Monday, August 11, 2025

Richland County GOP Chairman Grinstead upsets State Party Chairman McKissick backed Connelly in close race for SCGOP National Executive Committeeman

Richland County GOP Chairman Tyson Grinstead 
stands outside the West Wing of the White House
after meeting with staff of the Trump Administration
and getting their blessing for his run for South 
Carolina Republican National Executive Committeeman. 
Grinstead won Saturday afternoon in a very close race. 
Photo Credit: Facebook

Written by Tony J. Spain, Palmetto Examiner
August 11, 2025 


COLUMBIA, S.C. (PE) – The election for South Carolina Republican National Executive Committeeman came down to the wire in Columbia Saturday with Richland County GOP Chairman Tyson Grinstead narrowly defeating former SCGOP Chairman Chad Connelly for the national position.

The election was voted on by the South Carolina Republican Executive Committee who gave Grinstead 25 votes to Connelly’s 21 votes and Cherokee County State Executive committeeman Joey Lemons receiving 2 votes.

“Thank you to the SCGOP Executive Committee for your support today. I’m looking forward to hitting the ground running,” Grinstead said. “I also want to thank the dozens of people who worked tirelessly over the last two weeks to make this happen. Together we can bring unity and success to the SCGOP!”

Grinstead’s win was a shocker and a surprising defeat to the current South Carolina Republican Chairman Drew McKissick, who was strongly backing Connelly for the position. Historically state party chairmen usually have great influences over the selection, but the defeat may be a sign McKissick is losing his grip on the state party he has controlled since 2017 and was reelected for his fifth term earlier this year.

The seat became vacant early last month with the sudden and unexpected death of Glenn McCall, a retired banker from Rock Hill, S.C., who held the position for seventeen years. Connelly was the clear frontrunner early on, but Grinstead pulled ahead after a meeting with the White House and receiving the blessing from the Trump team.

The Republican National Committee is the governing body of the Republican Party and is responsible for drafting the party platform and managing the branding and fundraising. It is made up of 168 members which includes a state party chair, 2 members of the national executive committee from all fifty states and U.S. Territories.

Grinstead joins McKissick and South Carolina national committeewoman Cindy Costa as South Carolina’s Republican representatives on the RNC. 

**********

About the Author: Tony Spain is a former candidate for Richland County Council 2020 and an award winning former military photographer and journalist while in the Public Affairs Office for the U.S. Army. His photos and writing have been published in numerous publications such as The Commercial News, Danville, Ill.; The Paraglide, Fort Bragg, N.C.; Soldier of Fortune Magazine; The State Newspaper, Columbia, S.C., and more.

He lives in Columbia, S.C.

 **********

What Say You? Got something you'd like to say? Letter to the Editor (Guest Column), praises, criticism, hate mail, news story tip or just want to say, howdy. Send them to Tony@palmettoexaminer.com

 


No comments:

Post a Comment

News and Views from Around the State: Monday, August 18, 2025

Irmo Little League All-Stars earned their way into the Little  League World Series with a walk-off win and dominated the first round. They p...