SC Republican Party

Donald Trump spoke at the S.C. Republican Party's annual Silver Elephant dinner on Aug. 5, the same week the former president pleaded not guilty to felony charges over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

South Carolina Republicans have selected Drew McKissick as their chairman for a fourth term at a convention where some of the party's 2024 presidential hopefuls made pitches to voters in the first-in-the-South primary state. McKissick has led the party since 2017 in a state where the GOP holds all statewide-elected positions, all but one U.S. House seat and control of both legislative chambers. He defeated three challengers. Among the 2024 GOP presidential contenders, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy addressed the convention, while former President Donald Trump, Sen. Tim Scott and a super PAC supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sent videos.

South Carolina Republicans tallied key victories on a night when the GOP nationwide struggled to generate the wins historically associated with a midterm election under an opposing party's president. They won the governor's race by the largest margin in over 30 years and reached a supermajority in the legislature. South Carolina GOP officials attribute their success in part to a historically large ground campaign, strong candidates at the top and record straight-ticket voting. After sustaining such great losses, some state Democrats are questioning the enthusiasm among the party's base.

Some South Carolina lawmakers who oppose abortion are being cautious when it comes to tightening the state's already restrictive laws even further. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, paving the way for states to enact total bans if they choose to do so. South Carolina currently has a law banning abortion after cardiac activity is detected, at about six weeks of pregnancy. Lawmakers called a special session after the high court's decision in June to discuss the issue. But some are hesitating after seeing voters in conservative Kansas overwhelmingly reject a measure that would allow the legislature to tighten restrictions or enact a total ban.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is headlining a major gathering of Republicans in South Carolina as he considers a 2024 White House bid. Congressman Jeff Duncan tells The Associated Press that Pompeo will speak Aug. 22 at the Faith & Freedom BBQ in Anderson. The Duncan campaign fundraiser has long been a showcase for possible White House contenders, including South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem. Pompeo has been testing the political waters of South Carolina, home to the first presidential votes in the South. Other possible contenders, including former Vice President Mike Pence, have been making appearances in the state throughout this summer.

Two days after losing a bitter primary to a rival she once deemed a "sellout" for occasionally working with Democrats, Katie Arrington appeared at a "unity rally" to urge South Carolina Republicans to come together and back Rep. Nancy Mace in the fall general election. Republicans, Arrington said, "may fight like banshees inside the house, but once we walk out that door, it's one team, one fight." The cordial tone is striking in a Republican Party increasingly defined by an absolutist approach to politics. Aware that the coastal congressional district is one of the few places in the state where Democrats have been competitive, Republicans say it is important to move past the party's internal divisions.

Filing is open for South Carolina's 2022 primary elections. Filing opened Wednesday for the contests, which include intraparty races featuring Republican incumbents fending off challengers backed by former President Donald Trump. All candidates for state, federal and local offices must register by March 30. Primary elections are June 14. The two most closely watched congressional seats are along South Carolina's coast, where U.S. Reps. Tom Rice and Nancy Mace are being targeted by Trump for behavior he has characterized as disloyal to him. Democrats Joe Cunningham and Mia McLeod are vying for the chance to face Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who is seeking his second full term.

A GOP lawyer who advised former President Donald Trump in his campaign to overturn the 2020 election results is among speakers planned for a South Carolina gathering billed as a must-stop on the road to the state's primary. The state GOP announced Wednesday that longtime Republican lawyer Cleta Mitchell was scheduled to participate in next month's First in the South Republican Action Conference.