Lexington County GOP Opposing Own Candidates
By Paul Gable
“This resolution not only has the blessing of State Party Chairman Chad Connelly, he wrote it!”
The Lexington County GOP will consider a resolution Monday evening that will allow party officials to ignore a state party rule in order to support non-party candidates in the generalelection.
The county party is trying to find a way to support petition candidates, should they become eligible for the ballot, who failed to file candidacy papers in accordance with state law so they could appear on last month’s primary election ballot.
These petition candidates will be opposing duly nominated Republican Party candidates on the general election ballot.
Of course, we all know what exactly is happening here. The county party is trying to find any way possible to kow tow to Gov. Nikki Haley and support her Best Friend Forever Katrina Shealy in the upcoming November general election.
Shealy failed to file her papers properly. After the Supreme Court issued a ruling requiring non-incumbent candidates for public office to have filed strictly in accordance with Section 8-13-1356 of state code, the S.C. Republican Party Executive Committee voted in favor of putting Shealy back on the ballot, essentially thumbing its nose at the Court.
This didn’t work because the S.C. Election Commission refused to disregard the Court ruling.
Now we have a new maneuver. Thumbing its nose at party rules, the Lexington county party intends to propose a resolution tonight that will violate party rules, but only for this election. This resolution not only has the blessing of State Party Chairman Chad Connelly, he wrote it!
In an e-mail announcing the county executive committee meeting Monday the statement “JAKE KNOTTS IS WAGING WAR AGAINST REFORM IN LEXINGTON COUNTY!” was included.
That is not the case. What is actually happening is the Republican Party is attempting to wage war against Jake Knotts, its duly nominated candidate, in favor of Katrina Shealy, a non-party petition candidate. Remember, petition candidates are listed on the ballot with no party affiliation because they do not carry the party nomination.
Haley has already indicated she will support non-Republican candidates in the fall election in the form of petition candidates she prefers. That is her choice, but it does seem Haley should resign from the party and become an independent before she supports non-party candidates.
Haley thinks of herself as a “kingmaker” or possibly as a reincarnation of Marie Antoinette. It certainly seems she is leading party officials around by the nose. Let them eat cake – right Nikki.
Unfortunately, party officials seem willing to do her bidding. It would behoove them to remember the fate of those who followed Marie Antoinette. Those guillotines are very sharp!
I’ve always cared less about the party affiliation than the individual. So many Democrats run as Republicans, so many Republicans act like Democrats… It’s hard to cleave to any party on the state or local level. At the national level, it’s a “whole nuther” story!