Governor McMaster Takes Oath Of Office

Gov. Henry McMaster promised to keep recruiting businesses to South Carolina and lower taxes in his inaugural speech.McMaster used several sports metaphors during Wednesday speech after he took the oath of office at the Statehouse for a full-four year term.McMaster gave a sweeping speech saying how economic competition is the one of the constants in human history. He promised to keep cutting regulations and protecting the environment to keep South Carolina attractive to businesses.McMaster also says he will push to improve education and pledged to make the ``Corridor of Shame'' name used for a belt of poor, rural school with mostly minority students a fading memory.Also on Wednesday, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette was sworn into office. She is the first lieutenant governor to run on a ticket with the governor.Evette then swore in the rest of the statewide officersA traditional prayer has ended as South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster as he prepared to be sworn in for his first full term in office.The service was held in Columbia on Wednesday at McMaster's church, First Presbyterian, about two blocks from the Statehouse. The service has traditionally been held at Trinity Episcopal Church, across the street from the Statehouse. McMaster is the first Columbia native elected governor in more than a century.The service was packed and opened with the hymn ``How Great Thou Art'' and closed with ``Amazing Grace.''Inauguration ceremonies begin at 11 a.m. on the south steps of the Statehouse. McMaster was lieutenant governor when he took over in January of 2017 after then-Gov. Nikki Haley was chosen as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.