SOUTH CAROLINA — Greenville businessman Billy Webster is running as a Democrat for governor of South Carolina on a platform that includes expanding Medicaid and vetoing a strict abortion ban. He faces two challengers in the Democratic primary.

Webster previously served as President Bill Clinton's director of scheduling, a role he entered after joining the George H.W. Bush administration as a White House fellow. In his first week as scheduling director, he and his team arranged logistics for Clinton's six-country Middle East trip, which included Syria. He has built four businesses and was president of the largest Bojangles franchise at the time.

"Everybody else is a career politician. I'm the only person who has experience in every one of the needs that face our state," Webster said of his candidacy. "I feel like that, the issues that confront us, I understand."

He wants South Carolina to join North Carolina in expanding Medicaid, pointing to half a million unemployed, uninsured residents in the state. "I think Medicaid expansion solves a whole bunch of problems that confront our state." He also noted that South Carolina added one million people in the last 15 years and is projected to add one million more in the next 10 years.

On abortion, he addressed Senate Bill 1095, which would make abortion illegal in South Carolina for any reason unless the woman's life is in danger. "If a bill like that ever reached my desk, I would veto it," he said. He added: "The bill is replete with language that puts at risk every woman and their pregnancy in this state."

He said governing in the state would require bipartisan cooperation. "Nothing gets done in this state without a collaborative effort with folks across the aisle," he said, adding, "I vote for the person, not the party." He also said: "I'm going to work hard and do my best to get these problems solved."