Chris Sullivan announced Monday night that he will seek the Republican nomination in the special election for House District 17. He made the announcement at the Executive Committee meeting of the county Republican Party.
“It is more important than ever that we send a representative to Columbia who will fight for our conservative principles and local values,” Sullivan said. “This last election proved that we must work harder than ever to protect our rights under the constitution. The next four years will bring some serious challenges and I want to be there to stand up to the intrusion of the Federal government.
“The next great crisis facing South Carolina, is whether we will be forced into the Obamacare system or will our legislators have the courage to resist? That’s why it is so very important that we have representatives who can withstand the pressure.”
Earlier this year Sullivan lost a challenge for the state Senate, winning 48 percent of the vote in a primary disrupted when the state Supreme Court removed hundreds of candidates for not filing their financial statements and candidacy at the same time, as required by state law.
Republican Party chairman Chad Connelly created the South Carolina Election Reform Task Force and has appointed Sullivan to serve on that committee.
“We need to undertake serious reform of our entire election process and the ethics laws, or else our political system will continue to be a playground for incumbents,” Sullivan said. “The election process needs to be fair and transparent so that voters have as many choices as possible.”
Sullivan is a conservative Christian and is active in evangelical efforts. A member of Brushy Creek Baptist Church and the Travelers Rest Camp of the Gideons International, he is also a member of the board of visitors at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He attended Shannon Forest Christian School and Furman University.
A resident of Cleveland, Sullivan has been active in the Republican Party serving on the executive committee for Jennings Mill precinct and convention parliamentarian for the Greenville County GOP.
Sullivan also serves as vice-chairman of the South Carolina Hunley Commission, which is charged with overseeing the recovery, conservation and restoration of the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley. The Hunley was the first submarine in history to sink an enemy vessel in wartime.
Sullivan is the owner of a public relations firm. A Greenville native, he is the son of Lucile and Hewlett Sullivan.
House District 17 includes Travelers Rest, Slater-Marietta, Cleveland, and Tigerville.
The special election was created when incumbent, Tom Corbin, simultaneously ran for re-election to the House and for an open Senate seat. Corbin resigned the House seat, after winning the Senate race, after the Nov. 6 general election requiring a special election.
The special Republican primary is scheduled for Jan. 22, with a run-off 2-weeks later.