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GOP tent not big enough for moderate Giese
S.C. Republicans may pooh-pooh 5th Circuit Solicitor Barney Giese’s decision to bolt the party, chalking the move up to political expediency.
But the defection is clearly a setback for the state GOP.
The Gieses are longtime Republicans. Warren Giese, Barney’s father, served 20 years as a member of the GOP in the state Senate.
“The office of prosecutor is a uniquely important, powerful position that carries with it a lot of public respect,” said University of South Carolina political scientist Blease Graham, a Democrat. “This is a real boost for Democrats to have such a high-profile change in a major community in the state.”
“I view it as a significant loss for the Republicans,” said Francis Marion University professor Neal Thigpen, a GOP activist.
Giese decided to change parties after concluding his frayed ties with local party leaders were beyond repair.
“I feel like it’s in the best interest of this office,” Giese said. “My relationship with some of the leaders of the Republican Party is damaged.”
Translation: The GOP tent wasn’t big enough for the moderate solicitor.
Giese irked hard-core Reublicans with his endorsement of Democratic candidates the last few years. The GOP demanded party loyalty.
Republicans went to great lengths to put their best face on the story, suggesting Giese was not much of a team player and seemed to be more at home with the Democrats.
“I don’t know why it took him so long” to switch parties, said Rusty DePass, a Richland County Republican activist. “Barney Giese has been on that side for years.”
George Shissias, a veteran Republican organizer who was campaign manager for the Giese family, said the move was political. “Republicans can’t win in this district. Barney knew that.”
Richland is the largest urban Democratic county in the state. It has been trending in that direction the last decade. It’s increasingly difficult for a Republican to win countywide.
Democrats were ecstatic. They hadn’t had any good news for some time.
“We welcome him to the Democratic Party,” said state party chairman Joe Erwin. “I really admire Barney and the integrity he has. He’ll be a great addition to the party.”
Former state Democratic chairman Dick Harpootlian saw the Giese switch as “a helluva boost” for the party. “It’s a real body blow to Republicans.”
State Sen. Joel Lourie, a Richland Democrat and a close friend of Giese, said he doesn’t think of Giese as a partisan.
“I think of him for what he is, and that’s a skilled and effective prosecutor. He’s not a partisan person,” said Lourie, who succeeded Warren Giese in the Senate.
Giese is his own person. No one tells him what to do or what to say. He’s open-minded and doesn’t always feel the need to toe the party line, which is what got him in trouble with the Republican Party in the first place
Giese is the second local Republican office holder to switch to the Democratic Party. Harry Huntley, Richland County auditor, made the switch in 2001.
Giese’s defection is good news for the Democrats. “And they could use some,” Thigpen said.
“I’m not sure what the future portends,” said Richland County Democratic chairman Stephen Benjamin. “We’re finding more and more moderate-to-conservative Republicans uneasy with the far-right wing of the Republican Party.
“We’re excited to have someone of Barney’s talent.”
