Who will replace SC lawmaker after guilty plea?

Five Republicans and a third-party candidate have filed to run for the S.C. House seat once held by Rick Quinn after the Lexington County Republican resigned and entered a guilty plea in the State House corruption probe.

Former legislative staffer Joel Deason, Lexington 1 school board member Anne Marie Green, small business owner Alan Ray, attorney Michael Weaver and businessman Chris Wooten filed to run for the GOP nomination. Filing ended Saturday.

The District 69 seat is in a heavily Republican area, and the GOP primary race is expected to be competitive.

Quinn resigned Dec. 13 as part of a plea deal in the ongoing State House corruption probe. His father, S.C. political kingmaker Richard Quinn, also agreed to testify to the State Grand Jury investigating legislative misconduct. Quinn’s First Impressions company agreed to pay a $3,000 fine for failing to register as a lobbyist.

The five GOP candidates will face off in a Feb. 27 primary. If no one wins a majority, the top two will face off in a March 13 runoff.

The winner of the Republican primary will face A.J. Blues, who filed as a Libertarian candidate, in the May 1 general election.

This story was originally published January 8, 2018 at 3:52 PM with the headline "Who will replace SC lawmaker after guilty plea?."