South Carolina Senate committee rejects top doctor nominee amid COVID backlash

On Thursday, a Senate committee in the United States, specifically in South Carolina, voted against the nomination of Dr. Edward Simmer, who was recommended by the Republican governor to lead the state's new Department of Public Health. This rejection occurred during hearings that were heavily focused on the state's handling of the COVID pandemic. Notably, only one of the thirteen Republican members of the Senate Medical Affairs Committee supported Simmer's nomination, demonstrating a significant shift from when he received overwhelming approval in 2021 as head of the previous public health and environmental agency. Lingering resentment over his approach towards COVID measures, such as advocating for vaccinations and wearing masks to protect his wife, played a critical role in this vote. Simmer defended his tenure by highlighting the improvements made in public health rankings while he served as head of the old agency, with South Carolina rising from 45th to 37th in overall public health measures under his guidance. He emphasized that his responsibilities regarding COVID now take up only a small portion of his time and expressed hope that his overall achievements could be recognized. The governor's support of Simmer came with a comparative critique of federal responses, particularly noting that Simmer was not a figure akin to Dr. Anthony Fauci. The Senate's longest serving member remarked on the implications of punishing Simmer based on the evolving understanding of COVID at the time. The committee's decision does not conclusively end Simmer's nomination; it remains possible for the full Senate, which is dominated by Republicans, to vote to advance the nomination from committee to the floor for further consideration. The discussions during the hearing primarily revolved around COVID-related issues, with minimal mention of alternative health topics, pointing to the ongoing challenges within the health care discourse in South Carolina.