TCS6-Curtis Loftis State Treasurer of South Carolina - The Corcoran Show

In this candid interview, Erik Corcoran sits down with State Treasurer Curtis Loftis to explore the roots of his lifelong commitment to South Carolina. Loftis recounts growing up a stone’s throw from the Capitol, the steep rise in college costs that forced him into a 40‑year business career, and the moment he decided the state’s treasury needed a new kind of leadership. He details the "Great Pension War," describing how a 3,500‑word New York Times expose sparked Senate intervention, leading to reforms that turned a deeply underfunded pension system into a modestly healthy one. Loftis doesn’t shy away from critiquing the media and political establishment, arguing that local press often bows to distant financial interests. The conversation also touches on his belief in small‑town self‑reliance, his love of hands‑on work—maintaining acres of woods, chopping firewood, and escaping to the Rockies in a motorhome—as antidotes to the pressures of public office. Throughout, Loftis emphasizes that his service is about returning money to citizens, protecting investments from big‑player manipulation, and keeping the treasury’s work visible like a roof tile or an umpire’s call. The episode offers listeners a rare glimpse behind the scenes of state finance, the personal grit required to fight entrenched interests, and the everyday habits that keep a public servant grounded.

Categories: Elections