RNC Chairman Reince Priebus to keynote 48th Annual Silver Elephant Dinner in “First in the South” presidential primary state; dinner to honor the late Governor Jim Edwards

Columbia, S.C. – SCGOP Chairman Matt Moore today announced that Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus will keynote the S.C. Republican Party’s 48th Annual Silver Elephant Dinner held on May 1, 2015. The Silver Elephant Dinner, first held in 1967, is consistently the largest and most prestigious Republican gathering in South Carolina. Previous keynote speakers include governors, senators, and Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush.

“Chairman Priebus has done an incredible job remaking the RNC into an election winning machine by focusing on a 24/7/365 ground game and world-class technology,” said Chairman Moore. “His record fundraising and political efforts directly led to Republicans winning the U.S. Senate in 2014. We look forward to hearing how Chairman Priebus and the RNC will partner with our 2016 Republican presidential nominee to defeat Hillary Clinton.”

“It’s an honor to be a part of the historic Silver Elephant Dinner, and it’s always exciting to be in South Carolina, home of the First in the South presidential primary. I look forward to talking with South Carolina Republicans about how we will build on our victories in 2014 to win the White House in 2016,” said Chairman Priebus. “I also look forward to highlighting the RNC’s work to improve our party’s presidential primaries and debates and to field the best ground game operation in history. Working together, we will make sure that Hillary Clinton is not elected to serve as President Obama’s third term-and that we elect a Republican president.”

This year’s dinner will also honor former State Senator, Charleston County GOP Chairman, U.S. Secretary of Energy, and South Carolina Governor Jim Edwards, who passed away in December.

Guests can visit http://silverelephant2015.eventbrite.com or sc.gop to purchase tickets.

Recent Silver Elephant Dinner speakers include:

2014: Gov. Bobby Jindal
2013: Sen. Ted Cruz
2012: Sen. Marco Rubio
2011: Sen. Rick Santorum
2010: Karl Rove
2009: Sen. Bob Corker
2008: Congressman Mike Pence
2007: Sean Hannity
2006: Gov. Haley Barbour
2005: Sen. John Thune

About Chairman Reince Priebus

Reince Priebus, 42, was elected Chairman of the Republican National Committee on January 14, 2011, and reelected on January 25, 2013 and on January 16, 2015. Priebus will become the longest serving chairman in modern history, serving a total of three terms. In his first term as Chairman, Reince oversaw a dramatic turnaround of the RNC, rescuing its finances, rebuilding the operations and implementing the best ground game effort the RNC had ever organized.

In his second term as Chairman, Reince made a commitment to taking the party’s message of freedom and economic opportunity to all states and all communities. By welcoming new voices and voters and harnessing the power of new technology, Reince led the RNC in building the infrastructure needed for a landslide GOP victory in the midterm elections. Chairman Priebus understands 2016 will bring new challenges, but he is determined to capitalize on the midterm successes while engineering new and innovative strategies to elect a Republican to the White House.

A successful chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, Reince created the framework that brought about one of the most historic election cycles Wisconsin has ever experienced. During Reince’s tenure, Republicans in Wisconsin not only defeated Russ Feingold by electing Ron Johnson to the Senate, but they also gained two additional U.S. House seats, won the Governor’s office, took back both the state Assembly and the state Senate, while defeating the leaders of both of those chambers.

Reince has a long history in Republican politics, having served on his first campaign at the age of 16. Since then, he worked his way up through the ranks of the Republican Party of Wisconsin as 1st Congressional District Chairman, State Party Treasurer, First Vice Chair, and eventually State Party Chairman. In 2009, Reince served as General Counsel to the RNC, a role in which he volunteered his time to help manage the RNC’s most difficult challenges.

Reinhold “Reince” Richard Priebus and his wife, Sally, have two young children, Jack and Grace. He was raised by his parents Richard and Dimitra (Roula) Priebus, an electrician and a real estate agent, respectively, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Reince is a lifelong Packers fan.

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