Governor and Lieutenant Governor

On June 26, Gov. Henry McMaster (R) defeated primary runoff challenger John Warren, a U.S. Marine veteran and political rel=”noopener noreferrer” newcomer, after President Donald Trump rallied his voters and encouraged them to show up for McMaster. Warren, who also built his campaign to appeal to Trump followers, carried the Upstate in his first bid for public office and sank $3 million of his own money into his unsuccessful campaign. McMaster based his campaign on his relationship with Trump, as well as his job and economic development experience and successes, repeatedly stating, “You don’t fire the experienced coach and hire a rookie.”

Statewide voter turnout for the primary runoff was a dreary 4.66 percent.

McMaster and his pick for lieutenant governor, Travelers Rest businesswoman Pamela Evette, will face Rep. James Smith (D-Richland) and Rep. Mandy Powers Norrell (D-Lancaster) in the general election this fall.

Attorney General

Attorney General Alan Wilson (R) handily defeated Rep. Todd Atwater (R-Lexington), a Lexington attorney, to win the Republican nomination for attorney general. Wilson was just shy of reaching the required 50 percent to win the nomination in the June 12 primary.

Wilson will face Constance Anastopoulo, a litigator and professor at the Charleston School of Law, in the general election this fall.

 

South Carolina House of Representatives

After a recount, the South Carolina Election Commission certified the defeat of Rep. Greg Duckworth (R-Horry), naming William Bailey the winner by 17 votes. Bailey does not face general election opposition and will therefore be elected to the seat this fall.

Rep. Neal Collins (R-Pickens), District 5, defeated Allan Quinn on June 26 and faces no general election opposition rel=”noopener noreferrer” this fall.

Political rookie and law student Kambrell Garvin handily defeated Rep. Joe McEachern (D-Richland) for the District 77 seat, garnering almost 70 percent of the votes. Garvin will likely be elected; this fall, he faces only third-party opposition, from Libertarian Justin Bishop.

Rep. William Cogswell (R-Charleston), District 110, defeated primary runoff challenger Russell Guerard and will face Democrat Ben Pogue this fall.

Paula Rawl Calhoon defeated Todd Carnes in the District 87 primary runoff, and will face Democrat Diane Summers in the general election this fall.

U.S. Congress

In the 2nd District, Sean Carrigan defeated Indivisible activist Annabelle Robertson and will face U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R) this fall.

Sen. William Timmons rel=”noopener noreferrer” (R) defeated former state Sen. Lee Bright for the nomination for the 4th Congressional District, the seat of retiring U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy. Brandon Brown, a former state deputy director for Sen. Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, won the Democratic nomination on June 26.  

In the 7th Congressional District, Rep. Robert Williams (D-Darlington) defeated primary runoff challenger Mal Hyman to win the Democratic nomination for the seat. Rep. Williams will face incumbent U.S. Rep. Tom Rice (R) this fall.