MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – South Carolina Republicans on Saturday selected Drew McKissick to lead them for a third term as chairman, turning back a challenge from a recent transplant to the state who portrayed himself, over the current chairman, as the candidate most closely aligned with former President Donald Trump.
The vote came during a statewide gathering of delegates. The contest to lead the state’s Republican Party in the state — where Trump’s 2016 primary victory marked a turning point in solidifying his nomination, and where support for him remained high throughout his term — had devolved into a debate over whose support for the former president was highest.