State Rep. Dennis Moss (formerly D-Gaffney) is now a proud member of the Grand Old Party.
With House Speaker Bobby Harrell and SCGOP Chairman Katon Dawson by his side, the District 29 Rep announced Friday that he is switching to the Republican Party.
"This was not an easy decision," Moss told the crowd. "But as my State House voting record indicates, I find myself serving with and siding with Republicans on the issues important to my constituents."
The Cherokee County legislator said he is joining the SCGOP because he feels that state and national Democrats no longer represent his conservative values on issues such as same-sex marriage, abortion, and gun ownership.
"[I]n the words of Ronald Reagan many years ago," Moss concluded, "'I did not leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left me.'"
Moss' decision to swap teams was likely influenced by the recent election of Republican Steve Moss (no relation to Dennis), who won the neighboring House District 30 seat formerly held by the late Democratic Rep. Olin Phillips. Both districts have been trending Republican for many years and Moss would have likely faced another tough GOP challenger in 2010.
For those of you keeping score at home, Moss' defection and last month's HD 30 special election bumps the GOP's majority in the House back up to pre-election '08 levels - a commanding 73 to 51 seats.
*Special thanks to Brian Frank for sending us the above video of Moss' announcement.
*Seeing Red - read the SCDP's response to Moss' switch below the break.
You know you've struck a chord when Republicans start talking about unfair campaign tactics, especially in South Carolina. This, after all, is the state that gave us Lee Atwater and John McCain's illegitimate black child. So spare me the crocodile tears over a mailer that points out the financial windfall GOPher candidate Steve Moss is getting from George Bush's bank bailout.
Moss is taking on Tim Spencer in a special election in House District 30 to fill the seat of the late Olin Phillips. He has served on Cherokee County Council for six years and owns a small business in Gaffney that employs over twenty people. Spencer was recently endorsed by Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry.
Before President Obama took office, the Bush Treasury department approved an $18 million bailout for Moss's bank, American Community Bancshares, and Moss stands to make hundreds of thousands of dollars by selling off his stock in the failed bank. The company that bought out American Community - Yadkin Valley Financial Corporation - will be forced to pay Moss an additional quarter million dollars if he leaves his post after the bailout is done.
The Democratic mailer that GOPhers are upset about simply points out these rather inconvenient facts.
The election will be held on Tuesday, so stay tuned.
