2018 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

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2018 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

← 2016 November 6, 2018 (2018-11-06) 2020 →

All 7 South Carolina seats to the United States House of Representatives
Turnout55.03%
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Last election 6 1
Seats won 5 2
Seat change Decrease 1 Increase 1
Popular vote 927,494 758,340
Percentage 54.29% 44.37%
Swing Decrease 6.24% Increase 4.90%

The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 6, 2018, to elect the seven U.S. representatives from the state of South Carolina, one from each of the state's seven congressional districts. The elections coincided with a gubernatorial election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.

This was the first time that the Democrats picked up a seat in South Carolina since 1986. The state congressional delegation changed from 6–1 for Republicans to 5–2 for Republicans. This is the only time since 2008 that Democrats won more than one U.S. House seat in South Carolina.

Results summary

Statewide

Party Candi-
dates
Votes Seats
No. % No. +/– %
Republican Party 7 927,494 54.29% 5 Decrease1 71.43%
Democratic Party 7 758,340 44.37% 2 Increase1 28.57%
American Party 3 15,011 0.88% 0 Steady 0.00%
Constitution Party 1 3,443 0.20% 0 Steady 0.00%
Green Party 1 3,214 0.19% 0 Steady 0.00%
Write-in 7 1,790 0.10% 0 Steady 0.00%
Total 26 1,709,292 100.00% 7 Steady 100.00%
Popular vote
Republican
54.29%
Democratic
44.37%
Other
1.37%
House seats
Republican
71.43%
Democratic
28.57%

District

Results of the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina by district:[1]

District Republican Democratic Others Total Result
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
District 1 141,473 49.22% 145,455 50.60% 505 0.18% 287,433 100.00% Democratic gain
District 2 144,642 56.25% 109,199 42.47% 3,298 1.28% 257,139 100.00% Republican hold
District 3 153,338 67.79% 70,046 30.97% 2,820 1.25% 226,204 100.00% Republican hold
District 4 145,321 59.57% 89,182 36.56% 9,447 3.87% 243,950 100.00% Republican hold
District 5 141,757 57.03% 103,129 41.49% 3,693 1.49% 248,579 100.00% Republican hold
District 6 58,282 28.23% 144,765 70.13% 3,386 1.64% 206,433 100.00% Democratic hold
District 7 142,681 59.56% 96,564 40.31% 309 0.13% 239,554 100.00% Republican hold
Total 927,494 54.26% 758,340 44.37% 23,458 1.37% 1,709,292 100.00% .

District 1

2018 South Carolina's 1st congressional district election

← 2016 November 6, 2018 2020 →
 
Nominee Joe Cunningham Katie Arrington
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 145,455 141,473
Percentage 50.6% 49.2%

County Results
Cunningham:      50–60%
Arrington:      50–60%      70–80%

U.S. Representative before election

Mark Sanford
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

Joe Cunningham
Democratic

The 1st district is located in the Low Country, on the Atlantic coastal plain from Hilton Head to the border of Georgetown County, it includes most of the Charleston area. The incumbent was Republican Mark Sanford, who had represented the district since 2013. Sanford was defeated by Republican Katie Arrington in the primary. Arrington went on to lose the general election to Democrat Joe Cunningham.

Democratic primary

Results

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Cunningham 23,443 71.5
Democratic Toby Smith 9,342 28.5
Total votes 32,785 100.0

Republican primary

Sanford defeated State Representative Jenny Horne in the 2016 primary by only a 56-44 percent margin.[2] The closer than expected result led to speculation that Sanford could be vulnerable to another primary challenge in 2018.[3] Former director of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Catherine Templeton was reportedly being recruited to challenge Sanford, but decided instead to run for governor.[4][5]

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
of error
Katie
Arrington
Mark
Sanford
Undecided
Palmetto Politics May 13–14, 2018 315 ± 4.5% 39% 40% 21%

Results

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Katie Arrington 33,089 50.6
Republican Mark Sanford (incumbent) 30,428 46.5
Republican Dimitri Cherny 1,930 2.9
Total votes 65,447 100.0

Endorsements

Katie Arrington (R)
Executive branch officials
State figures
Mark Sanford (R)
U.S. Representatives
Organizations

