GOP Responds To Counties’ Primary Challenge

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) _ South Carolina’s Republican Party said in a court filing that the state Supreme Court should dismiss a challenge to its presidential primary brought by counties in a dispute over reimbursements. The GOP in a Supreme Court filing Monday said claims by Beaufort, Chester, Greenville and Spartanburg are wrong because the Legislature approved plans for the state to run the primary scheduled for January. The GOP also says the court can’t get involved in questions about how much counties should be reimbursed. Counties say their taxpayers picked up a nearly $1 million tab in the 2008 presidential primaries and they shouldn’t subsidize this primary. The court has agreed to take arguments in the case but has not decided it will handle the issue. It has not scheduled a hearing.