The race to fill the open 1st district seat just got a lot more interesting. Republican Tim Scott announced Monday he is switching races and running to succeed retiring Rep. Henry Brown (R) instead of running for lieutenant governor — a decision that comes not long after he made the rounds in Washington.

This means an even more crowded GOP primary in the Charleston and Myrtle Beach-based district.

Already in the GOP race are Carroll Campbell III, the namesake and son of a late former governor; Charleston County Councilman Paul Thurmond, the son of the legendary late Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.); Stovall Witte, formerly Brown’s chief of staff; Katherine Jenerette, an Army veteran and former district field representative for Brown who challenged her ex-boss in the 2008 primary; and Isle of Palms Councilman Ryan Buckhannon.

Campbell, who got into the race before Brown announced his retirement, released a strong statement reacting to Scott’s move.

“It appears that Tim Scott will be trying to run for his third office in just two years; abandoning what appears to be a failed campaign for Lt. Governor. Mr. Scott is just another politician in a string, all scrambling over one another to get into a campaign I have been in for nearly a year,” Campbell said. “The people of South Carolina are tired of political opportunists.”