Statewide Primary Election Recap

On Tuesday, June 14^th South Carolina voters around the state cast their ballots in the Democratic and Republican primaries. Notable statewide primary results included former Congressman Joe Cunningham securing the Democratic nomination for Governor and our incumbent Governor Henry McMaster easily winning his nomination in the Republican primary. In the race to succeed outgoing Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman, Republicans Kathy Maness and Ellen Weaver are headed to a June 28th runoff to determine who will face off against Democrat Lisa Ellis in November.

In the 1st Congressional District, incumbent Republican Nancy Mace defeated former State Rep. Katie Arrington in a closely watched race to secure her party’s nomination. Mace will face off against Democrat Annie Andrews in November. In the 7th Congressional District, incumbent Republican Tom Rice was defeated by State Rep. Russell Fry to secure his party’s nomination. Fry will face Democrat Daryl Scott in November.

Primary challengers defeated a handful of incumbent members of the SC House of Representatives on Tuesday, including Republican Reps. Rita Allison (District 36), Lin Bennett (District 114), West Cox (District 10), Vic Dabney (District 52), Rick Martin (District 40), and Brian White (District 6). Incumbent Democratic Rep. Wendy Brawley was defeated by Incumbent Democratic Rep. Jermaine Johnson in District 70. Brawley and Johnson currently represent District 70 and District 80 in Richland County, respectively, but those districts were consolidated when the state passed new redistricting maps last year.

Lastly, an overwhelming number of Republican primary voters (almost 87%) indicated that they would support changing South Carolina law to allow for juries to consider all parties responsible for damage in a lawsuit and appropriately assign damages based on a party’s actual share of fault.

To see all statewide primary results, click here.