Chip Campsen

George E. “Chip” Campsen III is an attorney and businessman who has served in the South Carolina Senate since 2004. His Senate District (43) encompasses coastal portions of Charleston, Beaufort and Colleton Counties — almost one-half of South Carolina’s magnificent coastline.

Senator Campsen holds J.D. and MBA degrees from the University of South Carolina, a B.S. in Biology from Furman University, and a 100-ton Merchant Marine Captain’s License.

He is the retired President of Fort Sumter Tours and SpiritLine Cruises, which operate ferries to Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began, and dinner cruises, harbor tours and private charters in and around Charleston Harbor.

Senator Campsen is married to Lalla Lee Laffitte of Columbia, author of the devotional book, Daily Acts. They have two sons, George and Boyce. George is a Charleston Harbor Pilot. Boyce is with a private equity group redeveloping 65-acres of Charleston’s historic waterfront. Both sons are also professional offshore fishermen. They extend the Campsen family maritime heritage to six generations.

Senator Campsen is Chairman of the Fish, Game & Forestry Committee, and serves on the Judiciary, Rules, Transportation, Ethics and Legislative Oversight Committees. He focuses on constitutional law; election law; conservation and natural resources; fiscal policy; and criminal justice reform.

Senator Campsen has served as Chairman of the Judicial Merit Selection Commission, Charleston County Legislative Delegation; Senate Sportsmen’s Caucus; and Senate Religious Liberty Caucus.

He authored the South Carolina Conservation Bank Act that has protected over 500,000 acres in South Carolina; the South Carolina Future Scholar 529 Plan that has over $5.5 billion dollars invested in tax-advantaged education accounts; and, South Carolina’s 2024 Congressional reapportionment plan — which he successfully defended all the way to the United States Supreme Court.

Senator Campsen’s previous public service includes the South Carolina House of Representatives (1997-2002), Co-chairman of Governor Mark Sanford’s Transition Team (2002-03), and Senior Policy Advisor to Governor Mark Sanford (2003).

Senator Campsen is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting, fishing, surfing and wildlife habitat management. He has a passion for the study of history, constitutional law, political philosophy, theology and economics.