MEET JAY
Jay Byars is a man in the arena, guided by his faith, grounded in service, and unafraid to speak hard truths. A lifelong servant of God, family, community, and country, Jay brings a rare blend of grit, integrity, and real-world leadership to every role he takes on.
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Jay graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Physics Education and earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of Georgia. He began his career in the classroom, teaching science and coaching baseball in Dorchester School District Two, where he instilled a love for learning, discipline, and service in the next generation. ​
After leaving education, Jay built and led high-performing mortgage banking teams, helping thousands of Lowcountry families achieve homeownership. He later launched multiple small businesses, including Long Leaf Storage and Good Faith Caregivers, proving himself as both a conservative entrepreneur and a community advocate who gets results.
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In 2011, Jay stepped fully into the public arena when he was elected to Dorchester County Council. Over four terms, he has led with character and results, keeping property taxes low, building parks and libraries, improving roads, and protecting the land from reckless development. He also founded Friends of Dorchester County Parks and created the annual Ashley River Adventure Race, turning vision into impact and ideas into action. ​
Jay has been married to Amber for 25 years, and together they are raising two daughters, Katie Jo and Georgia. He is a member of Old Fort Baptist Church, an avid elk and bird hunter and outdoorsman, a recreational pilot, a woodworker, and a dedicated Clemson fan.
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Now, motivated by a deep love for the Lowcountry and a conviction that leadership means doing the hard things, Jay is running for Congress in South Carolina’s First Congressional District. His mission is to protect our way of life, restore trust in leadership, and stand up to the liberal overreach threatening our future.
