South Carolina's congressional special election ballot to have 19 names
January 31, 2013
By Zac Humphrey
COLUMBIA, South Carolina: There are 19 candidates who have filed to fill the currently vacant seat in South Carolina's 1st Congressional District. Among them, three are Democratic and 16 are Republican.
On December 6, 2012, Jim DeMint announced he would leave the U.S. Senate to become president of the Heritage Foundation, starting in January 2013. Gov. Nikki Haley (R) appointed representative Tim Scott to fill the remainder of DeMint's term. Scott's departure cleared the way for a vacancy in the 1st District.[1][2]
Former Governor Mark Sanford is seen as the front runner due to name recognition and the fact that he has $120,000 in an old campaign account. This coupled with his ability to fundraise quickly gives him a leg up on the field. This is also his former seat in the U.S. House of Representatives that he held for three terms, prior to being elected governor.[3]
The 1st Congressional District includes North Charleston, and parts of Dorchester, Berkeley, and Georgetown counties. It also includes Myrtle Beach. The district leans Republican.[4] The district has a Partisan Voter Index of R+11, which is the 97th most Republican district in the country.[5] The last Democratic candidate elected was Mendel Jackson Davis in 1978.[6]
The primary will be held on March 19, with a runoff on April 2, if needed. The general election is currently scheduled for May 7, 2013.[7]
Democratic candidates
- Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, sister to The Colbert Report host, Stephen Colbert[8]
- Martin Skelly, runs UFG Asset Management investment group, first time political candidate[9]
- Ben Frasier, 2010 Democratic Party nominee for the first congressional district[9]
Republican candidates
- Keith Blandford, former Libertarian candidate[10]
- Curtis Bostic, Charleston County Council member, attorney and former Marine[9]
- Ric Bryant, an engineer[11]
- Larry Grooms, state senator[12][13][14]
- Jonathan Hoffman, Judge Advocate General with Air Force Reserve, former Director of the White House Homeland Security Council[9]
- Jeff King, engineer, first time political candidate[9]
- John Kuhn, attorney and former state senator[9]
- Tim Larkin, founding member of the South Carolina National Guard's Computer Network Defense team[9]
- Chip Limehouse, state representative[12][13][14]
- Peter McCoy, state representative[12][13]
- Elizabeth Moffly, former member of the Charleston County School Board[9]
- Ray Nash, former Dorchester County Sheriff and Criminal Justice Adviser for the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan[9]
- Andy Patrick, state representative[9]
- Shawn Pinkston, attorney, former Army Judge Advocate General[9]
- Mark Sanford, former South Carolina Governor[15]
- Teddy Turner, economics teach, son of media mogul Ted Turner[9]
See also
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Footnotes
- ↑ Wall Street Journal, "Sen. Jim DeMint to Head Heritage Foundation," December 6, 2012
- ↑ Washington Post, "Jim DeMint leaving the Senate," December 6, 2012
- ↑ Roll Call, "Sanford Likely Front-Runner in S.C. Special Election," January 3, 2013
- ↑ Salon.com, "Ted Turner’s son vying in SC congressional primary," January 23, 2013
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "Partisan Voting Index Districts of the 113th Congress: 2004 & 2008" accessed October 2012
- ↑ Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "Davis, Medel Jackson, (1942-2007)," accessed January 28, 2013
- ↑ South Carolina Republican Party Website, "1st Congressional Special Election details set," accessed January 3, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "No joke: Stephen Colbert’s sister plans House bid," January 18, 2013
- ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 South Carolina Radio Network, "List of 19 candidates running for District 1 seat," January 28, 2013 (dead link)
- ↑ CBS Charlotte, "Former Gov. Sanford Could Face Ex-Wife For Open House Seat," December 20, 2012
- ↑ Mount Pleasant Patch, "Hanahan's Ric Bryant Enters SC1 GOP Fray," January 28, 2013 (dead link)
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedwp - ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Post and Courier, "If Haley picks Scott to take DeMint's place, expect wide-open race," December 8, 2012
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 National Journal, "Scott Appointment Will Shape Two S.C. Special Elections," December 17, 2012
- ↑ CNN "FIRST ON CNN: Mark Sanford plans to run for Congress," December 20, 2012
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