BLUFFTON, S.C. (WSAV) — The man who hopes to become the next governor of South Carolina reached out to voters across Beaufort and Jasper County Wednesday.

Joe Cunningham also shared the stage with his recently announced running mate, Tally Casey.

Cunningham says it’s time for a change.

Throughout his stops in Hilton Head, Bluffton, Sun City and Beaufort he pointed out that current Gov. Henry McMaster has been in politics longer than Cunningham has been alive.

“I am tired of seeing the same old politicians serving 30, 40, 50 years and not getting anything done,” Cunningham said. “Our founding fathers never intended for politics to be a career but Henry McMaster has made it one.”

The other point driven home by both Cunningham and his running mate Casey the former military fighter pilot and first female pilot for the South Carolina National Guard is that this is an election based on freedoms or lack thereof.

“This is probably going to be the most important election in our state’s history and we cannot afford to sit on the sidelines any longer,” Casey said.

That freedom is specifically based on the state’s push to pass a full abortion ban with no exceptions for women who are raped have children with major medical issues or whose lives are threatened by carrying the baby.

“How can you trust me to fly a multi-million dollar supersonic aircraft drop bombs and use a surface-to-air missile but you can’t trust me with what to do with my own body? (applause),” Casey said.

During his time at the podium, Cunningham focused on his platform which includes legalizing marijuana and sports gambling in the state.

“Legalizing marijuana and legalizing sports betting,” explained Cunningham. “It’s already happening and we might as well get some tax revenue from it, pay our teachers more and fix our roads.”

Cunningham’s plan would give teachers a 10% raise — and make starting salaries at least $50,000.

“We all know teachers and some of them who are watching right now who have left the profession because how are they paid or how they are treated,” Cunningham said.

Cunningham says he also wants to get rid of the state income tax if he is elected.