He is a former member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 75th District, serving since 2012.
[1] His father, Kirkman Finlay Jr., was mayor of Columbia, South Carolina from 1978 to 1986.
[2] In 2010 Finlay ran for mayor of Columbia, losing to Stephen K. Benjamin In 2012 Finlay ran for a South Carolina House seat vacated by Jim Harrison, defeating lawyer and Democratic candidate Joe McCulloch in a close race.
[4] In March 2024, Finlay filed to challenge Bauer for South Carolina House District 75.
He received the endorsement of House Speaker Murrell Smith Jr.[5] Finlay won the June Republican Primary and was defeated Bauer in the November general election.