June 17, 2015

Mr. Roger Ailes

President
Fox News Channel
1211 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
Mr. Reince Priebus
Chairman
Republican National Committee
310 First Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003
Dear Mr. Ailes and Chairman Priebus:
We are writing to add our voices to other Republican leaders who are concerned that your
proposed qualifying criteria for the Republican presidential debate undercuts the historic role
of South Carolina and other early states in the nominating process and also has the effect of
denying all credible candidates an opportunity to have their voices heard on an equal basis at
the beginning of the process.
Since 1980, South Carolinas First in the South presidential primary has played a critical role
in determining the Republican Partys ultimate nominee. Many of us were there in the beginning when party volunteers organized the first primary with paper ballots. In every year, with
only one exception, the winner of our primary has secured the nomination for president.
The current system allows our diverse South Carolina electorate to get to know the candidates
personally, judge their leadership abilities, examine their records and ask tough questions.
Weve done our homework and kicked the proverbial tires. Along with caucus-goers in Iowa
and voters in New Hampshire, we have challenged the candidates and helped winnow the field.
Every candidate has gotten a fair shake and enjoyed a level playing field. Its a tried and true
process that has worked successfully and has been rightly protected by the Republican National
Committee.
We believe nationally televised debates, especially early debates that occur six months before
the first vote is cast, should be open to all candidates. Excluding candidates based on national
polling at this point in the race rewards name recognition for those candidates who are celebrities, candidates who have run previously or candidates who have lots of money to purchase early national advertising. Our nominating system is designed to let well-informed voters in early
states with in-depth exposure to all the candidates begin the process of narrowing the field. To
place only those candidates on your debate stage who already have high national name recognition would undercut the purpose of a time tested system that gives all a fair chance to be heard
at the starting gate.
(continued)

In their letter earlier this week, our friends in New Hampshire correctly recognized the logistical challenges you face conducting a debate with such a large field of candidates. We believe
the suggestion they made to split the field into two separate debate groups is a well-designed,
viable alternative that would allow all candidates to make their case to a national audience on
an equal footing. One of the fundamental tenants of the Republican Party is a belief in a free
market where the best products, services and ideas rise to the top. That principle applies to
candidates in primary elections too. Therefore, we ask that Fox News Channel and the Republican National Committee not pick winners and losers at such an early stage in the process.
We fully and enthusiastically endorse the alternate criteria proposed by our colleagues in New
Hampshire.
We urge you to let all of our candidates debate, let the early voting states put the candidates
through the ringer and let the voters decide. Thats the way our system is designed to work,
and its an historic role the voters of South Carolina are proud to play.
Sincerely,
Hon. Henry McMaster
Lt. Governor
Former S.C. Republican Party Chair
Former S.C. Attorney General

Hon. John Courson

State Senator
Former Republican National Committeeman,
Reagan Administration
Former S.C. Senate President Pro-Tempore

Hon. Curtis Loftis

State Treasurer
Former RNC Delegate

Hon. Katrina Shealy

State Senator
S.C. Republican Party First Vice Chair

Hon. Jay Lucas

Speaker of the House

Hon. Bruce Bannister

House Majority Leader

Karen Floyd
Former S.C. Republican Party Chair

Kenneth Powell
Former S.C. Republican Party Chair

Jim Davis
S.C. Republican Party First District Chair

Van Hipp
Former S.C. Republican Party Chair

Suzette Jordan
S.C. Republican Party Fourth District Chair

Ben Kinlaw
S.C. Republican Party Second District Chair

Moye Graham
S.C. Republican Party Sixth District Chair
Kim Wellman
S.C. Federation of Republican Women President
Jerry Rovner
S.C. Republican Party Seventh District Chair
Hon. Paul Campbell
State Senator
Hon. Mike Fair
State Senator

Susan Aiken
S.C. Republican Party Third District Chair
Brandon Newton
S.C. Republican Party Fifth District Chair
Hon. Sean Bennett
State Senator
Hon. Shane Massey
State Senator
Hon. Larry Grooms
State Senator

(continued)

Hon. Rita Allison

State Representative

Hon. Todd Atwater

State Representative

Hon. Eric Bedingfield

State Representative

Hon. Kenny Bingham

State Representative

Hon. Jeff Bradley

State Representative

Hon. Mike Burns

State Representative

Hon. Bill Chumley

State Representative

Hon. Gary L. Clary

State Representative

Hon. Derham Cole

State Representative

Hon. Bill Crosby

State Representative

Hon. Joe Danning

State Representative

Hon. Mike Forrester

State Representative

Hon. Mike Gambrell

State Representative

Hon. Donna Hicks

State Representative

Hon. David Hiott

State Representative

Hon. Bill Hixon

State Representative

Hon. Jenny Horne

State Representative

Hon. Chip Huggins

State Representative

Hon. Ralph Kennedy

State Representative

Hon. Chip Limehouse

State Representative

Hon. Peter McCoy

State Representative

Hon. Steve Moss

State Representative

Hon. Chris Murphy

State Representative

Hon. Mike Pitts

State Representative

Hon. Joshua Putnam

State Representative

Hon. Rick Quinn

State Representative

Hon. Samuel Rivers, Jr.

