FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – A former North Carolina U.S. House candidate wants to now serve in the South Carolina House.
Will Breazeale says he’ll run next year for the Florence County, District 63 seat Representative Jay Jordan now holds.
“If Jay Jordan thinks that I’m just going to have a press conference put my name on the ballot and not campaign, he’s wrong,” he said.
On Tuesday, with his core supporters behind him, Breazeale made the official announcement.
However, some may find his platform controversial which includes passing a law to allow the return of the confederate battle flag to the state house grounds.
“The tragedy about Charleston in addition to the 9 people that loss their lives is what they did Columbia didn’t address the tragedy. To me that is not a racist symbol. The last thing I want for any soldier, union or southern is to be disrespected for their service,” he stated.
Breazeale was critical of not only supporters of the confederate flag coming down, but of his alma mater as well.
“I refuse to let Francis Marion [University] lose its luster, lose its competitiveness because when it comes down to it Dr. Carter doesn’t run that school. He works for us,” said Breazeale.
He mentioned in the past of putting together a committee of graduates to bring in a football program but that the school showed no interest.
“Francis Marion has been nasty with me. You send a graduate a cease and desist letter because I put together a committee,” he explained.
Breazeale, a Lieutenant Colonel part time in the Army Reserve, also had choice words for the man currently holding office, Rep. Jay Jordan.
“We have a representative by the name of Jay Jordan, who when the going got tough he stayed home,” he mentioned.
However on Tuesday, Rep. Jay Jordan defended his record by saying that since taking office only missing one afternoon in Columbia due to his job as an attorney.
“It is sad to say but it is part of what politics is today. It’s a mischaracterization of my record,” Jordan said.
Jordan also backed his decision regarding the confederate flag coming down.
“We need to preserve our history, but we can find a way to preserve history that isn’t hurtful to a substantial portion of the population,” he stated.
News13 did reach out to FMU and they deny sending a cease and desist letter to Breazeale, but say they did send a letter regarding the use of its name and logo.
Officials there had no comment regarding Breazeale’s political rhetoric.
The primary election will be held June 2016.
