A Note from the Chairman: Mid-Year Report
It’s already June 2023, and this has been a most exciting year so far, with more to come. Let’s look back on the first half of the year. Precinct Reorganization was a huge success, and we saw participation rise by 250% compared to 2021. We saw dozens of Beaufort County common sense conservatives get involved and become precinct leaders. This was NOT an accident, but rather the result of hard work by many individuals that started early in 2022. Regional Directors Lynn Fontaine in the South, Linda Cannon in the Central and Scott Anderson in the North helped precinct leaders organize individual and cluster precinct meetings with record turnout. Hilton Head Island, for example, is better positioned than ever, with 27 of 29 precincts organized.
“Beaufort County Republicans are UNITED. ”
BCRP officers, led by Xiaodan Li, developed strategies, engagement plans and training for precinct leaders to conduct precinct reorganization meetings fairly and efficiently. In January and February, the BCRP conducted training throughout Beaufort County for anyone wishing to get involved in their Precinct Committee. In March, the Regional Directors scheduled and conducted 22 individual and cluster meetings for all 95 Precincts in Beaufort County. They did this in 16 days! Hats off to all the volunteers who helped accomplish this.
In April, the BCRP County Convention was held in Sun City. The Convention Committee was led by Vice Chairman Sherri Zedd and a team of volunteers from all over the county. This team spent hundreds of hours planning, and this year’s convention was by far the best in Beaufort County history. At the convention, the Chairman and First Vice Chair were elected by acclimation, and the State Executive Committeeman, Xiaodan Li, won with 86% of the vote. In a straw poll, the SC election reform bill, known as the “Beaufort Bill” in Columbia, was supported by 94% of the delegates. Thanks to Xiaodan and our legislators, who got the reforms enacted into Law. Delegates and alternates to the SCGOP State Convention were also elected at the County Convention.
In May, a full roster of delegates and alternates participated in the SCGOP State Convention, and 91% of our delegates supported Chairman Drew McKissick for re-election. Beaufort County’s own Leighton Gray Smith defeated a State House Representative from the Freedom Caucus to be elected as the 3rd Vice Chair of the SCGOP. Congratulations to Leighton, the Executive Committeeman from precinct Hilton Head 13.
Beaufort County Republicans are UNITED. The results from reorganization, the County Convention elections, and the State Delegate votes for SCGOP leadership demonstrate our unity.
Our focus will now shift as we get ready for local elections this year and the presidential elections in 2024.
