Hugh Thompson Rice Jr. (born August 4, 1957) is the U.S. Representative for South Carolina's 7th congressional district. Elected to the 113th Congress in November 2012, he is a conservative Republican. He was a member of the freshman class chosen to sit at the House Republican leadership table. Rice was chair of the Horry County Council until he resigned from the position on December 31, 2012.Rice won re-election in 2014. He defeated Democratic challenger Gloria Bromell Tinubu on November 4, 2014. He also defeated Bromell Tinubu in the general election on November 6, 2012.