Lee Johnson of Greenville drops out Senate race, cites need for Democratic Party unity
Johnson built his career as an engineer and businessman. He more recently stepped into the political scene when he announced his campaign for Graham's Senate seat on May 14.
More: Greenville engineer joins 2026 race for Lindsey Graham's U.S. Senate seat
'Lindsey Graham built a career for himself,' Johnson said in his campaign announcement. 'I've spent my life building for others.
His initial campaign called for the protection of benefits such as Social Security and Medicaid. He also ran on a platform of low prescription drug costs and accessible healthcare.
Johnson said in a July 16 press release that he has spent the past two months campaigning across the state and has heard concerns about the future and worries about access to healthcare.
"Every conversation reminded me why I entered this race," Johnson stated, "I care deeply about the people of this state and believe in a future where we are more united, more decent, and more compassionate."
He said it was "not an easy decision" to suspend his Senate campaign, but thinks the best thing he can do to help defeat Graham is to support the candidate the state's Democratic Party sees fit.
A filing deadline and primary contest dates have not yet been set in the 2026 U.S. Senate race. Five Democrats are vying for Graham's seat, including Greenville-native Brandon Brown, who announced his campaign on July 10.
Other Democrats in the race are Catherine Flemming Bruce and Annie Andrews, both previously ran unsuccessful congressional campaigns, Christopher Giracello and Kyle Freeman.
More: Former SC Lt. Governor hopes to unseat Sen. Lindsey Graham: 'Proven conservative fighter'
There are three Republican candidates running for the seat: Graham, former South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, and businessman Mark Lynch. Independents Jack Ellison and Reece Wright-McDonald and Libertarian Kasie Whitener are also running.
Bella Carpentier covers the South Carolina legislature, state, and Greenville County politics. Contact her at bcarpentier@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Greenville Democrat suspends campaign for U.S. Senate, calls for unity
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