There’s been a shift in the Republican Party nationwide as the political spectrum widens to accommodate far-right conservatives. But what does this mean for the Republican Party in a county whose representation in Washington and Columbia is dominated by the GOP?

Almost a year after the founding of the South Carolina Freedom Caucus, the Lexington County Republican Party elected new officials to its executive committee, bringing about new ideas and new ways of running things. 

Pamela Godwin took over as chair of the county party in April, and since her election, she has overseen the censure of Lexington County state Sen. Katrina Shealy. 

Only a month before Godwin’s election, the county GOP censured the House Republican Caucus. The censure was because of the intimidating language used in a loyalty oath, an oath requested of all members of the group.

The oath stated that no member of the Republican Caucus could engage in campaign activities that challenged other caucus members who were in good standing. 

Anderson, Newberry, Pickens, Greenville and York counties also denounced the House Republican Caucus earlier this year for the same reasoning.

Both the censure of Shealy and the House Republicans were celebrated by the Freedom Caucus. 

And now the caucus is celebrating its settlement with Lexington County School District 1, claiming it as a victory for all. 

In the fall of 2022, the caucus filed a lawsuit against the largest school district in Lexington, claiming that critical race theory was being taught in K12 schools. 

Both parties settled on June 20. The settlement stated that District 1 would drop all ties to EL Education and would adhere to state laws concerning CRT.

State Rep. RJ May, vice chair of the Freedom Caucus, represents District 88, which solely covers Lexington County. 

“The terms of this settlement agreement show Lexington School District 1 was caught red handed peddling the Left’s pernicious, racist nonsense,” May is quoted in a release. “This is a win for the Freedom Caucus, for parents, but most importantly, this is a win for students who will no longer be subjected to radical, liberal indoctrination by the District.”

The Freedom Caucus claims the settlement as one of its greatest accomplishments.

But not all of the Lexington County representatives view the caucus as accomplished.

State Rep. Micah Caskey, whose District 89 covers West Columbia, Cayce and Springdale,, has been a critic of the caucus since the beginning.

“The Freedom Caucus has achieved nothing in the legislature because they refuse to be prepared for a thoughtful and intelligent discussion,” Caskey said. “Instead, they politic on bumper stickers. They just rinse and repeat the same campaign slogans without actually putting real ideas on paper when it comes to governing.”

Caskey doesn’t think the Lexington Republican Party has been influenced by the Freedom Caucus.

“You know, has the Freedom Caucus influenced anything? No. And this goes to my characterization of what they do as dishonest, they try to claim victories or success for things that Republicans did without them,” he told the Chronicle.

Caskey noted that his biggest problem with the Freedom Caucus is its method of getting things done, calling the group dishonest and toxic to the rest of the party.

“I hesitate to give any oxygen to what they're doing because it is so fundamentally dishonest and at odds with the truth in a way that is, I believe, toxic to conservative values,” he said

And Caskey isn’t the only one struggling to align perfectly with a Republican group. 

Sen. Katrina Shealy told the Chronicle she is struggling to find joy in her party as groups have become stricter. 

The Lexington County party meetings are “not an enjoyable place to go anymore,” Shealy said. 

“They censure everybody if they don't agree with them on one issue. You know, the Republican creed says, Stand direct, proud, and unafraid to act boldly and think for myself. Well, you can't think for yourself. You have to march in a straight line and everybody think the same way.”

Shealy was censured in early June after she voted against a six-week abortion ban, which is on pause pending review by the state Supreme Court. Shealy chose to vote against the ban claiming that it was not enough time for a person to know they’re pregnant. 

Shealy, alongside others, proposed a 12-week abortion ban that would give women more time to know and decide for themselves. Her proposal did not pass. 

Neither Caskey nor Shealy commented on the divide in the party directly. Shealy only mentioned the restraints she feels have been put on her to think and act one way with the rest of her party.

“If you want to be a Republican, you should be able to listen to everybody,” Shealy said. “And that's not what they want anymore.”

May didn’t comment on the divide among his party, either, but instead spoke about the frustrations citizens have with elected officials who don’t fulfill campaign promises. 

“The Lexington County Republican Party, I think are frustrated, and rightly so,” he said. “I don't think it's unique to Lexington County. I mean, you see this all across South Carolina where average everyday folks have felt that a party, particularly the elected officials, have left them.”

Godwin and the Lexington County Republican Party didn’t respond to the Chronicle’s request for comment.

While critics think the caucus means nothing to the accomplishments of the Republican Party, May believes that by having a caucus in S.C., the party receives more support from Capitol Hill.

“We have the support and the backing of the (federal) House Freedom Caucus,” May said. “We speak with members of Washington regularly. We let them know what's happening in the states and they let us know what's coming down from the federal government.”

The state caucus has 18 members, four of which are representatives from Lexington County.

The S.C. Freedom Caucus was founded in April 2022 in response to the creation of the State Freedom Caucus Network, a nonprofit national organization that seeks to bring like-minded Republican representatives in each state together. 

“We are a group of the general assembly's most conservative legislators who want to do the right thing for the constituents we serve,” May said. “We want to unite people on bold ideas.”

South Carolina followed in the footsteps of Georgia and became the second state to develop its caucus. The network has created a Freedom Caucus in 11 states, and its stated main goal is to provide resources to conservatives in state capitols nationwide.