in 1978, and had two more daughters. Career First decade in the South Carolina Senate Leatherman began his political career after his election in 1967 to the Town Council in Quinby, South Carolina. He served as a Councilman until 1976. Leatherman was elected to the South Carolina Senate as a Democrat in 1981. In his first year in office, he formed a bipartisan voting bloc with other freshman senators including Harvey S. Peeler Jr. He also became chairman of the legislative Highway Oversight Committee during this term. In 1986, he won 9 percent of the vote in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. During that run for office, he traveled South Carolina in a van and touted his business experience. He finished last in the primary. Leatherman was in office when an FBI sting ended with 17 statehouse lawmakers being convicted of crimes, generally for public corruption. Leatherman switched parties and became a Republican in 1994 following other politicians in what was dubbed the Republican Revolution. Soon after, he created and led the Senate Republican caucus. In 2001, he orchestrated the Republican takeover of the state Senate by convincing his longtime mentor Senator Verne Smith to switch parties. That year, he became Senate Finance chairman after the Republicans got rid of a rule in the state senate rewarding committee chairmanships by seniority regardless of party. His relationships with Senate Democrats nonetheless led to some criticism, notably from Shane Massey. Power and infrastructure As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Leatherman effectively controlled the state budget; South Carolina state Treasurer Curtis Loftis stated in 2020 that "nothing of importance happens in South Carolina without his approval." Since joining the General Assembly, Leatherman focused upon infrastructure projects. He was instrumental in bringing Boeing to South Carolina in 2009 with a $450 million tax incentives package. His Senate portrait unveiled in 2017 included a model Boeing 737 in the background. He is also seen as having been instrumental in attracting Honda to Timmonsville by convincing the South Carolina Department of Transportation to build an interchange. He also received credit for securing funding for roads which lead to Myrtle Beach. Leatherman was criticized for the amount of funding his home district receives from the state budget. He brought about massive expenditure in downtown Florence including a $17 million library, an arts center, and a county museum. In 2015, he convinced the state Department of Mental Health