SC House Speaker Lucas leaving after 8 kinder, gentler years
South Carolina House Speaker Jay Lucas will not run for reelection this year after running the chamber for eight years. Lucas made his surprise announcement Tuesday. It opens up a big leadership gap in a chamber the Republican has worked hard to make less divisive and more cooperative. Lucas says it's time to let new leadership take over and he isn't sure what he will do next. Under Lucas' leadership, the House approved a gas tax increase, brought down the Confederate flag and passed a tax cut. But he failed to push through a comprehensive overhaul of public education after the ...