State GOP executive director leaving for treasurer's office

Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The state Republican Party on Monday named Hogan Gidley its executive director.

Gidley was the campaign spokesman for GOP education superintendent candidate Karen Floyd, who lost in a narrow race to Democrat Jim Rex.

Gidley replaces Scott Malyerck, who will leave the post Tuesday to take a new job as spokesman for state Treasurer Thomas Ravenel, the GOP said Monday.

Malyerck served as the GOP's executive director for two years. His departure comes about one year before the GOP's first southern presidential primary and less than five months before a Republican presidential candidate debate on May 15.

Malyerck previously worked in the treasurer's office when Richard Eckstrom, now the state's comptroller general, was treasurer between 1995 and 1999.

Gidley served as spokesman for former Gov. David Beasley during his unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate, and for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.