Lt. Gov. Evette breaks with SC Gov. McMaster on closed primary stance
Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette broke with Gov. Henry McMaster and called for closed primaries, a position the governor does not hold.
Evette’s stance comes as several candidates for governor have weighed in on the ongoing House debate over whether and how to close primaries in South Carolina, which has led to a split among Republicans.
Evette in an interview with television station WYFF discussed why she believes the state should close its primaries.
“People don’t want to feel like their choices are being interfered with from anybody. So I say, yes it’s time to close the primaries and make sure Republicans are voting for Republicans,” Evette told WYFF.
McMaster, a former S.C. GOP chairman, has been against closing the primaries in South Carolina. He has said in the past that having an open primary allowed the GOP to grow in the Palmetto State, where Democrats once dominated.
“Anything that puts obstacles in the way of people voting is not something I would support,” McMaster said in an interview.
While speaking to reporters Thursday, McMaster said he was unaware of Evette’s position until he was told recently.
“That’s one issue that Lt. Gov. Evette and I have not discussed. I look forward to explaining to what I have seen over the years,” McMaster said.
However, efforts to close primaries or allow for people to register as part of a political primary appear to have stalled in the House and show no indication of moving in the state Senate. Despite that, ahead of a key primary in June, Republicans have pushed toward closed primaries.
U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, who is backed by members of the hard-line S.C. House Freedom Caucus, put his support behind H. 3310, which included him standing with them at a State House news conference. That bill would only allow those who are registered as Republicans to vote in primaries.
“The elections that we have in the state are often within 20 (or) 30 votes. We can’t have those from the opposite party stopping people from being elected, and we’ve got to put a stop to that,” Norman said during a recent news conference.
U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace also said she supported the bill pushed by the House Freedom Caucus.
“It’s pretty simple: Republicans should choose Republican nominees, and Democrats should choose Democrat nominees,” Mace said. “Our current system is an open invitation for mischief. Closed primaries protect the integrity of both parties and ensure that nominees actually represent the voters they claim to serve.”
State Sen. Josh Kimbrell, R-Spartanburg, is sponsor on S. 305, which is a Senate version of a bill that is backed by the S.C. GOP that would allow those registered with a party and unaffiliated voters to vote in the party’s primary.
“I’ve always said I support the idea of having closed primaries. I understand there’s different views of what that maybe looks like,” Kimbrell said in an interview. “I believe that every voter has the right to pick which party he or she wants to vote in. I think there should be some flexibility how you can have a change of the mind. But, I mean, I think having clear ability to register as a Republican, Democrat or Independent, (you) should have that choice.”
Attorney General Alan Wilson came out in support of the closing primaries Wednesday.
“Closing primaries protects the integrity of our elections, strengthens accountability, and ensures our party reflects the values of those who actually believe in it,” Wilson posted on social media.
Wilson said his office is still reviewing the competing versions of the legislation, however, and did not immediately back either version.
“We’re currently reviewing them, but at the end of the day, anything that promotes election security and integrity is we’re going to be supportive of,” Wilson said in a brief interview Wednesday. “But as far as the distinction between the two bills, I haven’t weighed in on those yet, because we’re still reviewing it.”
On the Democratic side, both announced candidates for governor are against any move to close primaries.
“The corrupt political establishment has introduced legislation designed to take power away from the people of South Carolina by closing primary elections. If passed the bill would dictate to voters who they could vote for,” Charleston Attorney Mullins McLeod said in a statement.
State Rep. Jermaine Johnson, D-Richland, said the moves would disenfranchise voters.
“I believe that Republicans who are screaming for this are not realizing is not every part of the state looks like where they live,” Johnson said adding in places such as Democratically-dominated Richland County, a couple of members of the county council identify as Republicans.
“So you have to be able to vote for the best person, and sometimes that best person might be a moderate Democrat or might be a moderate Republican,” Johnson added.
