Notes from State Executive meeting Saturday June 17, 2023

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• The meeting was attended by 44 Counties and 3 other voting members. The Chairman’s report focused on winning elections. All groups have a purpose, but the SCGOP has a specific “lane”, we have special legal privileges in elections.

• You can’t govern if you don’t win. We must be prepared to execute our mission and that is to communicate our message, raise money and identify, train, organize, recruit and elect Republicans.

• The fundamentals don’t change from cycle to cycle but the tools do. There is significant work being done to the Database and it’s uses.

• The Chairman compared the new Executive Committee to a bus ride. Every two years people get on the bus, argue over who’s going to drive the bus but we all take our seats and drive forward.

• We have much success to be proud of, we flipped 8 seats in the SC house and won by 27points on straight ticket voting. Our greatest opponents are our own apathy and division. The road to a democrat majority is through a divided Republican house.

• Do not let the Presidential campaign divide us further. He likened the presidential primary to a tornado in a trailer park. For a 14-30 day period they come in create a whirl of activity and spin people up then leave town to the next state. Leaving destruction and division in it’s wake if you let it.

• The Chairman encourages supporting Clubs, like men’s and women’s clubs. It gives people options to get involved. Good projects = good organizations and vice versa.

• The elephant club began with 13 contributing members in 2018 and is now at 1370 members. Our goal is to have 1500 contributing members this year. Having a regular income is essential to budgeting.

• President Trump called in to the meeting and congratulated us and the Chairman on our wins. He talked about the lead he has in the polls and he’s looking forward to coming to Pickens July 1. He talked about the serious problems our country is facing with the current administration and why we must win in 2024. We need to “Guard the Ballots”.

• Chairman McKissick then turned to our 2024 election goals in South Carolina. He sees 3 State Senate seats that can be flipped Red, 4 Red House seats that will need defending and 1-2 that have potential to flip Red. The financial goal is $250,000 to put towards get out the vote AKA victory program.

• Legislative goals that remain are:

  • ​Closed primaries/Partisan Registration The house looks favorable the Senate needs encouragement.

  • Judicial Reform

  • Party organization and protest cleanup leg.

• New administrative members are a Deputy Political Director, she will train on the Data Center uses. A Communications-social media Director, office manager of member services and a comptroller.

• A First in the South Convention in November will be hosted in Myrtle Beach.

• Fundraising and Recruiting members should be a goal at all Presidential Events. Data Center is looking to identify a “new mover’s list” if a person who has moved has been contacted by the party, they have a 71% likelihood of voting. A focus will be on swing voters who added 11% to our vote totals last cycle. American’s For Prosperity is an active voter registration organization here.

• Cindy Costa explained Bankyourvote.com. Register to vote early. If we embrace voting early, we can focus on the low propensity voters as the election closes.

• A financial status was given. The cost of the State convention was approximately $38,000. Next, we heard the Chairman’s recommendations on the Date of the Presidential primary, filing fee and filing deadline. Details to be officially released through the SCGOP. There is a lot that goes into that decision and the Chairman laid out the best scenario for South Carolina to get the maximum exposure to the candidates.

• The Chairman from Greenville made a motion to allow their Committeeman Jeff Davis to participate in the State Executive meetings. There was much discussion, and a voice vote was called. Mr. Davis will continue to be prohibited from participating in the State Executive meetings. Both Chairman Mann and I agreed that regardless of our personal experiences with Mr. Davis, that he was elected by his county and should be given a chance to represent them.

• 4 resolutions were passed as a package without discussion.

  • ​Prevent the establishment of hate crime laws in the State of South Carolina.

  • A resolution to protect the minds of minors.

  • Affirmation of bodily autonomy and opposing forced vaccinations.

  • Support for the implementation of the science of reading as the preeminent curriculum for English language education in South Carolina Public Schools.

• Various announcements were made from the different counties about festivals etc.

• The meeting lasted about 2.5 hours.

 

On a personal note: I have been reflecting on the awesome responsibility it is to cast a vote on behalf of the OCRP. There is not an opportunity to take the issues back home, decisions must be made. I was grateful to have Chairman Mann to collaborate with.

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Respectfully Submitted,

Terri Meyerring

Oconee County Committeeman