CHARLESTON, S.C. — A Democrat running for a South Carolina congressional seat announced Monday that he is withdrawing from the race, all but ensuring that Charleston's U.S. House seat will continue to be represented by a woman.
Tim Lewis, the chairman of the Dorchester County Democratic Party, cited his responsibilities as a caregiver that will prevent him from spending "the time on the road to flip this district, to win in November, serve in Washington, and fulfill my responsibility at home."
"As a veteran, I have never run away from a fight, but as a businessman, I know when you need to make a hard choice. That's why with a heavy heart I will end my run for Congress," Lewis said.
Lewis also pledged to support his party's nominee in the general election, and encouraged the remaining Democratic Party candidates to stick to "the kitchen table issues that affect everyday families."
The 1st Congressional District, which hugs much of the southern part of the South Carolina coastline from Hilton Head Island to parts of downtown Charleston and up into portions of Berkeley, Dorchester and Colleton counties, has morphed in recent years from a solid Republican seat to a competitive congressional district.
The last two elections have been won here by one percentage point.
In 2018, the seat changed from Republican to Democratic control for the first time in nearly four decades when Joe Cunningham won the seat. In 2020, it flipped back to GOP control when U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-Daniel Island, defeated Cunningham.
Mace made history with her election in 2020, becoming the first Republican woman ever elected to Congress from South Carolina.
With Lewis exiting the race, it makes the fight for Charleston's U.S. House seat a female-dominated contest.
The field of candidates vying to become the Democratic nominee has now narrowed to two, both of them women: Charleston pediatrician Annie Andrews and former State House candidate Rebecca Niess Cingolani.
In a tweet, Andrews thanked Lewis for his service and said she looked forward to working with him to "build a brighter future for everyone in the district."
Andrews has raised more than $500,000 since she first announced her candidacy in November and has more than $387,000 cash on hand, according to her latest federal fundraising reports.
Cingolani, who has raised more than $20,000 and reported having more than $16,000 cash on hand, did not return requests for comment.
Cingolani's candidacy, so far, has largely been waged online through fundraising emails. She has not held a campaign kick-off event.
On the Republican side, women are also dominating the primary field.
So far, Mace has drawn at least three GOP challengers, all of whom identify as "America First" candidates: former state House lawmaker Katie Arrington, North Charleston military wife Lynz Piper-Loomis and Ingrid Centurion, a veteran and author.
Arrington, who announced her candidacy last month in a 2-minute campaign video, has emerged as Mace's strongest Republican primary challenger and secured the endorsement of former President Donald Trump within 48 hours of launching her bid for Congress.
When Trump holds a rally in Florence this weekend, Arrington will be among the speakers.
According to her year-end federal fundraising report, Mace raised more than $600,000 in her last fundraising quarter and enters the 2022 election year with $1.5 million cash on hand — more than anyone else in the race, Republican or Democrat.
