Here are candidates to replace Trey Gowdy in the U.S. House of Representatives

COLUMBIA -- A veteran South Carolina House member, a freshman senator and the chairman of the Spartanburg County GOP announced Wednesday they are interested in the seat now held by U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy, after Gowdy announced that he will not seek reelection.

Sen. William Timmons, a former prosecutor and Greenville Republican, Dan Hamilton, owner of a Greenville real estate firm and a House member since 2009; and Josh Kimbrell, chairman of the Spartanburg County GOP, all signaled they are interested in representing the state's 4th Congressional District in Congress.

And former U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis also signaled Wednesday he might be interested.

"Before Trump, Tea Party & Birthers, I served where Trey Gowdy is now vacating," he tweeted. "Will you run again — as a Republican?' I'm asked. Depends on whether my TED Talk here is what Rs believe. Or are these the words of a new party to be born in SC-4 or elsewhere?"

Gowdy, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee and a former federal prosecutor, has served in the House since 2011.

Three Democrats had already announced bids for the post: Chris Chastain, Lee Turner, J.T. Davis and Will Morin.

Turner, a businesswoman in West Gantt, said she believes Gowdy's departure could benefit her and other Democrats because he had such a "large fan base" and because without him running, donors may believe she and other Democrats have a better chance of winning.

Timmons said it will be hard for anyone to fill Gowdy's shoes.

"I believe I am uniquely positioned to do the best we can and that's because of my education, my experience as a prosecutor and small business owner and senator," he said. "I have had substantial success in my short tenure here reforming government, making it more efficient and protecting the taxpayers of Greenville County."

Timmons said he believes it is important "that we send our best to DC and I believe I am the best that we can send."

Hamilton said he plans to run "at this point."

"We're going to take our business experience along with some political experience we've had here in Columbia and combine those and hopefully make a difference." he said.

Hamilton also said his qualifications are unique for the job.

"I'd include starting a business from scratch, growing it to be one of the top (real estate) firms in the Upstate, other business entities, raising a family here in the Upstate and then some legislative experience," he said. "I could hit the ground running quickly, and I think time is of the essence in Washington. We need someone who could hit the ground running and get things done."

Wednesday afternoon, Kimbrell posted to Facebook that "I am exploring a run for the United States Congress to keep the 4th District on the national stage in the conservative fight."

Kimbrell has been a fixture in Upstate conservative talk radio for a decade. He hosts a show at 5 p.m. weekdays called Common Cents on 92.9FM and 660 AM and described himself as an entrepreneur and businessman who is a political newcomer but who has studied and discussed state and national issues for years.

“It is very, very likely I’m in in the next couple of weeks,” Kimbrell told The Greenville News.

He didn’t want to make it official yet because once he did, he’d have to give up his radio program.

“I want that forum for a few more weeks,” he said.

That didn’t stop him from making an early salvo at the competition, which he said would be intense.

“I expect it’s going to be a crowded race,” Kimbrell said. “I think that most of the people who are going to run are going to be career politicians who have held many prior offices. I’m looking at this as a entrepreneur and businessman who has done 10 years of talk radio here in the Upstate and is the chairman of the party in Spartanburg County. I’m looking at it as a conservative activist and businessman who wants to go and stop moving the same butts from seat to seat.”

Kimbrell said most of the people who will run are “statehouse members who frankly are responsible for the significant growth of state government, the SCANA fiasco at Santee Cooper, and I think we need to have some fresh blood that’s not just an elected official trying to hop from one seat to another like William Timmons.”

“For me, this campaign will be defined by the fact that I’ve talked to 30,000 South Carolina Republican voters on the (Interstate) 85 corridor for 10 years. And I think that’s going to be what makes it interesting.”

Timmons, in response to Kimbrell's comments about him, stressed the need for experience in the seat.

"Gowdy was an incredible asset and to send in someone who does not have any experience or understanding of the legislative process and is untested, would be less than ideal," he said.

"I look forward to letting the voters learn more about the candidates and their qualifications, and I'm hopeful I will be given the opportunity and try and continue to fix a broken system."

Hamilton said he was not sure of anyone else interested in running.

"I would imagine there will certainly be others running," Hamilton said. "There are a lot of talented folks in the Upstate. I look at it as we would all be applying for the same position, like a job, and we'll let the voters decide who to send."

Timmons said he plans to use $500,000 of his own money in the race, saying he largely financed his Senate race with his own money.

"I think it's important we remain independent," he said. "Nobody can question my motives. I personally have a lot of problems with many people in DC. I feel special interests already have their claws in many of them, they are not even their own person."

He said he plans to do fundraising, but putting in his own money keeps the "public knowing I'm not beholden to anyone."

Check back for updates to this developing story.

Related: U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy announces that he won't seek another term

Related: U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy's announcement to not run for election coincides with judicial opening