SC Democratic Party chairman to lead discussion

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s Democratic Party chairman is the featured speaker at a Furman University event about the future of his party in a conservative state.

The university says Dick Harpootlian will be the keynote speaker at the public event Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Republicans hold every statewide office in South Carolina, and U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn is the state’s lone Democrat in Congress.

The panel discussion following his speech will focus on whether South Carolina has become a one-party state and how the Democratic Party could expand. Others in the panel are former Greenville city councilwoman and judge Diane Smock, Greenville City Councilwoman Jil Littlejohn and state Rep. Boyd Brown of Winnsboro.

The event is sponsored by the Furman College Democrats and Democratic Women of Greenville.