Bills to close SC’s party primaries stall amid GOP ‘civil war’

By: Adrian Ashford, Seanna Adcox

Outlets: South Carolina Daily Gazette

Published: January 22, 2026

Words: 1,036

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 4 days ago

Body Text Preview

COLUMBIA — Two dueling GOP proposals designed to stop Democrats from voting in Republican primaries are likely going nowhere after causing a “civil war” within South Carolina’s dominating party.

Rep. Brandon Newton of Lancaster, author of the bill repeatedly endorsed by the state Republican Party, opened Wednesday’s two-hour hearing by saying neither bill should advance amid the internal GOP wrangling. The other bill is primarily sponsored by members of the hardline House Freedom …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us