Son of legendary Clemson football coach enters SC race. Here’s what to know

Danny Lee Ford II, son of the coach who led Clemson to its first national football championship, is running for South Carolina agriculture commissioner. He’s one of four Republicans competing in the primary to replace retiring commissioner Hugh Weathers.

FULL STORY: Son of legendary Clemson football coach jumps in SC statewide election

Here are key takeaways:

• Ford, a cattle and hemp farmer in the Upstate, announced his campaign Monday at the Upstate Livestock Exchange in Anderson County. He said Weathers’ retirement and personal farming struggles, including losing a quarter of his cows to blue-green algae bloom, pushed him into the race.

• He faces a competitive Republican primary. Cody Simpson entered the race last week with endorsements from President Donald Trump and Gov. Henry McMaster. Fred West, who has Weathers’ backing, and Jeremy Cannon have also announced campaigns.

• Ford’s father, Danny Ford, coached Clemson to its 1981 national championship and was among the first 20 industrial hemp farmers in South Carolina in 2017. The younger Ford said his father will be involved in the campaign.

• The winner will lead the state Department of Agriculture, which regulates and provides resources to South Carolina’s largest industry sector.

• Filing for office runs March 16 through March 30. The primary is June 9.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.