Exclusive — South Carolina Tea Party Leader Presses State’s Delegation: Vote Against Boehner

AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

South Carolina Tea Party convention leader Joe Dugan, the head of the Myrtle Beach Tea Party, is putting his state’s GOP House members on notice: he wants them to vote against John Boehner for Speaker on Tuesday.

“I am confident that the astute, South Carolina Congressional delegation is keenly aware of the voter mandate they received in November,” Dugan said in an email to Breitbart News. “SC citizens are freedom loving patriotic Americans, who are fed up with their rights being compromised and the enslavement by regulation of bigger and bigger government. They oppose in overwhelming numbers, Amnesty for illegal aliens, Obamacare, and open borders that threaten their safety and security. In South Carolina we are proud of our Congressmen and watch their backs because of the way they have stood by us and our Constitution, since 2010.”

Dugan said South Carolinians, some of the most conservative voters in America, will be let down should any member of the state delegation vote for Boehner.

“We will be more than disappointed, should they vote to keep John Boehner on as Speaker, guaranteeing us more of the same creeping socialism,” Dugan said. “The people voted for principled, bold new leadership and I fully expect that is what we will get. Congressman Louie Gohmert would be a fantastic choice and that would reassure voters that they are being heard!”

The most likely South Carolina member to vote against Boehner would be Rep. Jeff Duncan, though he hasn’t committed one way or the other. His office hasn’t responded to multiple requests for comment from Breitbart News. Duncan is one of the most vocal conservatives in the House, and frequently leads efforts to oppose Boehner, even though he supported Boehner for Speaker in the last Congress.

Another conservative member from South Carolina is Rep. Mick Mulvaney. He actually voted against Boehner last time, but hasn’t made clear either way yet whether he’ll vote for Boehner or one of the alternative Speaker candidates, Reps. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and Ted Yoho (R-FL). Mulvaney’s  office also hasn’t responded to requests for comment from Breitbart News.

Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC), despite being pushed for Speaker by conservative radio host Sean Hannity, has said through his office that he “is not interested in any leadership positions.” Gowdy actually nominated Boehner for re-election in a closed-door conference meeting back in November—but that was before the cromnibus bill.

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