Lexington County's Howard, Duncan Off Primary Ballot

Editor's note: Story was updated at 7:25 p.m. 

Voters heading to the polls on Tuesday won't see two candidates for Lexington County Council on the ballot.

Wes Howard and Brian Duncan, candidates for Districts 3 and 5, respectively have been kicked off the ballot for Tuesday's Republican primary, according to The State. 

Patch spoke with Howard who confirmed he has been dropped from the ballot.

"I had a sneaky feeling this was coming," Howard said. "I've had concerns since the first Supreme Court decision."

Howard said "there's a lot of behind-the-scenes wrangling" to get the primary going and that he wished he had known sooner in order to get started on collecting signatures to run as a petition candidate. 

Now, he said, he's a month behind in getting those signatures.

"Things like this saddened me but don't surprise me because I understand the kinds of people in office throughout this state," Howard said. 

Howard said he already has petition forms ready to get the signatures he needs for the general election on Nov. 6.

Instead of asking voters for their vote on Tuesday, Howard said his team of 42 volunteers will now ask for people's signatures.

"I'm not going to quit until they slam the proverbial door in my face," he said. 

Howard said this election is going to be a "game changer."

Howard was up against Kent Collins for District 3, while Duncan was running against incumbent Bobby Keisler for District 5. 

Tuesday's ruling from the South Carolina Supreme Court on Florence County Republicans led to more candidates being dropped from the ballot just days from the primary. 

The primary was canceled in Oconee County after the high court's ruling. 

Alan Hunter, a Republican candidate for Senate District 18, said he was told there were others off the ballot in Lexington County, but couldn't confirm.

Hunter said he might even be one of them.

"This is an absolute, first-class mess," he said.

If kicked off the ballot, Hunter said he would take legal action.

"I plan to sue the Lexington County Republican Party for every single dime I've spent on my campaign."

As of 5 p.m. Thursday, candidates in Richland County had not changed.

In the attached video, GOP Chair Chad Connelly addresses the recent ruling.

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