Appellants Jeffrey Thompson and John J. Smith appeal the district court s order denying relief on their complaint under 42 U.S.C.A. § 1988 (West 2003 & Supp. 2007). Appellants, both former deputy sheriffs with the Dorchester County, South Carolina Sheriffs Department, contend that Dorchester County Sheriff Ray Nash and county staff members William French, John Barney Barnes, and Tim Stephenson (collectively “Appellees”) violated their First Amendment rights by engaging in a pattern of harassment and intimidation because Appellants supported Nash’s opponent in the sheriffs election. Applying the two-step framework set forth m Saucier v. Katz, 533 U.S. 194, 200,121 S.Ct. 2151, 150 L.Ed.2d 272 (2001), the district court first concluded that Appellants had properly alleged a violation of a constitutional right to be free from harassment based on their support of Sheriff Nash’s opponent in the election but then also concluded that such right was not clearly established at the time of Appellees’ alleged actions. 1 Accordingly, the court granted Appellees’ motion to dismiss on the basis of qualified immunity. 2

We haTO reviewed, record, the distnd courts thoroufh °Pmion’ a“d bfard oral ^ ^ T’, ^ n° f verflbí error' ^dmgly, we affirm based substantia% on the reasoning of the district court. See Thompson v. Dorchester County Sheriffs Dep’t, No. 2:06-cv-00968-DCN (D.S.C. May 4, 2007).

AFFIRMED.