The South Carolina Republican Party moved its presidential primary Monday up to Jan. 21 -- leapfrogging Florida, which had set its primary date as Jan. 31 on Friday.
The 7-2 vote by Floridas nine-member Presidential Preference Primary Committee started a scramble, as the states that traditionally hold early caucuses and primaries -- Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada -- threatened to move their contests earlier in the campaign season.
Chad Connelly, chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, had harsh words for Floridas Presidential Preference Primary Committee on Monday
Last Friday, a nine-person committee brought chaos to the 2012 calendar, said Connelly in a statement. Today, South Carolina is making things right.
In jumping back ahead of Florida, South Carolina resumes its familiar role. The state has traditionally held the first Republican primary in the Southern states after the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary. Legendary political operative Lee Atwater set up the South Carolina primary as a firewall to help his candidate in 1980 -- then Vice President George H.W. Bush -- carry the Palmetto State on his way to the Republican presidential nomination.
Since then, the South Carolina primary has proven decisive in Republican presidential contests. In 1996, South Carolina backed Bob Dole, who had carried Iowa, over Pat Buchanan who had won the New Hampshire primary. Dole went on to win the nomination. In 2000, South Carolina backed another Iowa caucus winner who went on to win the Republican presidential nomination -- George W. Bush -- over John McCain, who had carried New Hampshire. In 2008, South Carolina backed McCain, who had won New Hampshire again, over Mike Huckabee who had prevailed over Mitt Romney in Iowa.
On Monday, Connelly expressed confidence the Palmetto State would continue its decisive role in determining the Republican presidential nominee.
South Carolina Republicans have a 30-year track record of picking the eventual Republican presidential nominee," Connelly said. We will continue that historic tradition on Jan. 21, 2012.
The South Carolina Republican Party announced it would sponsor a debate between the candidates to be televised on Fox News.
With South Carolina moving back to Jan. 21, New Hampshire is expected to hold its primary earlier in the month -- Jan. 10 seems a likely date, according to national reports -- with the Iowa caucus scheduled a week earlier.
Connelly expressed confidence the Republican presidential candidates would continue to focus on the Palmetto State, despite the new schedule.
It will undoubtedly be a spirited campaign to make Barack Obama just the worst one-term president in American history, said Connelly. We are united in this mission, and any candidate who ignores South Carolina does so at great peril.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
