Thursday, August 03, 2006
SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN PARTY ANNOUNCES PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE ON MAY 15, 2007
State will also hold first Southern Primary
Contact: Kara Borie
803.988.8440

(Minneapolis, MN) - Today at the Republican National Committee Summer meeting in Minneapolis, MN, the Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, Katon Dawson, announced that the SCGOP would host a Republican Presidential Debate on May 15, 2007.

“South Carolina will once again hold the “First in the South” Republican Presidential Primary in early 2008, so it is only fitting that our Party’s candidates debate the issues here in South Carolina,” said Dawson.

Dawson said that the debate will be held at the University of South Carolina in the capital city of Columbia. “Several networks are eager to air the debate and we are confident it will have national appeal,” continued Dawson.

Several months ago, the SCGOP announced the creation of the South Carolina Presidential Primary Task Force to ensure that the state remain as the first Southern Presidential Primary.

“South Carolina has proven to be a great testing ground for presidential candidates and a launching pad to the White House,” said 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.

The date of the state’s Republican Presidential Primary is set by the South Carolina Republican Party.
 
 

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 McAlister, President of McAlister 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
 
 

Information can also be found on the South Carolina Republican Party’s website, www.scgop.com.