Presidential Primary Task Force
This press release is from the SCGOP web site at www.scgop.com.
Pictured Left to Right: Glenn McCall,
Hank Scott, Tony Denny, Speaker Bobby Harrell, Senator Harvey Peeler, Chairman
Katon Dawson, Dr. Buddy Witherspoon, LaDonna Ryggs, Drew McKissick and Bob
McAllister.
South Carolina Republicans Intent On Having "First In The
South" Presidential Primary
Party Announces Creation Of Presidential Primary Task Force
(Columbia, SC) - During a press conference at the South Carolina Statehouse, state Republican leaders today stood unified as they announced their intention to once again conduct the “First in the South” Presidential Primary for the 2008 Presidential Election.
Katon Dawson, Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, announced the creation of the South Carolina Presidential Primary Task Force. “By creating this Task Force we are renewing our commitment to hold the first southern presidential primary for the 2008 Presidential Election,” said Dawson. “South Carolina has proved to be a great testing ground for presidential candidates and a launching pad to the White House,” added Dawson.
Since the inception of the South Carolina Primary in 1980, no candidate has ever lost the South Carolina Primary and gone on to become the Republican Party’s nominee for President.
While setting the date for the Primary does not require legislative action, as it does in many other states, Chairman Dawson was joined at the press conference by the Speaker of the S.C. House of Representatives Bobby Harrell and the Majority Leader of the S.C. Senate Harvey Peeler both showing their support for the South Carolina Primary.
South Carolina’s Republican National Committeeman Dr. Buddy Witherspoon was also on hand to show support for the state’s “First in the South” Primary and said, “We will work vigorously on the national level to insure that South Carolina maintains its preeminent Presidential Primary status.”
The date of the state’s Republican Presidential Primary is set by the South Carolina Republican Party.
Dawson said that it is not the intent of South Carolina to threaten or interfere in any way with the New Hampshire Primary or the Iowa Caucuses. “Our Task Force will work diligently to ensure South Carolina’s Primary remains ‘First in the South’ and whatever it takes to accomplish that, we will do,” said Dawson.
The South Carolina Presidential Primary Task Force members include:
Mr. Katon Dawson, Chairman of the SCGOP
Mr. Glenn McCall, 2nd Vice Chairman of the SCGOP
Dr. Buddy Witherspoon, RNC National Committeeman for S.C.
Mrs. Cindy Costa, RNC National Committeewoman for S.C.
The Honorable Harvey Peeler, Majority Leader of the S.C. State Senate
The Honorable Bobby Harrell, Speaker of the S.C. House of Representatives
Mr. Scott Malyerck, Executive Director of the SCGOP
Mrs. LaDonna Ryggs, President of the S.C. Federation of Republican Women
Drew McKissick, Chairman of the SCGOP Rules Committee
Mr. Tony Denny, former SCGOP Executive Director
Mr. Bob McAllister, President of McAllister Communications
Mr. Hank Scott, CEO Collum’s Lumber Products, LLC
Mr. Bill H. Stern, President Stern & Stern and Associates
History of the South Carolina Republican Presidential Primary:
Year Winner Percentage 2nd Place
1980 Ronald Reagan 55% John Connally
1984 Uncontested
1988 George Bush 49% Bob Dole
1992 George Bush 67% Pat Buchanan
1996 Bob Dole 45% Pat Buchanan
2000 George W. Bush 53% John McCain
2004 Uncontested
Dawson said the SCGOP is working on another major event regarding the 2008 Presidential Primary and should announce it within two weeks.
South Carolina Republican Party’s website is, www.scgop.com.