The Arena

The Arena was created to address the lack of progressive voices and news outlets in South Carolina. The Arena is South Carolina’s only progressive media company, delivering quality political content, interviews, podcasts, commentary, and analysis daily. Our contributors are some of the biggest names in South Carolina politics, and aim to help you understand the news and its implications for you and our state.

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South Carolina's only progressive media company. Commentary, Podcasts, Reporting.

People

USC mass comm '25 | reporter for The Arena | freelance reporter for The Lexington County Chronicle | knower of random facts | lover of history, books and politics
Emily Mayer is a former teacher who has spent the last several years advocating for SC families. She is an expert on the legislative process and strategy, and has advised Democratic campaigns across the state. She lives in Bluffton with her family.
Jermaine Johnson, a Democratic State Representative from Richland County, has served in the SC House since 2020. Rep. Johnson played basketball collegiately and professionally abroad. Johnson holds a DBA in organizational leadership.
The Arena is an all-new digital media publication providing refreshing insight and commentary on South Carolina politics.
Founder & Head of Digital Strategy at The Arena
Charleston-based writer, cyclist, mom, community builder. Not necessarily in that order.
Dr. Annie Andrews is pediatrician & former Democratic nominee for Congress in SC-01. She is the founder of Their Future PAC, our nation’s first & only PAC for kids. Dr. Andrews is a Senior Advisor to Everytown for Gun Safety.
Political Strategist, Melissa Watson Ward, serves as the Affiliate Director for Emerge, the nation’s premier organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office.
Preach Jacobs is an award-winning columnist from South Carolina, hip-hop artist, and co-owner of SoulHAUS art gallery in Columbia, SC.
Publisher, The Arena. CEO, Bold South Strategies. Long suffering Cubs fan. My kids call me by my first name when they’re mad.
COO & Founder, The Arena | COO, Bold South Strategies | Not Darth Vader | CHS Woman | Piece of work in progress
I am the former Dean of the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. I also taught Communications Law at Syracuse. I moved to the Charleston area in 2016.