AIKEN - Greg Ryberg announced Wednesday that he is pulling out of the South Carolina treasurer's race and will not participate in the June 27 runoff with front-runner Thomas Ravenel.

"I got into this race because I understand the numbers ... I'm getting out this race because I understand the numbers," Mr. Ryberg said in a telephone interview.

Mr. Ryberg, a state senator from Aiken who sank $2 million of his own money into the Republican primary, gathered 26 percent of the votes in Tuesday's primary, according to unofficial results posted on the South Carolina Election Commission's Web site Wednesday morning.

Mr. Ravenel grabbed 48 percent of the votes, just shy of the majority needed to avoid a runoff.

"We've looked at everything," Mr. Ryberg said. "You can't keep him below 50 percent (in the runoff)."

Former state House Majority Leader Rick Quinn finished third with 19 percent of the votes, and Jeff Willis, of Easley, finished last with 7 percent.

The state's Republican Party chairman, Katon Dawson, called Wednesday for Mr. Quinn and Mr. Willis to "follow the lead of Sen. Ryberg in the interest of party unity."

Meanwhile, in the Republican primary for state education superintendent, Bob Staton withdrew, after receiving 35 percent of the vote compared with top vote-getter Karen Floyd, who had 50.5 percent.

It was not immediately clear whether Ms. Floyd would avoid a runoff in the five-way race. The 43-year-old Spartanburg businesswoman had nearly 1,200 votes more than the number required to avoid a runoff.

Those results must still be certified by the South Carolina Election Commission, which meets Saturday.

Ms. Floyd was endorsed by Gov. Mark Sanford and the state's two U.S. senators, Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint.

Associated Press reports were used in this article.

Reach Josh Gelinas at (803) 648-1395 or josh.gelinas@augustachronicle.com.