Freedom Caucus unsuccessfully challenges Speaker in South Carolina House race

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The South Carolina House opened its newest session Tuesday with an unsuccessful long shot challenge of the Speaker that could be a preview of fighting among Republicans over which group truly deserves to identify as conservative.

House Speaker Murrell Smith was elected to a second two-year term by a 102-17 vote as the Republicans' Freedom Caucus tried to show its strength.

The intraparty fight has brewed throughout most of the last two years. The Freedom Caucus said most Republicans aren't conservative enough because they gave tax breaks to corporations, failed to pass a total abortion ban and let Democrats, who have only 35 of the body's 124 seats, run a few subcommittees.

Mainstream Republicans say the caucus members seem more determined to score points on social media and defeat fellow Republicans in primaries than to do the work of governing. Some in the larger group even mock caucus members online. More importantly, caucus members have been left off the most important House committees, like the budget writing Ways and Means Committee.

The 17 votes for speaker for Republican Rep. Bill Chumley of Spartanburg County were about the level of support the Freedom Caucus had last year. But the decision to challenge Smith at all, as well as the Freedom Caucus holding a news conference on its goals last month, the same day the Republican House leadership met to shape its agenda, show the caucus doesn't plan to fall in line.

“We need conservative leadership, bold leadership — not malicious — willing to work with everybody. Willing to be fair,” said the caucus leader, Rep. Jordan Pace of Goose Creek.

Smith didn't mention the challenge during his post-election speech, which called for more tax cuts and economic development to continue South Carolina's rapid growth. The Sumter Republican also asked that everyone listen to each other and work together, Democrats and Republicans, to make the state better.

“It is our duty to show the people of South Carolina that their government works for the — that we can disagree without being disagreeable,” Smith said.

The mainstream Republican rebuke was left to House Speaker Pro Tem Tommy Pope of York, who focused his criticism on the kind of politics and misinformation that fuels the caucus. Pope said the distrust has to be stopped so the House can get important work done.

“If we do disagree, let's disagree in truth,” Pope said.

The session opened with the House's longest serving member, Democratic Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, briefly presiding until the Speaker could be elected. One thing she's learned in her 32 years in the chamber, she said, is that a representative's achievements often mirror their reasons for running. Are you looking for something on a resume? Did you think you could make a difference? Do you like to serve people?

“Do you. Be you. There is only one person in here who can vote for you and that's you,” Cobb-Hunter said.

A key member of the Freedom Caucus showed up for Tuesday's organizational session. Rep. R.J. May of Lexington spent most of the time standing by a members-and-staff-only exit door and not venturing into the mix of lawmakers on the House floor.

In October, federal prosecutors filed court papers saying the investigators seized a number of electronic devices from May, and they anticipated filing a criminal indictment in three months. The documents sought to keep the devices longer without a formal hearing, and did not provide additional details.

Freedom Caucus members said they hadn't heard from May for months. May didn’t talk about the specifics of his legal problems Tuesday, but reminded reporters he was reelected without Democratic opposition last month.

“I’ve been elected to do a job and I’m going to continue to do that job and that’s to be one of the most conservative members of the House,” May said.