When South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint announced his resignation to become president of the Heritage Foundation, Gov. Nikki Haley appointed Rep. Tim Scott (SC-01) to fill the Charleston-based seat. As a result, the 1st District seat is now up for grabs in a special election to be held on May 7.

The Cook Political Report lists Teddy Turner, Mark Sanford, Larry Grooms, Chip Limehouse, Andy Patrick, John Kuhn, and Ray Nash as the current Republican candidates. It rates the crowded race as “Solid Republican” with a Partisan Voter Index of R+11.

As the March 19th primaries approach, ATR will release an official list of candidates who have signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. Andy Patrick, Teddy Turner, and Chip Limehouse have already provided their signatures, and others are expected to follow suit. When it comes time to vote, the people of South Carolina’s 1st District will know which candidates are committed to protecting them from higher taxes.