Image by Staff illustration; Base image by Flickr user "h_elise" There's plenty of room on the ballot for all.
Update: Get to know the candidates.
The final list of competitors is coming together for the special election to take the 1st Congressional District seat vacated by Rep. Tim Scott.
Headlining so far has been former Governor Mark Sanford's declaration that he's running, and Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, sister of "The Colbert Report" host Stephen Colbert.
In all 14 Republicans and three Democrats will pack the ballot.
The Post and Courier offers a solid roundup of the latest known candidates; take a read here.
Filing for the seat ends today, January 28, and the GOP primary is slated for March 19. If needed, a primary runoff is due April 2. The special election will follow on May 7.
Update January 29: The filing deadline has passed and the field of Republicans grew to 16 to bring the total to 19.
Here's the list (current or former political position in parentheses):
Democratic (3)
- Elizabeth Colbert Busch
- Martin Skelly
- Ben Frasier
Republican (16)
- Keith Blandford
- Curtis Bostic (Former Charleston County Councilman)
- Ric Bryant
- Sen. Larry Grooms (R-37)
- Jonathan Hoffman
- Jeff King
- John Kuhn (Former State Sen.)
- Tim Larkin
- Chip Limehouse (State Rep. 110)
- Peter McCoy (State Rep. 115)
- Elizabeth Moffly (Charleston County School Board Trustee)
- Ray Nash (Former Dorchester County Sheriff)
- Andy Patrick (State Rep. 123)
- Shawn Pinkston
- Mark Sanford (Former Governor)
- Teddy Turner
The (Hitlon Head) Island Packet offers a line of text on the background of each candidate.
