SC Campaign School Flub Embarrasses “Republicans”

HOUSE GOP DROPS THE BALL … CONSERVATIVE GROUP PICKS IT UP

We’ve been associated with a lot of crazy stories (what can we say – we cover South Carolina politics) but the ongoing tiff regarding a scheduled – then abruptly canceled – “Republican” campaign school is one of the most bizarre.

To briefly recap, two weeks ago this website ran an item from our guest columnist Taylor Brown regarding a campaign school sponsored by the House “Republican” Caucus.

GOP “Majority” leader Bruce Bannister cut a video promoting the event, and Brown enlisted this website’s founding editor and several other political luminaries to appear at the confab.  We heard from several prospective candidates who were excited to attend, too.

Days later, however, the event was called off – reportedly due to an aide’s failure to consult the football calendar (specifically No. 1 Clemson University’s date with North Carolina in the 2015 Atlantic Coast Conference championship game).

Is that the real reason the scheduled gathering was canceled, though?

Not according to our sources …

Several state lawmakers familiar with the situation tell FITS the cancellation of the campaign school was due to a turf war between rival GOP political consultants over control of the caucus’ consulting contracts.  In fact the bad blood between these consultants and operatives has now spilled over into spats between legislators – with threats, allegations and recrimination abounding.

“A lot of people were lied to, a lot of people are upset,” one GOP House member not affiliated with either of the warring consulting factions told FITS.  “It’s a missed opportunity.  We need to be growing this party – and giving our candidates everything they need to win elections.”

Now the badly divided GOP caucus is having its nose rubbed in it by a conservative group.  Seizing on the caucus’ cancellation announcement, the S.C. Club for Growth announced this week its intention to host an event in Charleston on December 5.

“The liberal Republican establishment has disappointed the people of South Carolina,” S.C. Club for Growth executive director RJ May said. “Once again, they have failed to follow through on their promises.”

“The people of the Lowcountry were told they would have a campaign school, and we’re going to give them one,” May added.  “We encourage all pro-growth, limited government conservatives seeking to challenge liberal Republicans and democrats to join us the morning of December 5.”

Nice!

Unlike the House GOP event (which set an entry fee of $45 per person), the Club said its event – which would “fill the ever increasing void left by legislative leadership” – would be free of charge.

“There shouldn’t be a price tag for entry when trying to make South Carolina a better place to live, work, and raise a family,” May said.

The Club’s decision to sponsor the school is significant – especially in light of its recent renewed advocacy on fiscal matters.  Just last week, we noted how the organization was preparing to ramp up its efforts to hold sitting lawmakers accountable for how they manage a flood of new money coming into Columbia, S.C.

Whatever internal squabbling precipitated the demise of the GOP campaign school, the situation has now turned into a nightmare for House leaders – especially Bannister and his boss, fiscally liberal S.C. Speaker Jay Lucas.

Not only has the GOP muffed a major potential outreach opportunity, its leaders have gift-wrapped an electoral opportunity for those looking to defeat liberal “Republicans” in next spring’s primary elections.

Additionally, party leaders have alienated this website’s founding editor Will Folks – who was approached and invited to attend the campaign school only to later be told he was “too controversial” for some of the establishment GOP lawmakers originally scheduled to attend.

We’re trying to think … is there a way the GOP could have possibly screwed the pooch on this event any more thoroughly?  No.  There isn’t.

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