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by WILL FOLKS
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South Carolina’s Republican Party (SCGOP) hasn’t done much right lately – but it did the right thing last week when its leaders decided to remove all barriers to candidate participation in the first debate of the 2026 Palmetto State governor’s race.
Following criticism from our media outlet and others, the party waived previous rules which had imposed fundraising and polling requirements on participation – clearing the way for every candidate who is currently seeking the GOP gubernatorial nomination to join the debate scheduled for this evening (April 1, 2026) at the Newberry Opera House in Newberry, S.C.
Four candidates have agreed to do that: four-term attorney general Alan Wilson, first district congresswoman Nancy Mace, fifth district congressman Ralph Norman and state senator Josh Kimbrell.
Two candidates, however, are still refusing to participate as of this writing.
Lieutenant governor Pamela Evette and Lowcountry businessman Rom Reddy – former founder of the since-scuttled DOGE SC movement – are currently not scheduled to participate in the Newberry exchange.
Reddy caused a brief stir yesterday (March 31, 2026) when he posed in his Charleston, S.C. office signing paperwork indicating he would be at the “next” SCGOP debate.
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Just signed the paperwork. I will be at the next @SCGOP debate. pic.twitter.com/HGU6ieIbUS
— Rom Reddy (@RomReddySC) March 31, 2026
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Turns out that was just a head-fake…
Reddy’s campaign had to scramble in the aftermath of its declaration, clarifying that the “next” debate referenced in his photo op is the one scheduled for April 21, 2026 at the College of Charleston.
Reddy previously referred to the SCGOP debates as “a joke” and a “clown show.”
“I’m not going to participate in some made for TV game with the ruling class,” Reddy initially stated. “The clowns can have their circus.”
He’s obviously flip-flopped on that decision… but his campaign has yet to explain why he will not appear on the stage in Newberry this evening.
What is Reddy doing tonight? What event is taking precedence on his schedule?
Republicans cleared a path for the diminutive multi-millionaire to participate in this forum. The least he could do is clear his schedule and show up – if for no other reason to explain to voters why he now considers himself one of the clowns.
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RELATED | ROM REDDY STRIP CLUB DRAMA INTENSIFIES
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As for Evette, her refusal to show up and debate is even more inexcusable. The Ohio native has been in statewide office for the past seven years – and along with Wilson and Mace is one of the three undisputed frontrunners in this race.
Evette was also qualified to attend the debate from the beginning both from a fundraising and polling standpoint – meaning there should have been no excuse regarding scheduling.
Evette’s backers have claimed the SCGOP is leveraging the debates as fundraising opportunities – targeting campaigns for hefty, five-figure donations.
“It’s a shakedown plain and simple,” Evette’s top strategist, Chris Grant, wrote on X last month – criticizing a requirement for candidates to purchase $20,000 sponsorships if they wished to receive tickets for their supporters.
Refusing to comply with this rule would not prevent a candidate from appearing at the debate, it would simply limit the number of their supporters in the audience. Evette’s argument collapsed, however, when Wilson’s campaign volunteered to purchase a sponsorship on Evette’s behalf.
Meaning she is fresh out of excuses…
The bottom line here is simple: this is the first of three job interviews for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Every candidate who got an invite (which is every one of the candidates running) should show up. Failure to do so is, frankly, disqualifying.
Tonight’s GOP debate is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EDT. For information on viewing, click here.
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UPDATE |
Shortly after this article published, Grant took to X to dispute our coverage…
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?Fact Check: False
— Chris Grant (@sanguinegop) April 1, 2026
Grifters gonna grift. Not once did any of them change their shakedown play or change their policy on grassroots attending.
Side note, @scgop isn’t the only arbiter of debates. As we’ve said – plenty of time for debates. We’ve agreed to others.
You’re… https://t.co/0ukfKn8LEP
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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1 comment
Rom would be a midget clown in the debate. Maybe the little guy they shoot out of the cannon… if his head would fit down the barrel.