by GIL GATCH
***
Much has been written about the so-called “blood oath” within the South Carolina Republican Party in the House. As someone who was present long before that term entered the conversation, I feel compelled to offer clarity, not to reopen old wounds, but to help close them.
I was in the room during the events that prompted this moment in our political history. It was a response to a specific and unprecedented situation: one member used privileged caucus information to actively devise political attacks against his Republican colleagues, manufacturing issues for the benefit of candidates who had hired him as a paid consultant.
He wasn’t simply assisting those campaigns. He was orchestrating them, using insider knowledge for personal and financial gain. That broke trust in a serious way.
There are always rules to be a member of a caucus. But there was never a need to put them in writing until this unfortunate moment. Rules aren’t about control. They’re about integrity, trust, and relationships.
What’s often lost in the retelling of the story is what happened next.
***
Members from both the Freedom Caucus and the SCGOP Caucus sat down together to begin the difficult but necessary work of repairing that trust. The rules that emerged from those meetings were not unilaterally created or imposed by the SCGOP. They were the product of honest conversations, shared concerns, and a mutual desire to move forward together with clearer expectations on all sides.
Since then, there’s been no shortage of speculation and finger-pointing about the “signing” of the rules and the consequences of failing to do so. And since then, there’s been no shortage of harmful rhetoric, divisive social media posts, and downright just dirty politics. I count myself first among those guilty of this. I know that many of us, on all sides of this family, have said things in the heat of the moment that we wish we could take back.
Today is a new day.
If we’re serious about doing right by the people who sent us here, then we have to choose a better way. Not a softer way. Not a way that avoids hard truths or honest debate. But a way that leads to reconciliation rather than division.
Every one of us is made in the image of God and carries immeasurable value. And every one of us has been elected by our districts to do the best we can to represent our constituents. Those truths apply across both sides of the aisle and certainly to our own conservative brothers and sisters.
***
RELATED | GUEST COLUMN: THE PRICE OF SILENCE – RULE 16B AND THE GAG ORDER ON HONESTY
***
Our colleagues in the Freedom Caucus bring strong convictions and important ideas to the table. While we may differ on approach or emphasis, those differences should not divide us so deeply that we lose the ability to sit at the same table, caucus in the same room, and stand together on shared conservative principles.
Trust has been broken, yes. That is real. But healing is still possible. And healing begins with humility, with a willingness to listen, and with a shared commitment to something greater than ourselves.
We must resist the temptation to see one another as opponents. We are, in truth, teammates. Those in the Freedom Caucus and SCGOP are fellow conservatives elected by the people of South Carolina to safeguard their values, protect their liberties, and steward this state for the next generation.
That work requires unity.
We must be unified.
Not uniform—but unified in conservative purpose.
I do believe this should include establishing some set standards of conduct that allow us to work together honestly, even when we disagree. It’s hard to believe that trust can be rebuilt without getting on the same page in some way.
But should these standards be written down, signed, notarized, tattooed, engraved on stone tablets….? I honestly don’t care.
***
RELATED | S.C. JUDICIAL DISCIPLINE REPORTS RELEASED UNDER NEW TRANSPARENCY RULES
***
I see no benefit to signing the rules. Healing and trust don’t magically appear after you sign a piece of paper. It grows over time with hard work in one-on-one relationship building. To me, it doesn’t matter how we “memorialize” our renewed commitment to each other. What matters is that we start this healing journey now.
The challenges we face as a state are real. What’s happening in places like New York and Virginia reminds us how quickly things can unravel when unity gives way to division. South Carolina must not go down that road. We must stand together, not just in name, but in conservative purpose.
I remain hopeful. I believe we can turn the page. I believe we can return to caucusing together, debating vigorously but respectfully, and fighting for the conservative future we all believe in. All this can take place if we put the swords away and act like the leaders our voters hope and expect us to be.
I pray this is the moment we stop reliving the past and start shaping the future—all Republicans together.
***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Gil Gatch is a lawyer-legislator from Summerville SC. He is entering his sixth year as a member of the General Assembly.
***
WANNA SOUND OFF?
Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to address proactively? We have an open microphone policy! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.
2 comments
LOL – Republicans being bit by the very dogs they set loose
Representative Gatch, thanks for sharing this. I do agree that signing is unnecessary. One person made a terrible transgression and the party believes everyone must suffer because of it. Makes perfect sense if you don’t think about it. Not too many legislators are willing to admit a wrong and move forward differently. Although I’m not in your district, I’ve always admired what I see in you.
A challenge is that many legislators are also attorneys. The job requires an adversarial nature. The ask of a roomful of attorneys to agree is a lot.
You beat the drum of conservatism while relating that to Republicans. Republicans have a long road ahead to become conservatives. Republicans are conservative only when compared to Democrats. I am an independent conservative so I can point and laugh at both parties. I defended our Constitution for over 21 years and I won’t be shackled or have my freedom of speech right curtailed in the name of party. One only needs to look at the myriad of Constitutional Conservative scorecards to understand where SC Republicans stand.
While you focused on trust as it relates to Columbia and the Republican party, I want to pull on that thread some more. If some watered down version of conservatism is going to succeed through the Republican party, trust needs to occur from the voter through the county apparatus to the legislators.
Our county leader quickly bans, suspends, and otherwise punishes those with whom he disagrees at the slightest perception of offense. He has pledged, and I believe the position should require, candidate neutrality during the primary process. Yet, he posts on social media crying that one candidate is a liar. He also readily mocks those he disagrees with on social media. At the same time he brags about what a unifier and communicator he is. When he runs out of words he resorts to schoolyard bullying and name calling. He apparently has some self awareness problems. Those who try and point him in a different direction are instantly the enemy rather than quasi mentors.
If we look at Republican legislators, it would be really great if they could stay out of handcuffs and keep their pants zipped. Even staying out of the way of ethics investigations would be a great start. Voters can’t trust those who are running afoul of ethics, morality, and the law. When that happens, Republican leadership needs to hold those members swiftly accountable so the voters can have trust in the institution. The institution, Constitution, must come before the individual or party.