Southern 2024 Presidential Primary Date Set by State GOP

South Carolina Republicans Set Date for First Southern 2024 Presidential Primary

The South Carolina Republican Party has announced that their 2024 presidential primary will take place on February 24. This decision, if approved, will provide GOP White House hopefuls with more time to campaign in the first-in-the-South state.

The state GOP executive committee unanimously voted to approve the measure on Saturday, according to party executive director Hope Walker. However, the selection still requires approval from the Republican National Committee to become official. Walker stated that a formal submission will be sent before the October deadline.

This move comes as both major parties work to solidify their voting calendars for the 2024 nominating process.

Last year, the RNC voted to maintain its voting order, with Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada leading the way. By scheduling South Carolina’s vote on February 24, Walker explained that candidates would have more time after Nevada’s vote on February 6 to focus on the state. South Carolina’s support is crucial for Republicans vying for their party’s nomination.

“This is a great opportunity for South Carolina Republicans and for our candidates and the voters in South Carolina to get to interact one on one, not just in large masses,” Walker said.

Meanwhile, Democrats are grappling with President Joe Biden’s plan to overhaul the party’s 2024 presidential primary schedule. A Democratic National Committee rules panel has given New Hampshire until September 1 to comply with new rules that state leaders strongly oppose. However, no immediate extension has been offered to Georgia, another battleground state that has yet to set its primary date for next year.

The main point of contention is Biden’s proposal to replace Iowa’s caucus with South Carolina as the first state to vote on February 3, 2024. New Hampshire has traditionally held the nation’s first primary after Iowa’s caucus. Under the new calendar, New Hampshire and Nevada would vote together on February 6, a change that New Hampshire officials have strongly criticized.

Republican candidates must file with the South Carolina GOP by October 31 under the approved measure. The party’s first debate is scheduled for August 23.

The executive committee also set the candidate filing fees for the presidential primary at $50,000. Walker explained that this figure accounts for inflation increases since 2016 when the party charged candidates $40,000. State law requires parties to pay $20,000 per candidate to the South Carolina Election Commission, which oversees the state’s primaries.

In 2015, a study released by then-South Carolina GOP Chairman Matt Moore revealed that the 2012 primary had boosted the state’s economy by nearly $20 million. Campaigns and super PACs alone spent over $11 million on ads, in addition to other expenditures on staffing, supplies, hotel rooms, and food.

“South Carolina voters are an important part of this process, and it will also help not just with the process but with the economic boom it’ll bring to our state,” Walker emphasized.

During the meeting, South Carolina GOP members also approved the selection of former President Donald Trump as the speaker at the Silver Elephant Gala on August 5, the party’s signature fundraiser.

Drew McKissick, South Carolina’s GOP chairman, was recently re-elected to a fourth term in office. He also currently serves as the national co-chairman of the RNC.

The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.

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