His opponent is Thomas R. "Randy" Ligon who is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 43rd District, serving since 2018. He is a member of the Republican party.So a Republican has filed to run against a Republican. How does that work in South Carolina?In 2023, Ligon was briefly among the Republican co-sponsors of the South Carolina Prenatal Equal Protection Act of 2023, which would make women who had abortions eligible for the death penalty; he later withdrew his sponsorship. (Source: Wiki)
Given South Carolina has open primaries, the Republican candidate for general election is often chosen by Democrats.