Marcus Belk — who had proclaimed himself the first openly gay person to run for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina — ended his seven-month campaign before Tuesday’s filing deadline.

The Camden native, who most recently had been living in New Jersey, endorsed fellow Democrat and front-runner Inez Tenenbaum, the state superintendent of education.

“Inez is a brilliant woman who is our party’s only hope to retain our state’s Democratic Senate seat,” Belk said in a prepared statement.

Tenenbaum hopes to retain for the Democrats the seat held since 1966 by U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings, who retires in January.

In the June 8 primary, she faces Ben Frasier, 62, a former police officer and aide to the late U.S. Rep. L. Mendel Rivers, who paid his $9,846 filing fee on Friday.

In the 1970s and ’80s, Frasier made losing bids for Congress that were poorly financed and virtually invisible. He ran against U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., in 1994 and 1996, amid questions about whether he lived in North Carolina or South Carolina.

Clyburn crushed Frasier by winning nearly 90 percent of the vote both times.

In his filing papers, Frasier listed Wadmalaw Island as his home address. He did not immediately respond to messages left at his home Tuesday.

Tenenbaum’s campaign showed little concern with Frasier’s candidacy.

“We feel confident that Inez will emerge from the primary with a united Democratic Party behind her,” campaign spokeswoman Kay Packett said.

Belk said he was sending a campaign contribution to Tenenbaum and said every Democrat, “including South Carolina’s gays and lesbians, should do it as well.”

The constitutional amendment banning gay marriages, he said, is already dead in the Senate and is not a real issue. Tenenbaum has said she would support the amendment.

“Inez is the best choice for gays and lesbians to defend our civil rights,” Belk said.

Packett said Tenenbaum is happy to have Belk’s support, but she added, “This race won’t be decided based on endorsements. Our campaign is about giving South Carolinians a strong, independent voice in the U.S. Senate.”

Six Republicans also are seeking their party’s nomination for Hollings’ seat.

Among U.S. House races:

• Democrats did not field candidates in the 1st and 3rd districts.

• In the 1st District, incumbent Henry Brown of Hanahan has a Republican primary opponent in Bob Batchelder of Horry County.

• In the 2nd District, incumbent Republican Joe Wilson of Springdale, who got a free ride in 2002, has a Democratic opponent in Michael Ray Ellisor.

• In the 4th District — the only open seat as incumbent Republican Jim DeMint is running for the U.S. Senate — four Republicans and two Democrats are competing for their party’s nominations.

• In the 5th District, incumbent Democrat John Spratt of York will be opposed by Republican Albert Spencer, a Limestone College professor.

• In the 6th District, two Republicans are competing for the chance to oppose Clyburn. They are Michael Reino, a Florence business consultant, and Gary McLeod, a perennial candidate from Manning.

Reach Bandy at (803) 771-8648 or lbandy@thestate.com