May 11, 2011 – Columbia, SC

Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler and Representative Alan Clemmons were honored this weekend at the SC Republican Party convention as the Republican Senator and Representative of the Year. They were given the Terry Haskins Award for their leadership on issues critical to South Carolina and their leadership in the SCGOP.

Peeler has been a driving force for much of the Republican agenda in the Senate this year, championing voter ID, tort reform, government restructuring, protecting S.C. workers from union intimidation and solving our state’s budget crisis.

In the House, Clemmons has worked tirelessly to make voter ID state law. A strong advocate for good government, Clemmons says that by passing the bill – currently waiting consideration in the Senate — will make our state’s elections cleaner and safer, putting no doubt in what is the will of the people.

SCGOP chairman Chad Connelly said, “Senator Peeler and Representative Clemmons have been instrumental in securing the integrity of our voting process and ensuring clean elections by helping to move the voter ID bill through the General Assembly, and for that I am grateful.”

Haskins was elected to the House in 1984 at the age of 29 and served as the speaker pro tem from 1995 until he passed away on Oct. 24, 2000 from cancer. He was known for being able to bridge partisan divides and taking action to end some of our state’s most controversial issues, like the Confederate flag at the State House and video poker.

“We’re lucky to have two great legislators like Sen. Peeler and Rep. Clemmons working hard for our state and for our conservative ideals,” former S.C. Republican Party chairman Karen Floyd said. “It’s a well-deserved honor.”

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