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INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

First Published in 1994

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

January 22, 2019 – GOP Primary

Special Election – State Senate 6

  • For candidates already in an office, I have been able to check voting records. My comments reflect their voting records over the course of their tenure.
  • For those who have never run for office before, and who claim a position, I will state their claim, but understand I have no voting records by which to verify that claim.
  • Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. A photo ID is required to vote in South Carolina.

Dwight Loftis https://www.facebook.com/LoftisForSenate

Experienced legislator. Incumbent in State House District 19 and has represented that district for 20 years. Initially campaigned as a conservative Republican and has stayed true to those conservative values throughout his career. Member of Clearview Baptist Church. Co-sponsor of school choice legislation in the state house and has been a leader on education reform for nearly his entire tenure. Currently sits on the Education Oversight Committee. In 2016, he supported Ted Cruz for President.

Considered to be a faithful fiscal conservative. Voted against the gas tax. Former small business owner. In his last election he received a 100% ranking from the NFIB (National Federation of Independent Businesses), a small business group. Has a very strong Pro-Life record. When he ran in November, he received the endorsements of SC Life PAC and has a 100% Pro-Life voting record. A strong defender of gun rights. Received an “A-” from the NRA and their endorsement in this race. His record speaks for itself on these issues.

Dwight has been a consistent conservative vote without having to be hounded to make the proper votes. He is one of those quiet faithful doers who faithfully works behind the scenes without seeking a spotlight, but enjoys the hard labor of getting good conservative legislation passed through the House. Further, he is one of the few people who have served as long as he has without being changed and corrupted.

Endorsed by Scott & Teresa Case; former State Senators Mike Fair and Lewis Vaughn (was the leader for school choice in the State Senate when he served); County Councilmen Dr. Sid Cates, Dr. Bob Taylor and Willis Meadows; former State Rep. Glenn Hamilton; State Rep. Garry Smith; Stephen & Deborah Brown, Patrick & Shelly Haddon, Julie Hershey, Tim & Michele Morgan, Steve & Cheryl Taylor, Kathy & Bobby Davis, Dan & Linda Kirsop, and Jennifer Headley.

Amy Ryberg Doyle www.amyrybergdoyle.org

Current Greenville City Councilwoman. Amy Ryberg Doyle is the daughter of former State Senator Greg Ryberg (R). Campaigned for and supported the gas tax and has supported it since 2013. She is what I would consider to be a “downtown, tax-and-spend, fiscal liberal.” There are not many tax increases, fee rate raises, or regulations that she has not supported.

In 2016 Amy Ryberg supported John Kasich, Governor of Ohio, for US President. In my opinion, Kasich was the most liberal Republican running that year (for example, he received an “F” from the NRA). At the debate, she claimed to be a strong defender of both the First and the Second Amendments. But her tweets regarding gun rights do not support such a claim. She received a “?” from the NRA—this means either she refused to answer the survey or she answered it and they compared it to her public statements and found they did not match. In looking at her tweets and public statements, I believe her position on gun rights to be similar to John Kasich’s (that assault weapons should not be owned by law-abiding citizens).

There are two issues on which I believe she holds conservative views—Right to Life and School Choice. I’m comfortable with her positions on School Choice. Regarding Pro-Life, she claims to be Pro-Life from conception to natural death. I believe her position on Life is a deeply held personal and religious conviction. I do not know whether this personal view holds a primary position in how she votes and/or who she supports. City Council does not vote on the Pro-Life issue, so there is no voting record to examine. However, I can look back and see who she has supported. Three years ago she helped defeat the ONLY Republican woman Pro-Life leader in the State House. This Republican woman was the lead sponsor and advocate for multiple Pro-Life legislation and advocated and passed the “pain-capable bill.” My point in telling you this is that I do not believe that her Pro-Life views hold a primary position in how she votes and who she supports. I will say that the person she supported in that race claimed to be, and has proven to be, a Pro-Life Vote. However, there is now no current woman in the State House, leading the Pro-Life movement; and when Wendy Nanney lost in that race, Planned Parenthood and the Pro-Abortion movement celebrated. Amy Ryberg Doyle supported Wendy’s opponent because she believed Wendy was too conservative. Further, in the article about that race, she stated that “the Republican Party should stay out of the bedrooms and, frankly, now bathrooms” (The State newspaper).

Endorsed by former State Senator Greg Ryberg, former Lt. Governor Kevin Bryant, Chuck Saylors (Greenville County School Board member), Lenna Fox Smith, Bruce Bannister, Greenville City Mayor Knox White.

Amy Ryberg Doyle claims to be a conservative Republican. I do not believe that she can legitimately claim to be such—at best, she is a moderate and some of her views are even left of center. She is to the left of Lindsey Graham, but to the right of Rudy Giuliani. She is a “never Trump-er” and has used the NeverTrump hashtag. If she wins this election, she will be the most liberal elected Republican in the State Senate. One of the planks of her campaign is that she is a “strong conservative woman” (playing the gender card; therefore women should vote for her), but in the District 22 race three years ago she did not support the “strong conservative woman”—she did not give Wendy Nanney that courtesy. In my opinion, she is a hypocrite, so don’t feel obligated to vote for her because she is a “strong conservative woman” because she doesn’t always vote for the strong woman herself.

Jeffrey Stringer www.jeffreystringer.com

Local businessman. Grassroots conservative. Seems like a nice fellow. He’s only raised about $20,000 and doesn’t have much name recognition. Because of the dynamics of the two other candidates (a race between a true conservative and a moderate to liberal Republican), I cannot encourage you to vote for this man since it will divide the vote. The only thing I heard from him that I disagreed with was his stance on marijuana.

Evert: I will enthusiastically endorse, support, and vote for Dwight Loftis. Both Dwight Loftis and Amy Ryberg Doyle claim to be Pro-Life; Loftis has the better record on the issue. Both claim to be proponents of school choice; Loftis has the better record and has been a leader on the issue. Both claim to support the Second Amendment; their NRA rankings clearly show who is really a defender of the Second Amendment.

Conservative Republicans need to be aware that downtown Democrats are engaged in this race and are actively supporting Amy Ryberg Doyle. There is no Democrat primary to draw them away from voting in the Republican Primary. It would be a shame to replace William Timmons with someone to his left. Dwight Loftis is to the right of William Timmons and I look forward to voting for him.

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About the Author, Evert Headley

Evert has been involved with politics since 1989, both at state and local levels. He considers himself to be a Reagan conservative (conservative on social, economic, and national security issues). His first issue is always the Right to Life (without that right, which is endowed by our Creator, none of the other rights even exists). His second issue is always the Second Amendment (the right to bear arms) because this right guarantees the ability of individuals and states to defend the other rights. His third issue is always the First Amendment (freedom of religion, speech and assembly). His fourth issue is the defense of capitalism and the defeat of Socialism/Marxism/Fascism, along with the protection of private property rights. On the national level, we are printing too much money, spending too much money, and borrowing too much money. The federal government is trying to usurp and infringe upon the rights reserved to the states and to the individuals. Those on Facebook can find him under Evert M Headley.

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