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Why Courtney is Running
"Congressional District 4 is ready for change, and I'm here to deliver it."
Courtney McClain is running for South Carolina's Fourth Congressional District for the U.S. House of Representatives. Courtney is a proud Daughter of the South, born and raised in Spartanburg, South Carolina, a city that shaped her deep-rooted passion for civic leadership. Her family has lived in Spartanburg for over two centuries. Integrating schools in Spartanburg and becoming educators, nurses, railroad workers, and religious leaders in the community.
Courtney holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communications. She also completed her Master’s degree in Political Science at Howard University, with a focus on American Government, Politics, and Policy, further sharpening her understanding of systems that shape lives and legislation.
Her political journey began at just 19 years old in Spartanburg. From that moment, she spearheaded transformative initiatives that improved the lives of students across South Carolina. A dynamic, award-winning civil rights advocate, Courtney brings a unique blend of creativity, strategy, and lived experience to her work in civil rights, policy, and communications. Her leadership has been felt both locally and nationally, working in the grassroots, legislative, and corporate sectors.
As President of the South Carolina NAACP Youth and College Division, she led over a dozen youth and collegiate chapters, increasing the number of active chapters at universities and colleges across the state. Courtney played a pivotal role in increasing national relationships with the South Carolina NAACP Youth and College Division through strategic mobilization, consistent engagement, and training a new generation of civil rights advocates across the state.
Courtney has also worked in the Toyota North America Government Affairs Office as a Fannie Lou Hamer Government Relations Fellow with the Congressional Black Caucus Institute, focusing on clean energy automotive production. She was also a fellow with the HBCU Green Fund and a congressional intern with the highly distinguished Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.
Courtney’s impact extends into the heart of South Carolina's government. She has worked in the South Carolina House of Representatives as a legislative page, an esteemed Clyburn Fellow (Class of 2022), and a graduate of the 2025 Emerge South Carolina Class. In recognition of her tireless advocacy, she received the 2022 Martin Luther King Jr. Social Justice Award from the University of South Carolina - Columbia.
Courtney has actively lobbied in both chambers of the South Carolina Legislature, with a focus on women’s reproductive health, public education, fair elections, gun discipline, and criminal justice reform. Her grassroots organizing has mobilized tens of thousands across the U.S. for a range of movements that center on the betterment of the community.
Courtney McClain is not just a rising leader; she is a catalyst for change, committed to building a more affordable, inclusive, and empowered future for Greenville - Spartanburg and beyond. She hopes to continue her legacy of igniting fires of change wherever she steps, by continuing her fight for the people of South Carolina in the United States House of Representatives.