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SCGOP Statement on Presidential Primary Lawsuit Ruling

Columbia, SC. – The South Carolina Republican Party released the following statement regarding today’s ruling on the presidential primary lawsuit:    “We are pleased that the judge agreed with us that we don’t have to waste taxpayer dollars holding a presidential primary to find out what we already know: that South Carolinians support President Trump. We also appreciate that the judge recognized that the SCGOP’s State Executive Committee followed the law, its party rules, and historical precedent. We look forward to continuing our work to re-elect President Trump and Republicans up and down the ballot.” – SCGOP Chairman Drew McKissick   Below are a couple important points from the ruling:

  • “The SCGOP’s state executive committee followed its rules, customs and precedent. It also followed the law.” (p.15)
  • “The General Assembly unambiguously vested the state committee of a certified political party with the sole discretion whether to hold a presidential primary…” (p.7)
  • “The state has no role in the SCGOP’s decision…” (p.10)
  • “The General Assembly vested political parties with the sole discretion whether to hold presidential preference primaries, meaning they are not held as a matter of right.” (p.12)
  • “The law does not give plaintiffs a legal right to a presidential preference primary” (p.16)
  • The judge recognized that this is an “intraparty dispute” (p.14)
  • “Plaintiffs have failed to show they are likely to succeed on the merits of this litigation. (p.16)
  • The case was “dismissed with prejudice” (p.17)

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