South Carolina

Democrat announces bid to unseat US Rep. Norman in 2018

SUMTER, S.C. — A South Carolina Democrat who narrowly lost a special election for Congress in June says he'll try again in 2018.

Archie Parnell announced Monday he will challenge U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman in the 5th District.

Parnell is a former executive at Goldman Sachs and ExxonMobile. Fewer than 3,000 votes separated the two in the race to replace Mick Mulvaney, who resigned to be President Donald Trump's budget director.

Norman, then a state House member, won with 51 percent of the vote in the district anchored by heavily Republican York County.

Parnell says he thinks it's too important a time in the country for him to step aside.

He says the failure of Congress to accomplish anything in recent months his decision more certain.