Moore certifies fourteen candidates to appear on First-in-the-South Republican Party Presidential Primary Ballot

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Matt Moore today certified fourteen candidates to appear on the 2016 First-in-the-South Republican Party Presidential Primary ballot. An official certification letter was transmitted to the South Carolina State Election Commission this afternoon. (view letter) The South Carolina Republican Presidential Primary will be held on Saturday, February 20, 2016.

“The Republican Party has the most diverse, experienced field of presidential candidates in its history. This presidential primary process presents real choices for voters and I’m proud that every major presidential candidate has spent time with South Carolinians. Our state’s Republican voters take their First-in-the-South role very seriously, so we expect record turnout on February 20 to help elect the next President of the United States,” said Chairman Moore.

Below in alphabetical order are the names of the candidates – spelled as they will appear on the ballot:

Jeb Bush
Ben Carson
Chris Christie
Ted Cruz
Carly Fiorina
Jim Gilmore
Lindsey Graham
Mike Huckabee
John R. Kasich
George E. Pataki
Rand Paul
Marco Rubio
Rick Santorum
Donald J. Trump

The First-in-the-South Republican Party Presidential Primary has grown in significance over time. Since 1980, no Republican candidate has won the White House without first winning South Carolina’s Republican Party primary.

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