General election

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
538[13] Likely R November 6, 2018
Daily Kos[14] Lean R November 5, 2018
RCP[15] Lean R November 5, 2018
Sabato's Crystal Ball[16] Lean R November 5, 2018
Inside Elections[17] Likely R November 5, 2018
The Cook Political Report[18] Lean R November 5, 2018

Debates

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
of error
Katie
Arrington (R)
Joe
Cunningham (D)
Undecided
Public Policy Polling (D) August 30–31, 2018 628 ± 3.9% 49% 42% 9%

Results

South Carolina's 1st congressional district, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Cunningham 145,455 50.6
Republican Katie Arrington 141,473 49.2
n/a Write-ins 505 0.2
Total votes 287,433 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 2

2018 South Carolina's 2nd congressional district election

← 2016
2020 →
 
Nominee Joe Wilson Sean Carrigan
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 144,642 109,199
Percentage 56.2% 42.5%

County results
Wilson:      50–60%      60–70%
Carrigan:      50–60%

U.S. Representative before election

Joe Wilson
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

Joe Wilson
Republican

The 2nd district is located in central South Carolina and spans from Columbia to the South Carolina side of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area. The incumbent was Republican Joe Wilson, who had represented the district since 2001. Wilson was re-elected with 60% of the vote in 2016 and ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Democratic primary

Results

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Annabelle Robertson 14,109 41.8
Democratic Sean Carrigan 13,469 39.9
Democratic Phil Black 6,200 18.4
Total votes 33,778 100.0

Runoff results

Democratic primary runoff results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sean Carrigan 5,726 53.36
Democratic Annabelle Robertson 5,004 46.64
Total votes 10,730 100.0

General election

Results

South Carolina's 2nd congressional district, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joe Wilson (incumbent) 144,642 56.2
Democratic Sean Carrigan 109,199 42.5
American Sonny Narang 3,111 1.2
n/a Write-ins 187 0.1
Total votes 257,139 100.0
Republican hold

District 3

2018 South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election

← 2016
2020 →
 
Nominee Jeff Duncan Mary Geren
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 153,338 70,046
Percentage 67.8% 31.0%

County results
Duncan:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. Representative before election

Jeff Duncan
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

Jeff Duncan
Republican

The 3rd district is located in northwestern South Carolina. The incumbent was Republican Jeff Duncan, who had represented the district since 2011. Duncan was re-elected with 73% of the vote in 2016.

Democratic primary

Results

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mary Geren 12,929 69.7
Democratic Hosea Cleveland 5,615 30.3
Total votes 18,544 100.0

General election

Results

South Carolina's 3rd congressional district, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jeff Duncan (incumbent) 153,338 67.8
Democratic Mary Geren 70,046 31.0
American Dave Moore 2,697 1.2
n/a Write-ins 123 0.0
Total votes 226,204 100.0
Republican hold

District 4

2018 South Carolina's 4th congressional district election

← 2016
2020 →
 
Nominee William Timmons Brandon Brown
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 145,321 89,182
Percentage 59.6% 36.6%

County results
Timmons:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. Representative before election

Trey Gowdy
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

William Timmons
Republican

The 4th district is located in Upstate South Carolina. The incumbent was Republican Trey Gowdy, who had represented the district since 2011. Gowdy was re-elected with 67% of the vote in 2016. Gowdy announced in January 2018 that he would not run for re-election in 2018.[19]

Democratic primary

Results

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Doris Lee Turner 7,021 29.5
Democratic Brandon P Brown 6,787 28.5
Democratic Eric Graben 6,126 25.7
Democratic Will Morin 2,172 9.1
Democratic J.T. Davis 1,715 7.2
Total votes 23,821 100.0

Runoff results

Democratic primary runoff results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brandon P Brown 7,085 62.11
Democratic Doris Lee Turner 4,323 37.89
Total votes 11,408 100.0

Republican primary

Results

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Lee Bright 16,641 24.9
Republican William Timmons 12,818 19.2
Republican Dan Hamilton 12,445 18.6
Republican Josh Kimbrell 7,422 11.1
Republican James Epley 5,365 8.0
Republican Stephen Brown 5,057 7.6
Republican Shannon Pierce 2,436 3.6
Republican Mark Burns 1,650 2.5
Republican Claude Schmid 1,405 2.1
Republican Dan Albert 510 0.8
Republican John Marshall Mosser 454 0.7
Republican Justin David Sanders 352 0.5
Republican Barry Bell 199 0.3
Total votes 66,754 100.0

