Tom Fernandez

Tom Fernandez is an American politician. He has been a member of the South Carolina Senate from the 39th District since 2024. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Tom Fernandez
Member of the South Carolina Senate from the 39th district
Incumbent
Assumed office 2024
Preceded by	Vernon Stephens
Personal details
Political party	Republican
Profession	Attorney

Background

Fernandez spent his youth on a farm in Michigan. He earned a BA in political science from Coastal Carolina University, a JD from Charleston School of Law, and an MBA from The Citadel.^[1]

Political career

2018 State House race

Fernandez challenged Republican incumbent Sylleste Davis in 2018 for a seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives, losing in the Republican primary.^[2][3]

2024 State Senate race

On March 28, 2024, Fernandez filed to run for State Senate seat 39.^[4] He defeated Democratic incumbent Vernon Stephens to flip the Senate seat.^[5][6][7][8]

Member of the State Senate

Fernandez serves on the Senate Corrections and Penology, Education, Family and Veterans' Services, Judiciary and Medical Affairs committees.^[9]

In 2025, Fernandez voted against confirming Dr. Edward Simmer to lead the South Carolina Department of Public Health because Simmer had strongly recommended that people take COVID vaccines during the COVID pandemic and because he wore a face mask to protect his immunocompromised wife.^[10]

During the nationwide No Kings protests on June 14, 2025, Fernandez drove past a crowd of his constituents in Summerville who were protesting, while blaring the horn on his truck and making obscene gestures. Fernandez claimed that his behavior was in response to "heckling" from protesters. ^[11]