Tuesday, the last of the cases will be heard involving Paul Thurmond, the GOP contender for now-Lt. Governor Glenn McConnell’s Senate seat.
The case involves the son of the late Senator Strom Thurmond and a ruling that came out of chaos caused by new candidacy paperwork requirements. More than 200 people have lost their places on the primary ballot after the State Supreme Court said the new filing law stood, no matter how confusing the parties or candidates found it to be.
Harpootlian argues that Voting Rights Act was violated.
A federal panel in Charleston heard an appeal by Dick Harpootlian, attorney and chair of the South Carolina Democrats, who says once Thurmond was kicked off, that should have been it for this election.
But in this case, the judge allowed a do-over primary and Thurmond won — again.
The appeal contends that allowing a new primary so close to the election violated the federal Voter Rights Act.
Republicans say the case is a political effort to keep Thurmond off of the ballot.
If he stays, he will run against Democrat Paul Tinkler.
