County GOP convention reelects Swatzel as Chairman

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 4, 2009
Contact: Tom Swatzel (843) 222-7456

GEORGETOWN- Georgetown County Republicans unanimously reelected Tom Swatzel as party chairman at their convention today, and adopted a resolution calling on Republican candidates and elected officials to follow the party platform.

A Murrells Inlet resident, Swatzel was first elected as county party chairman in 2007. He served from 1995 through 2002 on the Georgetown County Council and was the first Republican elected to council since Reconstruction. "I'm privileged and honored to be reelected as chairman and will continue to work hard to build on the party's successes," he said.

Other party officers elected by the convention were R.L. Port, Vice-Chairman; Ruthann Howard, Secretary; Howard Ward, Treasurer; and Jill Kelso, State Executive Committeeman.

The convention unanimously adopted a resolution reaffirming its support for the party platform and calling on "all Republicans, including its officers, members, candidates, and elected officials, to follow the foundational principles represented in the platform."

"I was pleased at the unanimous support for the resolution. The party exists because of the positions in its platform like support for lower taxes, limited government, the sanctity of life and traditional marriage, among others. We want those positions implemented into public policy, and the only way to do that is to elect candidates to office that support the platform," Swatzel said.

Guest speakers at the convention were SC Attorney General Henry McMaster, who is running for governor, and Karen Floyd and Rick Beltram, both candidates to replace Katon Dawson as state GOP chairman.