Businessman and Greenville native Billy Webster has announced his candidacy for South Carolina's next governor.
He joins the Democratic gubernatorial race alongside state Rep. Jermaine Johnson and Charleston attorney Mullins McLeod.
Webster co-founded Advance America, a payday lending company, serving as its president and CEO from 1997 to 2011. He also was a major franchisee for Bojangles.
Webster has operated at the highest levels of the federal government, serving under both Democratic and Republican administrations. He was chief of staff to former Gov. Dick Riley during Riley’s tenure as U.S. secretary of education and director of scheduling under former President Bill Clinton.
The Democratic and Republican primaries will be held June 9.