Ted Vick (Image: Richland County Detention Center)
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A state representative charged with drunken driving and weapons charges has ended his campaign for the state's newly created 7th Congressional District.
Rep. Ted Vick of Chesterfield said in a statement Friday he made the decision after consulting with family, his pastor and friends. The Democrat says he is still running for a fifth term in the state House. Previous Coverage: Vick Says He Regrets 'Embarrassment'
Vick was charged early Thursday in Columbia with speeding, DUI and illegally carrying a pistol.
He says he's confident the legal system will clear things up, but says he made serious mistakes for which he alone is responsible.
Vick was in a five-way race for the Democratic nomination for the new district that spans the Pee Dee and Grand Strand. He faces one opponent in the primary for his current seat.