ABOUT
A lifelong resident of the Lowcountry, Larry was born in St. Stephen to the late Lawrence R. Grooms, a US Army Veteran and small business owner, and the late Patsy T. Grooms, a homemaker. Senator Grooms, or just “Larry” as he prefers to be called, is honored and proud to represent District 37 in the South Carolina Senate.
Larry met his wife, Carol, while the two were students at Clemson University. Sharing a deep love of God and family, they married soon after graduation. Today, Larry and Carol live in Bonneau and have three sons, Taylor, Hayden, and Jack. They recently became grandparents to Henry.
After they were married, Larry and Carol used their small savings to start their first business, a gas station and convenience store St. Stephen. They took a risk, worked hard, and maintained an entrepreneurial spirit. Over time, they grew their modest investment into a chain of successful convenience stores and restaurants.
As business grew, Larry became more frustrated with government red tape and overreaching regulation. Instead of just talking about it, he took action and ran for a state senate seat many told him he would never win. But Larry persisted because he knew that limited government, individual liberties and personal responsibility could be achieved with bold ideas and creative solutions to everyday problems. The voters agreed, and Larry was elected.
Through his entrepreneurial spirit and the lessons learned daily as a small business owner, Larry fights to foster an environment for business to succeed – from large manufacturers to mom-and-pop small businesses.
In the State Senate, Larry is known as a consistent, compassionate and conservative leader who gets things done. He is respected in Columbia by both Republican colleagues and those on the other side of the aisle for his practical, commonsense solutions. Larry has led the efforts on some of the most meaningful and impactful changes in South Carolina history, including writing The Education Scholarship Trust Fund Program, The Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act, and the REACH Act. He led the fight to modernize South Carolina's Department of Transportation, then made sure the DOT had the funds to build and improve roads throughout the state. Larry has also stood on the forefront on illegal immigration enforcement reform, as well as strengthening South Carolina’s relations with Israel.
As the District 37 State Senator, Larry represents much of Berkeley County and some of Charleston County. He is the Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, a member of the Education, Ethics, Finance, and Rules Committee, and the Founder of the South Carolina Legislative Prayer Caucus.
For his work in the Senate, Larry has earned numerous awards, including from the SC Sheriff's Association which recently named him Legislator of the Year, as did. the American Legion. Taxapyers advocates named him Friend of the Taxpayer, and parents and teachers presented him their Golden Apple Award.
Larry is an avid Clemson Tigers fan, enjoys time outdoors in God's beautiful Lowcountry, and most of all, being a husband, father, and grandad.
