Another social conservative from the South Carolina Upstate is mulling a campaign for the Palmetto State’s “Republican” gubernatorial nomination in 2018, sources tell FITSNews.
Joshua Kimbrell – chairman of the Spartanburg County GOP and host of the “Common Cents” radio show – is said to be eyeing a possible bid.
“There’s no decision on that at this time,” Kimbrell told us. “It has crossed my mind to run, but I’ve made no decision.”
The RedState.com contributor and frequent Fox News guest tells us his immediate focus is his October wedding to fiancée Liliya Robertson. The couple got engaged last weekend.
Robertson’s family emigrated to the United States (legally) from Eastern Europe, a story Kimbrell has referenced often in connection with the nation’s ongoing immigration debate.
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Kimbrell’s social conservatism would put him in direct competition for votes against lieutenant governor Kevin Bryant, who announced his candidacy earlier this summer. It would also pit him against incumbent governor Henry McMaster – who is working overtime to court evangelical voters as part of his imperiled reelection bid.
But there’s another side to Kimbrell, his supporters say …
“Don’t overlook his economic development work,” one source familiar with Kimbrell’s plans told us.
Specifically, we’re told an aviation concern Kimbrell is associated with will be announcing a major investment – and 150 new jobs – at the Donaldson Center airport facility in Greenville, S.C. next week.
“He’s been the lead economic development person on this project,” our source said.
McMaster was supposed to cruise to reelection in 2018 after U.S. president Donald Trump gift-wrapped the governor’s office for him – appointing its former occupant, Nikki Haley, as his ambassador to the United Nations.
That’s been a boon for Haley, not so much for McMaster …
Upstart Lowcountry attorney Catherine Templeton has seized upon widespread disaffection with the thick-drawled, guffawing good ol’ boy – who continues to be dogged by pay-to-play allegations (here and here) as well as his proximity to an ongoing, multi-jurisdictional investigation into corruption in state government.
Not only have Templeton’s initial fundraising totals shattered expectations, but early efforts by McMaster to attack her have backfired … arguably doing more damage to his campaign than to hers.
In fact South Carolina Democrats – who as of this writing still have no declared candidate of their own – have laid off McMaster and trained their fire on Templeton instead.
Stay tuned … we will update our readers when we hear definitive news regarding Kimbrell’s intentions.
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