South Carolina GOP censures Rep. Tom Rice after his vote to impeach Trump

The South Carolina Republican Party voted Saturday to formally censure Rep. Tom Rice, who represents the state’s 7th Congressional District, for his vote to impeach former President Donald Trump in the House of Representatives.

“We made our disappointment clear the night of the impeachment vote. Trying to impeach a president, with a week left in his term, is never legitimate and is nothing more than a political kick on the way out the door,” said SCGOP Chairman Drew McKissick in a statement Saturday afternoon. “Congressman Rice’s vote unfortunately played right into the Democrats’ game, and the people in his district, and ultimately our State Executive Committee, wanted him to know they wholeheartedly disagree with his decision.”

Forthy-three members of the state party’s executive committee voted in favor of the resolution, with no members against and two abstaining, according to South Carolina Republican Party spokeswoman Claire Robinson.

Rice’s office did not immediately return a request for comment.

The congressman’s district covers the eastern part of the state including Myrtle Beach and bordering North Carolina. He won reelection in November with more than 61% of the vote.

McKissick, immediately after the impeachment vote on January 13, put out a statement saying, “We completely disagree with this sham and to say I’m severely disappointed in Congressman Tom Rice would be an understatement.”

Last week, the Arizona Republican Party voted to censure Gov. Doug Ducey, former Sen. Jeff Flake and Cindy McCain, all of whom opposed Trump’s efforts to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory, or in the case of Flake and McCain, endorsed the Democrat before the election.