From Staff Reports

ANDERSON, S.C. — The annual August event — formerly known as “Faith and Freedom BBQ” — has been rechristened “A Night of Liberty and Freedom” and will be held at 7 p.m. Aug. 16 at the Anderson Civic Center.

The event “has traditionally been the largest gathering of Republicans in South Carolina,” the Anderson Observer noted. 

The keynote speaker wll be (Ret.) Lt. Col. Allen West, a decorated veteran, former member of Congress from Florida, former Texas GOP chairman and current GOP chairman for Dallas.

“Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Allen B. West is a Christian constitutional conservative, combat veteran and former member of the U.S. Congress,” according to www.yaf.org. “Allen West was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, in the same neighborhood where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once preached. He is the third of four generations of military servicemen, all combat veterans, in his family.”

Tickets are $15 in advance, or $20 at the door. The prices were intentionally kept affordable, according to Anderson County GOP Chairman Jonathon Hill, who is a and former S.C. congressman.

“The event is a fundraiser for the county Republican Party, and is expected to be heavily attended by Republicans from across the state, and especially the 17 members of the Freedom Caucus from across the state, including Anderson County Delegation members S.C. Rep. April Cromer and S.C. Rep. Thomas Beach,” the Anderson Observer reported.

“The caucus could add two more members in November. Caucus-aligned candidates won against two incumbents in the June primaries. In Anderson, Lee Gilreath beat incumbent House Assistant Majority Leader Jay West, R-Anderson, and in Oconee Adam Duncan defeated Bill Sandifer, R-Oconee,” the Observer added.