Runoff results

Republican primary runoff results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William Timmons 37,014 54.29
Republican Lee Bright 31,170 45.71
Total votes 68,184 100.0

General election

Results

South Carolina's 4th congressional district, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William Timmons 145,321 59.6
Democratic Brandon Brown 89,182 36.6
American Guy Furay 9,203 3.8
n/a Write-ins 244 0.1
Total votes 243,950 100.0
Republican hold

District 5

2018 South Carolina's 5th congressional district election

 
Nominee Ralph Norman Archie Parnell
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 141,757 103,129
Percentage 57.0% 41.5%

County results
Norman:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Parnell:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. Representative before election

Ralph Norman
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

Ralph Norman
Republican

The 5th district is located in northern South Carolina. The incumbent was Republican Ralph Norman, who had represented the district since 2017. Norman was elected with 51% of the vote in a 2017 special election to replace Mick Mulvaney. Norman's challenger in the special election, Archie Parnell, announced on the 9th of October that he would seek the Democratic nomination for the 2018 election for District 5. The primaries were held on June 12, 2018. Incumbent Ralph Norman was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Democratic primary

Special election candidate and former Goldman Sachs employee Parnell had the most fundraising of the four Democratic candidates as of June 9.[20] He was opposed by former York County Councilwoman Sidney Moore,[21] professional clown Steven Lough,[22] and Mark Ali, a former undocumented immigrant.[23] Parnell's campaign was overshadowed by the resignation of many of his campaign staff after the discovery of allegations of domestic violence committed by him in 1973.[24] However, he refused to drop out of the race, and won the primary with 60% of the vote.

Results

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Archie Parnell 16,610 60.0
Democratic Sidney Moore 4,753 17.2
Democratic Mark Ali 3,710 13.4
Democratic Steve Lough 2,620 9.5
Total votes 27,693 100.0

General election

Results

South Carolina's 5th congressional district, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph Norman (incumbent) 141,757 57.0
Democratic Archie Parnell 103,129 41.5
Constitution Michael Chandler 3,443 1.4
n/a Write-ins 250 0.1
Total votes 248,579 100.0
Republican hold

District 6

2018 South Carolina's 6th congressional district election

← 2016
2020 →
 
Nominee Jim Clyburn Gerhard Gressmann
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 144,765 58,282
Percentage 70.1% 28.2%

County results
Clyburn:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. Representative before election

Jim Clyburn
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Jim Clyburn
Democratic

The 6th district is located in central and southern South Carolina. The incumbent was Democrat Jim Clyburn, who had represented the district since 1993. Clyburn was re-elected with 70% of the vote in 2016.

General election

Results

South Carolina's 6th congressional district, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Clyburn (incumbent) 144,765 70.1
Republican Gerhard Gressmann 58,282 28.2
Green Bryan Pugh 3,214 1.6
n/a Write-ins 172 0.1
Total votes 206,433 100.0
Democratic hold

District 7

2018 South Carolina's 7th congressional district election

← 2016
2020 →
 
Nominee Tom Rice Robert Q. Williams
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 142,681 96,564
Percentage 59.6% 40.3%

County results
Rice:      50–60%      60–70%
Williams:      50–60%

U.S. Representative before election

Tom Rice
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

Tom Rice
Republican

The 7th district is located in northeastern South Carolina. The incumbent was Republican Tom Rice, who had represented the district since 2013. Rice was re-elected with 61% of the vote in 2016.

