Tony Thurmond: “I am saddened to report the passing of a longtime friend, a great supporter, and one of the stalwart members of the…”

“I am saddened to report the passing of a longtime friend, a great supporter, and one of the stalwart members of the South Carolina Republican Party, Mrs. Julia Ravenel Dougherty. In the not so distant past, South Carolina was what was known as a one party State, where a victory in a primary election was all one needed to secure office, and where a significant segment of the population had no outlet for its views, opinions, and politics. All of that began to change in the 1960's when a cadre of forward looking politicians and interested citizens began to fight to create a true Republican Party in South Carolina. One of the pioneers in that effort was Mrs. Dougherty, who is roundly recognized as having been a woman of great humor, strong organizational skills, and inexhaustible energy, as well as someone who was a tremendous motivator.”