S.C. Senate Republicans elect Massey as new leader

State Sen. Shane Massey, a rising star in the state GOP, was elected Senate majority leader Wednesday.

The new head of the Senate Republican caucus, a 40-year-old Edgefield attorney, succeeds Harvey Peeler, a Cherokee Republican who stepped down suddenly Tuesday. Peeler had led Senate Republicans for 11 years.

“It’s time for a new generation to step up,” Massey said, adding, “It’s important that the face of this caucus be someone who is younger and who is energetic and who is really excited to lead on conservative issues.”

Massey was nominated by the two other senators who had considered running for the job – Larry Grooms, R-Berkeley, and Ronnie Cromer, R-Newberry.

Grooms said he wanted the caucus to be united behind one leader, so he supported Massey. Cromer also backed Massey, who was elected by acclimation.

The election of Massey, the third youngest senator, is a break from the Senate’s traditional use of seniority to determine leadership positions.

“For the longest time, seniority meant everything,” Grooms said, adding, “It no longer means what it used to mean.”

When he first was elected, Grooms said new senators were not allowed to offer opening remarks from the Senate floor. Junior members had to be quiet for their first term, he said. Now, it is common for senators to take the podium and comment on the honor of being elected.

In 2014, Massey was one of only two senators to vote against Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, as president pro tempore, the Senate’s top post.

At the time, Massey said Leatherman’s twin posts of Senate leader and chairman of the Senate’s powerful budget-writing Finance Committee would give the Florence Republican too much power.

“I had some strong opinions about that,” Massey said Wednesday, adding, “I’m not going to back down on what I think is right.”

Republican Gov. Nikki Haley of Lexington, who also has clashed with Leatherman, said she is excited about Massey’s new role. “He is someone who is going to bring new life into our Republican Caucus in the Senate.”

In a statement Wednesday, Leatherman said being majority leader “can be a difficult and demanding job, but Sen. Massey has stepped up to the challenge, and I’m confident he’ll do well.”

Part of Massey’s job will include trying to unite the Senate’s GOP factions — allies of Leatherman, mainstream Republicans and the libertarian William Wallace Caucus.

“We have different groups within our caucus because each of us were elected independently,” Massey said.

Massey added he thinks he has credibility with all the members of the GOP caucus and people trust him. “I’m going to try to use those things to see if we can help bring some consensus on issues.”

This story was originally published April 6, 2016 at 1:16 PM with the headline "S.C. Senate Republicans elect Massey as new leader."