New Horry County GOP leadership urges unity, vigilance ahead of high-stakes midterms
Horry County’s state-backed Republican Party took its first steps toward ending months of infighting that’s paralyzed its work, picking a new slate of officers and vowing to keep an eye on the polls during next week’s midterm elections.
“Let me cut to the chase. This is the (Horry County) Republican Party. We’re going to move forward and we’re going to get something done,” chairman Reese Boyd told about 50 people Nov. 1 during an organizational meeting at Conway’s converted peanut factory.
Despite being picked by a majority of the Horry County GOP’s executive committee on Oct. 11, Boyd’s leadership remains in question by a segment of the group supporting Roger Slagle, whose resignation as chairman took effect Sept. 30.
“Keep your head down and your eyes focused on the prize,” Boyd said. “The job of the Republican Party is to recruit people to get into the party, to get folks who are conservative elected to office.
“Everything else that is not about that is at best a distraction and at worst, extremely harmful to what we’re supposed to be about.”
With midterms a week away, Boyd said the party is looking for poll watchers to ensure elections are handled fairly. Two training sessions are planned over the next seven days.
“I think these are the most important midterm elections in my lifetime, and it is so important that we do this in South Carolina and that we do it right,” he said. “Obviously, election integrity is a huge issue. You really don’t understand that issue until you’ve watched the polls.”
Previous controversy
Slagle announced Sept. 12 he would step down at the end of September along with the rest of his leadership team, citing ongoing disputes with S.C. GOP executive director Drew McKissick and philosophical differences within the county’s organization.
But on Sept. 26, he said he intended to stay on as chairman. He has refused to hand over the party’s social media accounts and financial information.
The S.C. GOP has repeatedly said Slagle’s departure from his chairmanship is final. But on Nov. 7, the day before the election, a meeting has been scheduled in Myrtle Beach to pick new officers while recognizing Slagle as chairman.
Boyd encouraged those within the party to stand behind him — and after winning a round of applause for affirming his support for former President Donald Trump — sent a message to those holding out.
“It’s not our objective to kick people out. That includes anybody on the roster when we took over,” he said. “We’ve responded to events the previous leadership team set in motion but we are ready to move forward.”
