President Bush’s re-election doesn’t mean S.C. House Speaker David Wilkins is packing his gavel and heading elsewhere.

The Greenville Republican was chairman of Bush’s 2004 and 2000 S.C. campaigns and was a top fund-raiser for the president. After the 2000 election, Wilkins turned down Bush’s job offers, including an ambassadorship. That prompted speculation that Wilkins wouldn’t say no again.

Wilkins told his staff Thursday that he was looking forward to being re-elected speaker of the House and was planning on being with them.

“I don’t want to imply I’ve turned down anything, because I haven’t been offered anything,” he said.

• Group to discuss how Democrats can win

The Progressive Caucus of the S.C. Democratic Party will meet at 2 p.m. Saturday in Columbia to discuss what Democrats need to do to win elections.

“We believe that the Democratic Party must stop trying to appeal only to the ‘swing’ votes, and aggressively organize the majority of people in this state who don’t vote,” said Renee Carter of Charleston, co-chairwoman of the group.

The meeting, at the Bethlehem Community Center, 2500 Elmwood Ave., is open to the public. For more information about the Progressive Caucus or the meeting, call (803) 957-8740.

Contributing: The Associated Press and staff reports.