Who’s going to replace Trey Gowdy? Candidates are lining up

Candidate are already lining up to replace U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-Spartanburg.

Several Upstate Republicans have expressed a desire to replace Gowdy, who announced he won’t seek re-election in 2018.

The known GOP candidates in the race so far are: attorney Stephen Brown, who is a former chairman of the Greenville County Republican Party; Greer resident Jordan Brown; state Rep. Dan Hamilton of Greenville; Spartanburg County teacher J. Alan Ruff; and state Sen. William Timmons of Greenville.

The Greenville News reports that Jordan Brown, Ruff and Timmons have filed paperwork declaring their candidacies with the Federal Election Commission.

Stephen Brown and Hamilton disclosed their plans to run at a Greenville County Republican Party meeting earlier this week, the News reports.

At least three other Republicans — Spartanburg County Clerk of Court Hope Blackley, former state Sen. Lee Bright of Spartanburg County and Spartanburg County Republican Party Chairman Josh Kimbrell — are also reported to be considering joining the race.

Another Republican from Spartanburg County, former state GOP chair Karen Floyd, has not ruled out running, a spokesman told the Greenville News this week.

Four Democrats had decided to seek the seat before Gowdy's announcement. They include Chris Chastain, an electrician from Walhalla, Simpsonville businessman J.T. Davis, Greenville graduate student Will Morin and Greenville finance expert Lee Turner.

This story was originally published February 7, 2018 at 3:07 PM with the headline "Who’s going to replace Trey Gowdy? Candidates are lining up."