State Representative

Hon. Bill Sandifer

State Representative

Hon. Gary Simrill

State Representative

Hon. Edward Southard

State Representative

Hon. Edward R. Tallon, Sr.

State Representative

Hon. Anne Thayer

State Representative

Hon. Mac Toole

State Representative

Hon. Don Wells

State Representative

Hon. William Whitmire

State Representative

Hon. Richie Yow

State Representative

Hon. Randal Wallace

Myrtle Beach City Councilman
Former Alternate RNC Delegate

Hon. Carroll Duncan

Dorchester County Councilwoman
Former Alternate RNC Delegate
(continued)

Nancy C. Anderson
Former Chester County Republican Party Chair

Cindy Floyd-Jones
Former Marion County Republican
Party Committeewoman

Chris Barczak
Former Alternate RNC Delegate
Sylvia Bass
Pickens County Republican Party Committeewoman
Brenda Bedenbaugh
Saluda County Republican Party
Committeewoman

Mike Fowler
Union County Republican Party Chair
Eric Fry
Marion County Republican Party Chair
Freddie Gault
Union County Republican Party Committeeman

Steven Blanton
Former Cherokee County Republican Party Chair

Marvin Gootee
Saluda County Republican Party Committeeman

Janis Blocker
Colleton County Republican Party Chair

Tyson Grinstead
Richland County Republican Party Committeeman

Rich Bolen
Former S.C. Republican Party Parliamentarian

Terry Hardesty
Berkeley County Republican Party Committeeman

Andrew Boucher
Former Alternate RNC Delegate

Frampton Harper
Former Beaufort County Republican
Party Committeeman

Phillip Bowers
Pickens County Republican Party Chair
JoAnn Burroughs
Greenwood County Republican Party
Committeewoman

Mark Hartley
Former RNC Delegate
Dan Harvell
Anderson County Republican Party Chair

Craig Caldwell
Lexington County Republican Party Chair

John Henley
Former Alternate RNC Delegate

Travis Cash
Former Laurens County Republican Party Chair

Randy Hollister
Georgetown County Republican Party Chair

Sam Cerezo
Lee County Republican Party Committeeman

Max Hyde
Republican Activist

Lee Cole
Former Anderson County Republican
Party Committeeman

Jim Jerow
Former RNC Delegate

Bill Conley
Spartanburg County Republican Party Chair

Joyce Jerow
Former Alternate RNC Delegate

E.J. Cousar
Former Alternate RNC Delegate

Wiley Johnson
Dorchester County Republican Party
Committeeman

Tony Denny
Former RNC Delegate

Larry Jordan
Calhoun County Republican Party Committeeman

Doug Doster
Calhoun County Republican Party Chair

Max Kaster
Former Calhoun County Republican Party
Committeeman

Dan Eckstrom
Former Alternate RNC Delegate
Tracy Edge
Former Alternate RNC Delegate
Joe Flowers
Former RNC Delegate
Lee Flowers
Former Darlington County Republican
Party Chair

Nic Lane
Former Spartanburg County Republican
Party Chair
Jim Lee
Former Greeville County Republican Party
Committeeman
Barbara Leonard
Former Alternate RNC Delegate
(continued)

Nate Leupp
S.C. Republican Party Parliamentarian
Michael Luppe
Darlington County Republican Party
Committeeman
Deb Marks
Former Richland County Republican Party
Committeewoman

Robin Reed
Former Cherokee County Republican Party
Committeewoman
Bill Rentiers
Former Lexington County Republican
Party Chair
Coy Richardson
Fairfield County Republican Party Chair

Ida Martin
Williamsburg County Republican Party Chair

John Richardson
Marion County Republican Party Committeeman

Kay Maxwell
Bamberg County Republican Party Committeeman

Cindy Risher
S.C. Republican Party Reading Secretary

Sandy McGarry
Lancaster County Republican Party Committeeman

K.T. Ruthven
Aiken County Republican Party Chair

Barbara Mishoe
Williamsburg County Republican Party
Committeewoman

Christina Shadwell
Lee County Republican Party Chair

Cyndi Mosteller
Former Alternate RNC Delegate
Brenda Neal
Cherokee County Republican Party Committeeman

Hank Shadwell
Former Lee County Republican Party Chair
Shery Smith
Sumter County Republican Party Chair

Alexia Newman
Republican Activist

Nick Sprouse
Former Beaufort County Republican
Party Chair

Lou Nolan
Former Alternate RNC Delegate

Cleo Steele
Former Alternate RNC Delegate

Randy Page
Former RNC Delegate

John Steinberger
Former Charleston County Republican
Party Chair

Mary Pearson
Former Alternate RNC Delegate
John Pettigrew
Former Edgefield County Republican Party
Committeeman

Sandra Stroman
Chester County Republican Party Chair
Duane Swygert
Jasper County Republican Party Chair

Adam Piper
Former RNC Delegate

Shannon Tyler
Cherokee County Republican Party Chair

Tony Piscatella
Former Dorchester County Republican Party
Committeeman

Doug Wavle
Former Alternate RNC Delegate

Shelby Price
Kershaw County Republican Party Committeeman
Robert Rabon
Horry County Republican Party Chair
Tom Ramsey
Barnwell County Republican Party Committeeman

Josh Whitley
Former Berkeley County Republican Party Chair
Eaddy Roe Willard
Richland County Republican Party Chair