Only four of 18 open seats representing all or parts of Beaufort County will be contested in the June 12 political-party primaries.
The filing period for the primaries closed at noon Friday. Party nominations for two Beaufort County Council seats and the county Clerk of Court Office will be up for grabs in two-person contests. A new S.C. House of Representatives seat in District 120 will involve a three-way race for a spot in the November general election.
Also, two incumbents gained challengers from an opposing party Friday. Democrat Bobbie Rose filed to run against U.S. Rep. Tim Scott, R-Charleston, in the general election, and state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, a Democrat, will be challenged for the 46th District seat by Republican Leilani Bessinger of Beaufort County.
The following candidates have filed since filing opened March 16.
BEAUFORT COUNTY
Council District 1: Democrats Herbert Glaze and Gerald Dawson both currently serve on council but were put together in District 1 when political lines were redrawn based on 2010 Census information. The merger of Glaze and Dawson's districts will bring the number of majority-minority districts in the county from three to two. Redistricting also gave southern Beaufort County a majority of council seats for the first time.
Council District 3: Incumbent Bill McBride, Democrat.
Council District 5: Incumbent Brian Flewelling.
Council District 7: Republicans Dan Duryea and Cynthia Bensch will run to represent the redrawn district that is not served by a current councilman.
Clerk of Court: Incumbent Jerri Ann Roseneau, a Republican, faces a challenge from Ray Garza for the party nomination.
Coroner: Incumbent Ed Allen
STATE OFFICES:
S.C. House of Representatives
District 118: Incumbent Rep. Bill Herbkersman, R-Bluffton
District 120: Republican Laura Sterling was the first candidate to file for the seat. Weston Newton and Jerry Stewart are both members of the Beaufort County Council with terms that end in 2014.
District 121: Incumbent Rep. Kenneth Hodges, D- Colleton.
District 122: Incumbent Rep. Curtis Brantley, D- Jasper.
District 123: Incumbent Rep. Andy Patrick, R- Hilton Head
District 124: Incumbent Rep. Shannon Erickson, R- Beaufort
S.C. Senate
District 43: Incumbent Sen. Chip Campsen, R- Charleston.
District 45: Incumbent Sen. Clementa Pinckney, D- Ridgeland, and challenger, Republican Leilani Bessinger.
District 46: Incumbent Rep. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort.
Solicitor: Incumbent Duffie Stone, R-Beaufort County.
U.S. House of Representatives:
District 1: Incumbent Rep. Tim Scott, R-Charleston, and Democratic challenger Bobbie Rose.
District 6: Incumbent Rep. James Clyburn, D-Columbia.
Candidates can still get on the November ballot by filing a petition with the S.C. State Election Commission. The petition must have signatures from at least 5 percent of the active voting population in the district and be submitted by July 15. For more information, go to scvotes.org.
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