It reveals my philosophy on why I think it is important to get involved in the dirty world of Politics…
Saluda County GOP County Convention – April 8, 2025
Before I make the remarks I had planned, I want to address a rumor I just heard today. Apparently, there is some talk about changing how Republican candidates for office are selected – that we should stop having primary elections as we do now, and have party members select candidates in meetings like this one we are at tonight. I am totally against such a thing, and if it if ever comes up here while I am chairman, I will actively fight against it. My belief is that Republican candidates at every level, local, state, and national, should be elected in primaries, by registered voters. Period.1
Another thing I want you to know is that if I am elected, I intend to have our meetings in a central Saluda location, probably downtown. I have worked very hard for months to recruit good conservative Republicans from each one of our 13 precincts, and I want to keep every one of you motivated and involved. No one should have to drive all the way across the county to attend a Republican Party meeting.
seated l-r: Pete Hall, Marvin Gootee, Frank Potts; standing: Melinda Kneece
Whatever the case, I trust we will all get to know each other better. There is little I enjoy more than like-minded conservatives with good values and common sense.
I am here tonight asking for your vote, but, mostly, I ask for your continued devotion to our common causes of faith, family, community and country.
- When I heard the unfounded rumor that I would support selecting candidates in Party Conventions rather than primary elections, I had no idea where that idea came from. It turns out it was the subject of a Resolution that was voted on at the State GOP Convention in May where I was in attendance as a delegate. The Resolution called for continuing Primary Elections as has been the custom for years in South Carolina and every other state I know of. The Resolution passed overwhelmingly. ↩︎
