Attorney Lin Wood, who became a face of the effort to overturn the 2020 election in favor of former President Donald Trump, is reportedly entering the race to become chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party.
On Sunday, Wood reportedly declared on the instant messaging platform Telegram that “concerned South Carolina Republicans who are conservative Patriots approached me a few days ago to ask me if I just talked the talk or would I walk the walk.”
“They want to take back their Republican Party,” he said. “They want to return the power to the people — the members of the party. They have endured enough Rino Republicanism in the present leadership of the South Carolina GOP. They are demanding change.”
GEORGIA INVESTIGATING WHETHER ATTORNEY LIN WOOD VOTED ILLEGALLY IN NOVEMBER ELECTION: REPORTS
Wood confirmed his campaign for the chairmanship to the Post and Courier, saying, “My decision to run for the office was heavily influenced by my well known desire to reform local and state political parties and return power to the people.”
He continued: “Here, I want to return power and control of the South Carolina Republican Party to the members of the party.”
Wood’s run makes for a battle between two Republicans with demonstrable pro-Trump bona fides. Under incumbent chairman Drew McKissick’s leadership, the state party voted to censure Republican Rep. Tom Rice for his vote supporting the second impeachment of Trump.
“Congressman Rice’s vote unfortunately played right into the Democrats’ game,” McKissick said at the time.
McKissick received Trump’s endorsement for the chairmanship in February. “Drew — you have my complete and total endorsement. Great job!” Trump said in a handwritten note.
I’m honored to have President Trump’s endorsement and looking forward to the opportunity to continue to serve our Party and the conservative principles and grassroots activists that have given us our biggest majority in 140 years. https://t.co/VJFNEhHTfc pic.twitter.com/EekBgFWTF2
— Drew McKissick (@DrewMcKissick) February 23, 2021
“He asked if I had anybody running against me, and I said, ‘No, and I’m trying to keep it that way,’” McKissick told the Associated Press last month, referring to Trump. “He said, ’Yeah, that’s the best way to do it.’”
Prior to deciding to run, Wood spent weeks following the presidential election, arguing it was rigged.
“Don’t you give it to them,” Wood said at a rally in December. “Why would you go back and vote in another rigged election for God’s sake? Fix it! You’ve got to fix it!”
In February, Wood changed his residency from Georgia to South Carolina after Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger reportedly opened an investigation into whether the attorney voted illegally during the November election. Wood reportedly told a reporter that he had “been domiciled in South Carolina for several months after purchasing property in the state in April.”
“I have been a resident of the State of Georgia since 1955. I changed my residency to South Carolina yesterday,” Wood said in a statement in February. “This is pure harassment by the Georgia Secretary of State because I have revealed credible evidence of election fraud on the part of Brad Raffensperger.”
The election for the party chairmanship will take place at the state convention, which is scheduled for May.
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The Washington Examiner could not immediately reach Wood to confirm his run for the chairmanship.
