Beau Biden
Smith announced his candidacy on October 5, 2017, becoming the first Democrat in a race that already had four Republican candidates. In an interview shortly after Smith announced his candidacy, Biden spoke of Smith, saying "...this is a guy, I swear to God, that I would trust with anything. This is a guy who I watched, he never puts himself before anybody else." He described Smith and his late son Beau Biden as "kindred spirits". He was joined on the ticket by nominee for lieutenant governor Mandy Powers Norrell. Before the 2018 Democratic gubernatorial primary, Rep. Jim Clyburn endorsed his candidacy.