John M. "Jake" Knotts, Jr. (born December 12, 1944) is a former Republican member of the South Carolina Senate, representing the 23rd District from 2002 to 2012.
[3] Knotts married Betty Lee in 1965,[1][4] with whom he has two children, Michelle Nicole and Tara Marie.
Knotts served on the following committees in the state senate:[1] On June 3, 2010, Knotts used the word "raghead" to describe President Barack Obama and Republican gubernatorial candidate (and fellow Lexington County resident) Nikki Haley while appearing on a live broadcast of Pub Politics.
[8] Knotts later issued a statement, saying, "Since my intended humorous context was lost in translation, I apologize.
"[9] Haley campaign manager Tim Pearson called Knotts "an embarrassment to our state and to the Republican Party.