Upstate GOP leaders are asking  the party’s executive committee to consider a resolution to expel longtime Lexington Senator Jake Knotts. The committee meets in Columbia Saturday morning. Even though he represents a different region of the state, party members want to send a stronger message that the reprimand Lexington County Republicans gave him a couple of weeks ago.

At issue is Knotts’ calling their newly-named candidate for governor Nikki Haley a “raghead.” Knotts apologized that “people took my statement the wrong way.”  Roan Garcia-Quintana, precinct president for Mauldin 1, says the statement offends both parties, since Democrat Vincent Sheheen is of Lebanese descent.  He says Patrick Haddon will introduce the resolution that is also backed by an Upstate coalition of Tea Parties and conservative organizations.

AUDIO: Selection of Roan Garcia-Quintana interview with SCRN  (1:50)

Knotts could not be reached for comment on Saturday’s meeting.

Another name may be added to the mix for the U.S. Senate Race –Linda Ketner from Charleston.

Ashley Byrd reports: AUDIO: Ketner considering being on ballot (:54)

The recent primary and runoff left a lot of politicians disappointed.

Long-time Repubublican Congressman Bob Inglis lost his bid in the recent GOP primary runoff to Spartanburg prosecutor Trey Gowdy, who received 71 percent of the vote. Inglis says it’s time to do other things and that he has no further political plans. He says he’s looking for a job.

AUDIO: Inglis on his loss (:11)

(And if you have a job for Inglis, know that he is a commercial real estate attorney and a Phi Beta Kappa Duke University graduate…)  Inglis said he wasn’t surprised by the outcome because of a few controversial votes, including his opposition to former President Bush’s 2007 troop surge in Iraq, and the vote to reprimand U.S. Representative Joe Wilson for shouting “you lie” at President Obama. Gowdy will face Democrat Paul Corden in the November general election.

Richard Cash lost the GOP’s 3rd District Congressional nomination to Jeff Duncan who received less than 52 percent of the vote. Cash ran on a position of term limits and refused to take any outside campaign contributions that didn’t come from the voters of his district. He points out that, even at that, he was still the top vote getter in the primary, but asserts that he lost the election due to a special interest group.

AUDIO: Cash on his loss (:30) [Read more...]