Voters in the August 14 primary in former Sen. John Courson’s district will have many choices.

The Democrats have 3 candidates and the Republicans have 4 in the district that stretches from downtown Columbia northwest along I-126 into Lexington County, and follows I26 through St. Andrews, 7 Oaks and Irmo.

The best known name in the race is outspoken former prosecutor Dick Harpootlian of Columbia, a Democrat.

Kyle Lacio and Dayna Alane Smith are the two other Democrats in the race.

In the GOP primary are lesser known names: Benjamin Dunn, John Holler, Christian Stegmaier and Bill Turbeville.

An August 28 runoff will be held if necessary.

A special election between the two party primary winners to fill Courson’s Senate seat will be Nov. 6.

Courson resigned his Senate seat earlier this year in a plea bargain with Special Prosecutor David Pascoe.

In a raid on Courson’s political adviser Richard Quinn’s office, SLED officers found evidence the longtime state senator was laundering campaign donations for his own personal use.