a massive project that harms your community, you should not have to fight alone. Corporations have lawyers, lobbyists, and money fighting for them. You deserve an AG who will fight back for you: investigate wrongdoers, follow the money, enforce the law, and protect what's yours. The office of AG will be your voice and your source of power!

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

My only endorsement—a labor group that said: “We understand the value of integrity, dedication, and strength, qualities that you have consistently demonstrated throughout your career. Your commitment to justice, fairness, and protecting the rights of workers aligns closely with the values we hold dear.”

That’s me. A working person fighting for working people for 30+ years. I’m humbled by their words.

Lots of group say we'll endorse you but you need to say the law says this, or should be that.

I tell them all, “That’s not the job of AG” and I explain the Legislature writes the laws. I don’t get a vote.

Then silence.

And that's OK by me.

No promises or favors owed to anyone but YOU and The Rule of Law.

The way the AG should be!

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Richard is not a politician, is not taking PAC money and has pledged a term limit. He believes we need fewer career politicians and more citizen leaders - that nothing changes if nothing changes and it's time to Believe In Better!

He is a self-made family man, first-generation college graduate, attorney and product of public schools who built a successful business serving the Lowcountry for the last 20 years. He has witnessed the failure of leadership and the culture of corruption in Columbia and is seeking to serve the public interest - not special interests.

Richard believes we must have new citizen-leaders to move the Lowcountry FORWARD and solve problems because we have schools in crisis, a COVID pandemic and

flood waters rising... it's mayhem. As your next State Senator, Richard will solve problems and lead us FORWARD - and that begins with: improving education, increasing access to healthcare and addressing sea-level rise.

His opponent is a 22 year career-politician whose outdated ideas and views have failed the Lowcountry & SC. Long before COVID, SC remained in the bottom of national rankings for education, healthcare, economic opportunity...The same career politicians who have failed you cannot lead us into the future.

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?

Believe In Better! Nothing changes if nothing changes and the same career politicians keep returning to Columbia & the status quo remains with nothing getting done. We must have new citizen leaders to move SC FORWARD!SC has ranked in the bottom of education for decades - we must expand universal Pre-K, keep our kids safe, and pay our teachers better. We must defend our coast and elect leaders who will address sea-level rise with science, clean energy and resiliency. Carbon neutral 2050 goal for SC.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Improve Public Education - Universal Pre-K, keep kids safe & pay teachers better. Career politicians have failed SC children for decades. Your children cannot compete in the economy of the future from a broken education system of the past. COVID has exposed the lack of vision and leadership especially in not having a digitally connected state with high speed internet and broadband. Quality public schools and hard work are the keys to a better future for every child. I was actively involved in overseeing a public Montessori school for 10 years as a governing board member and as the school's pro bono attorney.

Improve Access to Healthcare - Because of the pandemic, people are hurting through no fault of their own. With so many friends and neighbors losing their jobs, income, and health insurance, SC must immediately expand healthcare access (Medicaid expansion). The cost benefit, especially during a pandemic, only makes financial sense and will help stabilize the medical community both now and in future.

Defend Our Coast - Over-development, dirty energy and pollution have no place in our fragile and beautiful coast. We must rely on science and build sustainability, resiliency and focus on clean energy to move SC forward and address sea-level rise. This will bring economic opportunities and the jobs of tomorrow. SC should have been leading the country, instead, we lost billions in a failed nuclear power project. We must have a carbon neutral 2050 goal for SC.

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

My mother who was incredible example of courage and sacrifice. She taught me three incredible lessons:

1. Whatever you do, do with love;

2. The only thing you can give another person is the power of your example; and

3. You can always do something.

I was raised by her alone in my high school years and we had very little. But she worked incredibly hard, with an illness, and always found a way to help neighbors and others. She died when I was in law school and afterwards, I was going through her things and found her checkbook. Inside, were one dollar checks she had written to charities. Her spirit of public service first, always, fuels me and my campaign.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Values Matter. When the pandemic first struck and the lockdown happened, I suspended all fundraising asks and instead helped raise money for many Lowcountry charities. I also donated. In a time of crisis leaders are supposed to think of others and lead by example. I also volunteered for 13 years with a successful public Montessori school as Board Member, Chair & Counsel. I have volunteered in schools and served on the Wando High School SIC. Besides numerous awards and distinctions, my law firm focuses on charitable giving, donating a percentage of earnings annually, educating, working in the schools on ending distracted driving and conserving by engaging in green practices and preserving and protecting the Lowcountry.

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

Serving the people. I have pledged a two-term term limit that I fully intend to honor. This election is my opportunity to give back to my community and serve the public good without worrying about a political career. I'm not taking PAC money, have no government contracts and only wish to be a citizen-leader and serve the public interests, not special interests.

What legacy would you like to leave?

My daughters are my (and my wife's) legacy. We could not be more proud of the strong, intelligent and incredible young women they are. Being a father is the most important thing I have ever done and I take great pride in being a good father. They make it incredibly easy to be their father as they are good, kind, decent and honorable young women. As young children they started their own non-profit with other girls, Keys For Hope, making and decorating keys that they sold to raise money for a homeless shelter. They are both academically very successful and attended public schools. I know they will make a positive impact on the world - that's the greatest legacy of all.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Baby Shark.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

No, because long before COVID, South Carolina remained in the bottom of national rankings for education, healthcare, economic opportunity... And the same career politicians in Columbia who have failed you for decades proved they cannot solve these problems or lead us into the future.

Richard is not a politician, is not taking PAC money and has pledged a term limit. He believes we need fewer career politicians and more citizen leaders - that nothing changes if nothing changes and it's time to Believe In Better!

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Truly independent commissions drawing lines. We must stop career politicians from picking their voters and let democracy breathe, give voters meaningful choice, and force elected leaders to compromise and work toward the common good instead of only appealing to the side that will elect them in a gerrymandered election.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Never say never, but I have no real desire. I have pledged a two-term term limit that I fully intend to honor. This election is my opportunity to give back to my community and serve the public good without worrying about a political career. I'm not taking PAC money, have no government contracts and only wish to be a citizen-leader and serve the public interest, not special interests.