Katon Dawson

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Katon Edwards Dawson (born February 29, 1956) is an American politician from the state of South Carolina, former chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party[1] and was a 2009 candidate for chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Dawson was born in Columbia, South Carolina in then-heavily Democratic South Carolina, his parents helped organize the state's first GOP precincts. Dawson's involvement in politics traces back to the trauma of being forced to attend integrated schools, saying: "Government reached into my life and grabbed me and shook me at the age of fifteen. I remember how blatant it was that government just thought that they knew better, that government just thought they knew better what to do in my school."[2] Dawson later claimed his political interest came from attending a Barry Goldwater speech in 1964, and first volunteered for Richard Nixon's 1968 presidential campaign.[1]

Dawson graduated from the University of South Carolina. He is president and general manager of a family-owned auto parts distributor, Burns Auto Parts and Supply Inc.[1]

[edit] Political career

Dawson was elected Richland County GOP vice chairman in 1994 and state party chair 2002.[1]

In 2006, despite nationwide losses by the Republican party, the South Carolina GOP carried eight of nine statewide constitutional offices.[3]

In August 2007 Dawson drew national attention for his decision to move the 2008 South Carolina Republican presidential primary from Feb. 2 to January 29, preserving the state's "first in the South" primary. In every election since 1980, the winner of the South Carolina primary has won the Republican presidential nomination.[4]

During Dawson's chairmanship, the South Carolina GOP has made progress with outreach to African-Americans and in promoting minorities to leadership positions,[5][6] electing its first African-American member of the Republican National Committee from the South,[7] and in 2008 the first black Republican State Representative since Reconstruction was elected.[8]

In August 2008, Dawson personally argued in an open letter to the Forest Lake Country Club, a whites-only country club of which he was a member, to include minority members (and later resigned his 12-year membership)[9] stating "we have a responsibility to expeditiously make right this longstanding wrong."[10] According to Dawson, he first learned of the restriction on the 80-year-old deed in 2008, and while there are no black members, African-Americans are frequent guests at the club and on the golf course.[11]

Dawson became the first state Republican chair to endorse the "Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less." campaign launched by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's organization American Solutions.[12]

Dawson expressed his interest in chairing the Republican National Committee in October 2007 when reports confirmed Senator Mel Martinez would be stepping down,[13] but did not actively campaign[14] until he announced his official bid on November 24, 2008.[15] Dawson was one of two candidates to earn votes on each of the six votes taken; he lost the final ballot to winner Michael Steele, 91-77.[16]

[edit] Personal life

Dawson lives with his wife Candy in Columbia, S.C. They have two children, Anna and Katon Jr.[1]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Adcox, Seanna, GOP chairman relishes putting state in limelight, AP, August 12, 2007.
  2. ^ Preston College Seminar with Mr. Katon Dawson, Chairman Republican Party of South Carolina, November 17, 2003.
  3. ^ Goldsmith, Brian S.C. GOP Chair Says Electability is Key, CBS News, January 18, 2008.
  4. ^ Preston, Mark South Carolina GOP moves up primary, adds to 2008 scramble, CNN.com, August 9, 2007.
  5. ^ Smith, Gina. Black Republicans forging new paths in S. Carolina', The State, October 13, 2008.
  6. ^ McPike, Erin. Alexander Urges Republicans To Keep After Black Votes, Congress Daily, November 21, 2008.
  7. ^ Gizzi, John. Party Time, Human Events, June 30, 2008.
  8. ^ Wilson, Reid. They've Got Game, Campaigns and Elections' Politics Magazine, August 31, 2008.
  9. ^ LeBlanc, Clif. S.C. GOP chairman quits whites-only country club, The State, September 21, 2008.
  10. ^ Dawson, Katon. Open letter from Katon Dawson to Forest Lake Country Club, The State, August 20, 2008.
  11. ^ Geraghty, Jim. African-Americans Played at the 'Whites Only' Columbia Country Club, National Review Online, Decemberr 16, 2008.
  12. ^ Slade, David. GOP head backs oil drilling, Charleston Post and Courier, July 10, 2008.
  13. ^ McPike, Erin. SC's Dawson Eyes RNC Post, The Hotline, October 3, 2007.
  14. ^ Cillizza, Chris. The Race Within the Republican Race, The Fix, washingtonpost.com, January 14, 2008.
  15. ^ Mark Murray. Dawson officially enters RNC race, MSNBC, November 24, 2008
  16. ^ Burns, Alexander. Steele: 'How do you like me now?', Politico, January 30, 2009

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katon_Dawson"