Three Republicans File for Senate 41 Primary

Three men filed to run in the special Republican primary for S.C. Senate District 41.

Paul Thurmond, Wally Burbage and S.C. Sen. Walter Hundley have filed as candidates for the race, according to Charleston County Republican Party Chair Lin Bennett. A special primary is set for Tuesday, Sept. 18 for the vote.

The that removed more than 200 candidates from ballots due to them improperly filing for their respective races.

Initially the Charleston County GOP disqualified four candidates from that race following the high court rulings, but maintained that Thurmond was exempt from the technicality that caught nearly every non-incumbent candidate in the state. However in a case brought by former Charleston County Democratic Party Chair George Tempel. 

In that case Judge Earnest Kinard ruled that Thurmond was ineligible as a candidate in the race under the filing rules, but in a twist he also allowed the GOP to hold a new special primary to choose a candidate for the race, and he said that Thurmond would be allowed to file as a candidate in the special primary.

, but last week the S.C. Supreme Court sided with Republicans and .

Paul Tinkler was the only candidate left on the Democratic Party's ballot for the seat following the Supreme Court rulings that removed another Democrat from the race. , however that suit was later withdrawn.

, though that race was only to fill out the rest of the term that now Lt. Gov. .

Hundley won the seat under the old district lines which included only portions of Charleston County. The new district lines, which will be in effect for the November general election include six voting precincts in Dorchester County as well.

Burbage was also a candidate against Hundley in the primary for the Senate seat that Hundley now holds. He was also one of five people ultimately kicked off the GOP ballot for the general election for the Senate District 41 seat.