RANKING GOP LEADERS DO BATTLE …
S.C. treasurer Curtis Loftis has jumped into a contentious “Republican” S.C. Senate primary – slamming the GOP’s newly-elected Senate “majority” leader, Shane Massey.
According to Loftis, Massey is someone who “talks the conservative talk but he just doesn’t walk the conservative walk.”
“Behind closed doors, (Massey) has joined the establishment and they’ve cost this state billions,” Loftis said in a video endorsement obtained by FITSNews.
“I need help – especially in the State Senate,” Loftis added. “I need Senators with character and the strength to stand up for you – and against the establishment.”
Loftis wants GOP primary voters to choose John Pettigrew (website), arguing the former mayor of Edgefield, S.C. would do a better job protecting taxpayers and leading on issues like ethics reform.
Here’s his video endorsement …
(Click to play)
(Vid: Via)
Massey and Pettigrew are battling for the GOP nod in the heavily-gerrymandered S.C. Senate District 25 (map here) – which includes parts of Aiken, Edgefield, McCormick, Lexington and Saluda counties. Massey first won the seat in a 2007 special election and won reelection to full, four-year terms in 2008 and 2012.
Early this year he was elected “majority” leader in the S.C. Senate after Harvey Peeler abruptly resigned from the position.
We don’t have a dog in this fight … although we have steadfastly backed Loftis in his efforts to inject some common sense into the state’s woefully-mismanaged retirement system. He’s been a consistent advocate in that fight … which means his endorsement carries some weight with us.
Massey isn’t the only S.C. Senate leader facing a credible challenge in this month’s partisan primary elections. Peeler is also facing a primary opponent, as is Senate president Hugh Leatherman and judiciary committee chairman Larry Martin.
Voters (well, some of them) will go to the polls on June 14 to determine their fates.