On August 4, a South Carolina state trial court put Danny Ford back on the Republican primary ballot for U.S. Senate.  The special Republican primary is set for August 11.  Ford had been removed from the ballot because the Republican Party felt he had broken a new party rule, which says that no one can be on a Republican primary ballot unless he or she had voted in at least two of the three most recent statewide Republican primaries.  Ford v South Carolina Republican Party, court of common pleas, 2026-CP-40-05213.

Here is the opinion, which says the party rule is hopelessly vague.  The rule doesn’t define “statewide primary” and the judge wondered if the August 11 primary even qualifies as a separate primary.  It is a special primary, which follows the regular June 2 primary.