Local GOP gubernatorial debate will delay to June ‘if necessary’

By Ruben Lowman

If you were planning on spending your St. Patrick’s Day holiday watching the hopefuls for South Carolina’s highest office trade barbs in Conway, you might want to find a new set of plans.

The S.C. Republican Party has hit the brakes on its original schedule, effectively moving the Grand Strand area from the front of the line to a wait-and-see position at the very end of the primary season.

The original schedule, laid out back in December, had the candidates for governor debating at Coastal Carolina University on March 17. However, the updated itinerary now shows a much different path, with the debate tour officially kicking off on April 1 at the Newberry Opera House, followed by stops in Charleston and Spartanburg.

The primary reason for the schedule shuffle is to accommodate Representatives Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, both major contenders for the nomination, who faced a potential scheduling nightmare with the U.S. House of Representatives in session during the original dates.

Rather than forcing the high-profile candidates to choose between a floor vote in Washington, D.C., and a debate podium in Conway, the state party opted to switch things around.

The most significant change for local voters in Horry County is the “if necessary” tag now attached to the CCU debate. By moving the date to June 16, the SCGOP has positioned it after the June 9 primary election.

This means the Grand Strand will only host a debate if the primary fails to produce a majority winner, triggering a runoff between the top two candidates. If the primary is settled on the first ballot, the Conway event will not be held.

The field is crowded with familiar faces to Palmetto State residents, including Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, Attorney General Alan Wilson, State Senator Josh Kimbrell, alongside Mace and Norman. As of press time, Wilson is the only candidate who has officially committed to attending all four scheduled dates.