Potato Head Island

No man is an island … but a certain Mr. Potato Head lookalike is aiming to be.

Fresh off of his defeat at the hands of local Republicans, former Spartanburg County (S.C.) GOP Chairman Rick Beltram is starting a new political organization – the Piedmont Political Forum PAC.

“Some of us have been discussing a new vehicle for mainstream Republican discussion and action,” Beltram writes in an email inviting GOP activists to join him at an organizational breakfast for his new group.

Uhh … okay.

The event is being held at “The Junction,” where FITS has it on good authority that at least one employee “mixes in his mouth” using Mountain Dew and Canadian Mist.

Delicious.

Beltram – who until recently had dreams of becoming State Party Chairman – said in his email that “strong right wing folks” comprised a “narrow definition” of the Republican Party, and that a “big tent” strategy is needed to win elections.

That’s obviously a direct shot at the new party chairwoman, LaDonna Ryggs, who is an employee at hard-core right wing Bob Jones University.

Frankly, no matter who’s leading it, the SCGOP is in deep trouble, people.

The party enjoys overwhelming legislative majorities and holds 8 of 9 statewide offices, but less than a third of those elected officals (and a lower percentage of its leaders) are actually governing in accordance with the GOP’s stated beliefs.

Big tent?

Right …

Last time we checked, fiscal conservatism had nothing to do with white and black – but everything to do with red and black.