Earlier this spring, along with being elected the Fifth Congressional District Vice Chairman of the Republican Party in South Carolina, I was also elected as a National Delegate.

With this honor, I was able to attend the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. this past week.

What I thought would be an experience of a lifetime was even more than that.

When I arrived in Tampa, I was in the center of the political universe.

The first evening I was in Tampa, I and a few other delegates had dinner with the South Carolina State Treasurer Curtis Loftis where we discussed government transparency, policy and even talked about tractors.

Sunday morning I attended a church service led by South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Chad Connelly.

In this service he discussed serving others and why we are politically active and how we can do God’s work.

Later that evening we attended a reception with South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and then attended a reception for all delegates at Tropicana Field which was headlined by country singer Rodney Atkins.

Atkins rocked the house with his hits “Farmer’s Daughter”, “Watching You” and “Take a Back Road”.

Monday morning began with the SCGOP delegates attending a Fresh form Florida Victory Breakfast.

At this breakfast we heard from Florida Agricultural Commissioner Adam Putnam and Governor Rick Scott, who gave us an update on the tropical storm Isaac.

Governor Haley also spoke at this breakfast.

After the breakfast I was asked by the SCGOP to be one of the delegates to speak to the media.

I was interviewed by WYFF out of Greenville and Tom Posey from SCETV.

Later in the day I was asked to call into WVOC of Columbia to be interviewed by David Waterman.

We wrapped up the evening with a “Milk and Cookies” event with South Carolina Senior Senator Lindsey Graham.

The following day the South Carolina Delegates Breakfast was headlined by Florida Senator Marco Rubio.

After this packed breakfast our delegation headed to the Tampa Bay Times Forum and the floor of the Republican National Convention.

As I walked down to the floor I was amazed to be there as I have watched several conventions on the television.

It was a surreal feeling to be part of history.

For a guy from small town Whitmire and now a resident of Ridgeway, in a democrat county, to be on the floor of the Republican National Convention, I felt honored to be there.

As I walked around on the floor of the convention, I met and had pictures taken with Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and Senator Ron Johnson, Minnesota Congresswomen Michelle Bachman, Karl Rove, New York Congressman John King and former New York Governor George Pataki, Republican African American Mayor Mia Love, South Carolina Congressmen Tim Scott, Jeff Duncan and Mick Mulvaney.

Later in the week we also had New Jersey Governor Chris Christie speak at the SC Delegation breakfast and he rocked the house!

The speakers at the Republican National Convention highlighted the diversity on the Republican Party.

Even though the liberal media, specifically MSNBC, did not air the speeches of any minorities at the RNC, many Republican minorities were represented at the RNC.

In case you missed it, the following leaders of the Republican Party spoke at the convention; African Americans Tim Scott, Congressman, Mia Love, mayor of Saratoga Springs and candidate for Congress, former Congressman Artur Davis, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Hispanics Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez, Texas Senatorial candidate Ted Cruz, women, Governor Nikki Haley, Tennessee Congresswomen Marsha Blackburn, Iowa Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds, Washington Congresswomen Cathy McMorris, New Hampshire Senator Ayotte and Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin.

If you believed that the Republican Party is a group of old white guys, you cannot believe that anymore. the facts don’t bare that out. If you believe in lower taxes for everyone so more money stays in your pocket, reduced regulations help business owners create jobs for you, marriage is between a man and a woman, no one has a choice to kill unborn babies, the right to bare arms you are a Republican and you are welcome to the Republican Party.

Remember the Fairfield County Republican Party is the party who has given the residents of Fairfield a chance to elect the first African American to the statehouse since reconstruction. The Fairfield Democrats have not elected an African American to the SC House or the SC Senate? Why? Are they keeping you down?

If you are a democrat and or an African American in Fairfield County, I ask you to keep an open mind and listen to William Gray and consider sending the first African American to the statehouse from Fairfield County since reconstruction.

I would also ask you to consider voting for Bob Carrison to the S.C. Senate. What has Senator Coleman done for the African Americans in Fairfield County? He passed local legislation to try to take your vote away from you with regard to the school board? Talk about trying to disenfranchise voters, democrats are doing that not republicans. Had enough? Vote Republican!