Charleston County GOP names six candidates ineligible

Six Charleston County Republicans, including two of the party’s three Senate 41 candidates, have been disqualified from running because of this week’s Supreme Court ruling.

Charleston businessman Wally Burbage and Citadel educator Sean Pike had planned to run against former Charleston County Councilman Paul Thurmond in Tuesday’s GOP primary for the West Ashley Senate seat formerly held by Lt. Gov. Glenn McConnell.

Their names still will appear on the ballot, but voters will be informed they’re no longer eligible.

County GOP Chair Lin Bennett today released a list of six Republican candidates no longer eligible because they failed to file a statement of economic interest on time.

Also affected are Charleston County Council hopefuls Carolyn Hughes (District 6); Brian Moody (District 7) and House candidates Sean Hughes (District 119) and Will Freeman (House 111).

None of those four faced primary opposition Tuesday, and they still could appear on the Nov. 6 ballot as petition candidates, provided they collect enough signatures by July 15.

One Democrat, House 115 candidate Carol Tempel, also was disqualified because of this week’s court ruling —one that clarified an earlier ruling that in itself had removed almost 200 Republicans and Democrats from this year’s ballots across the state.

Read more in tomorrow’s editions of The Post and Courier.