Democratic primary

Results

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert Q. Williams 14,087 41.3
Democratic Mal Hyman 10,122 29.7
Democratic Bill Hopkins 6,066 17.8
Democratic Bruce Fischer 3,811 11.2
Total votes 34,086 100.0

Runoff results

Democratic primary runoff results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert Q. Williams 7,702 51.40
Democratic Mal Hyman 7,282 48.60
Total votes 14,984 100.0

Republican primary

Results

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Rice (incumbent) 37,926 83.6
Republican Larry Guy Hammond 7,438 16.4
Total votes 45,364 100.0

General election

Results

South Carolina's 7th congressional district, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Rice (incumbent) 142,681 59.6
Democratic Robert Q. Williams 96,564 40.3
n/a Write-ins 309 0.1
Total votes 239,554 100.0
Republican hold

References

  1. ^ Johnson, Cheryl L. (February 28, 2019). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 2018". Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  2. ^ Dumain, Emma (June 14, 2016). "Sanford beats Horne in tight primary race". The Post and Courier. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  3. ^ Singer, Jeff (June 15, 2016). "Noted hiker Mark Sanford wins a surprisingly tough GOP congressional primary in South Carolina". Daily Kos Elections. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  4. ^ "Mark Sanford Is More Vulnerable Than Ever". FITS News. June 15, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  5. ^ Dumain, Emma; Kropf, Schuyler (November 19, 2016). "Catherine Templeton running for governor". The Post and Courier. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  6. ^ Donald Trump. "Mark Sanford has been very unhelpful to me in my campaign to MAGA. He is MIA and nothing but trouble. He is better off in Argentina. I fully endorse Katie Arrington for Congress in SC, a state I love. She is tough on crime and will continue our fight to lower taxes. VOTE Katie!". Twitter.
  7. ^ Kropf, Schuyler (February 28, 2018). "North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey endorses Katie Arrington for Congress over Mark Sanford". The Post and Courier.
  8. ^ Justin Amash. ".@MarkSanford's job is to support and defend the Constitution. He's one of the most principled, consistent, and conservative members of Congress I've ever known. And unlike you, Mark has shown humility in his role and a desire to be a better man than he was the day before". Twitter.
  9. ^ Joe Walsh. "What a shitty thing for Trump to do. He goes after one of our top Conservatives, @MarkSanford, and takes a shot at Sanford's personal life. This coming from a President you'd never let your daughter near. Disgusting. Let's hope Sanford wins big time today". Twitter.
  10. ^ "Citizens Fund Endorses Mark Sanford in SC-01". TPPCF. May 30, 2018.
  11. ^ "Small Business Endorses Sanford for Re-election". NFIB. May 24, 2018.
  12. ^ "FreedomWorks for America Endorses Rep. Mark Sanford in South Carolina's First Congressional District". FreedomWorks. May 29, 2018.
  13. ^ Silver, Nate (August 16, 2018). "2018 House Forecast". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
  14. ^ "Daily Kos Elections 2018 race ratings". Daily Kos. Retrieved November 5, 2018.[permanent dead link]
  15. ^ "Battle for the House 2018". RCP. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  16. ^ "2018 House". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  17. ^ "2018 House Ratings". The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  18. ^ "2018 House Race Ratings". Cook Political Report. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  19. ^ Pathe, Simone (January 31, 2018). "South Carolina's Trey Gowdy Won't Seek Re-Election". Roll Call. Washington, DC. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
  20. ^ FEC.gov. (2018). PARNELL, ARCHIE - Candidate overview - FEC.gov. [online] Available at: https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/H8SC05174/ [Accessed 9 Jun. 2018].
  21. ^ Greenvilleonline.com. (2018). Sidney Moore, Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate. [online] Available at: https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/politics/2014/05/30/sidney-moore/9782759/ [Accessed 9 Jun. 2018].
  22. ^ Stracqualursi, Veronica (March 27, 2018). "A clown is running for Congress in South Carolina | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  23. ^ Andrews, B. (2018). This South Carolina primary will test whether Democrats are willing to overlook domestic violence. [online] Mother Jones. Available at: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/06/south-carolina-archie-parnell-domestic-violence/ [Accessed 9 Jun. 2018].
  24. ^ Lovegrove, Jamie. "Top South Carolina candidate refuses to quit congressional race after abuse discovery". Post and Courier. Retrieved June 9, 2018.

External links

Official campaign websites of first district candidates
Official campaign websites of second district candidates
Official campaign websites of third district candidates
Official campaign websites of fourth district candidates
Official campaign websites of fifth district candidates
Official campaign websites of sixth district candidates
Official campaign websites of seventh district candidates