The three Republican candidates who are vying for Sen. Lee Bright's state senate seat in District 12 are using Bright's recently introduced "Bathroom Bill" as ammunition against him."I do not believe the bill is needed here in South Carolina," businessman and Senate candidate David McCraw said during a news conference. "I agree with the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce when they said, 'Sen. Bright is trying to create a political crisis that doesn't exist to save his political career.'"Bright's bill, S. 1203, would assign the use of bathrooms according to "biological sex" instead of gender identification. It would prevent local governments from creating ordinances that allow transgender people to use the bathrooms of their choice.Other candidates who are running for Bright's seat also oppose his bill."The transgender bathroom ordinance being pushed by special interests has no place in South Carolina," Republican Senate candidate Scott Talley said. "While I agree with Senator Bright in opposing a transgender bathroom ordinance, his proposed law is redundant and unnecessary.""We don't want to do anything to jeopardize economic development in South Carolina," Republican Senate candidate Lisa Cooley Scott said. "(Bright) is jumping on the bandwagon to grab headlines, because he has done nothing in the Senate."Bright told WYFF News 4 that his bill will help businesses, not hurt them."It will keep cities and counties from being able to force business owners to make accommodations for folks and allowing men to use the women's restroom just because they have gender identity issues," Bright said.A Senate committee will begin discussions on the controversial bill Wednesday in Columbia.

The three Republican candidates who are vying for Sen. Lee Bright's state senate seat in District 12 are using Bright's recently introduced "Bathroom Bill" as ammunition against him.

"I do not believe the bill is needed here in South Carolina," businessman and Senate candidate David McCraw said during a news conference. "I agree with the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce when they said, 'Sen. Bright is trying to create a political crisis that doesn't exist to save his political career.'"

Bright's bill, S. 1203, would assign the use of bathrooms according to "biological sex" instead of gender identification. It would prevent local governments from creating ordinances that allow transgender people to use the bathrooms of their choice.

Other candidates who are running for Bright's seat also oppose his bill.

"The transgender bathroom ordinance being pushed by special interests has no place in South Carolina," Republican Senate candidate Scott Talley said. "While I agree with Senator Bright in opposing a transgender bathroom ordinance, his proposed law is redundant and unnecessary."

"We don't want to do anything to jeopardize economic development in South Carolina," Republican Senate candidate Lisa Cooley Scott said. "(Bright) is jumping on the bandwagon to grab headlines, because he has done nothing in the Senate."

Bright told WYFF News 4 that his bill will help businesses, not hurt them.

"It will keep cities and counties from being able to force business owners to make accommodations for folks and allowing men to use the women's restroom just because they have gender identity issues," Bright said.

A Senate committee will begin discussions on the controversial bill Wednesday in Columbia.