Fitsnews reports this week that S.C. Republican Senators are working to oust Horry County Senator Luke Rankin as Judiciary Chairman.
Rankin has been an elected member of the South Carolina Senate, representing the 33rd District since 1993. He changed parties in 2004. Initially elected as a life-long Democrat, Rankin chose to run as a Republican.
South Carolina is a Republican state. There are few choice committee assignments for those who get elected as Democrats in S.C.
Rankin has been the Head of the S.C. Senate Judiciary since 2016, when former trial attorney lobby leader, Alex Murdaugh, helped him garner that position. Yes, the same Alex Murdaugh in prison for killing his wife and son.
Writes Fitsnews: Several members of the S.C. Senate are considering ammending the rules of the chamber as a means of ousting powerful judiciary chairman Luke Rankin.
POWER VS. AUTHORITY
In his 30 plus years in elected office, Luke Rankin worked diligently to gain power inside the Senate. In fact, he is among the most powerful senators in the state.
Power comes with the position.
During that same time span, Rankin spent very little effort on exampling authority. Authority is the leadership quality that attracts others, inspires others, and causes others to follow.
Rankin is still considered a powerful Democrat. He has almost no relational connections to anyone within the S.C. Republican Senate, outside of his position of power.
He does sit on the scandal plaqued Judicial Merit Selection Committee. Governor Henry McMaster recently spoke of his disappointment with the lack of true reform of this committee.
THE PLAN TO OUST RANKIN
According to Senate Rule 19(e) “the senior member from the majority party, in terms of senority within the commitee, shall be the chairman” of that committee.
The rules currently state that senators who switch parties do not forfiet their committee assignments – nor do they lose their senority status – so long as a majority of a caucus to which the member switches” consents.
Rankin switched to the Republican Caucus in 2004.
S.C. Senators are considering striking the existing rules, linking senority and partisan affiliation with the chamber.
Under this rule change, Rankin would be tied in senority with Senator Chip Campsen of Charleston. Oddly, senority is also ranked alphabetically.
Because Campsen’s last name precedes Rankin’s alphabetically, Campsen would be the new Judiciary Chairman.
While Fitsnews used anonymous sources in its reporting, the news outlet broke what has to be one of the most significant news events in S.C. for 2024.
MyrtleBeachSC News will be reporting on the OUR AMERICAN CENTURY PAC and it’s connections to Rankin in the coming weeks.