Republican Alan Wilson will be South Carolina’s next governor, Rock Hill’s Wes Climer will represent York and Lancaster counties in Congress, and Democrat Annie Andrews defeated Republican Sen. Darline Graham in a U.S. Senate race that drew national attention, according to unofficial returns from Tuesday’s general election.
Republicans held every constitutional office on the statewide ballot, from lieutenant governor to agriculture commissioner. Closer to home, Republican James Burns won the special election for Climer’s former state Senate seat, Republican David Martin won S.C. House District 26, and Democrat Heather Hart won S.C. House District 66 by fewer than 500 votes.
The Senate result breaks a Republican hold on both of the state’s Senate seats that dates to 2005. For readers in Tega Cay, Fort Mill, Indian Land and Rock Hill, the night also settled who replaces U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, who held the 5th Congressional District seat for five terms.
Climer wins 5th District
Climer, a Rock Hill Republican who represented S.C. Senate District 15 from 2016 until this year, defeated Democrat Mallory Dittmer of Fort Mill. The Associated Press called the race at 10:11 p.m. With all 10 counties in the district reporting, Climer had 151,553 votes, or 52.83 percent, to 135,157 votes, or 47.12 percent, for Dittmer, according to unofficial State Election Commission results.
The margin of about 16,400 votes was closer than election forecasters expected in a district they had rated safe for Republicans.
Norman endorsed Climer for the seat after deciding to run for governor rather than seek another House term. Norman later lost a special Republican primary runoff for Senate to Graham. Climer submitted his resignation from the state Senate this summer, effective on Election Day.
Burns wins Climer’s state Senate seat
Republican James Burns won the special election to fill the rest of Climer’s term in S.C. Senate District 15, which covers much of Rock Hill and the surrounding area of York County. Burns received 26,496 votes, or 53.70 percent, to 22,803 votes, or 46.22 percent, for Democrat Chad Williams, according to unofficial results. Another 38 votes went to write in candidates.
The term Burns will serve runs through 2028, when the seat returns to the regular ballot.
Martin and Hart win S.C. House seats
In S.C. House District 26, Republican David Martin defeated Democrat Jenny Desch, 9,990 votes to 8,247, or 54.35 percent to 44.87 percent. Working Families Party candidate Kiral Mace received 122 votes.
The closest local race came in S.C. House District 66, where Democrat Heather Hart defeated Republican Jackie Terribile by 470 votes. Hart received 9,046 votes, or 51.29 percent, to 8,576, or 48.63 percent, for Terribile.
The District 66 margin, about 2.7 percentage points, is outside the range that triggers an automatic recount under state law, which applies when the gap is 1 percent or less.
Andrews defeats Graham for Senate
Andrews, a Charleston pediatrician who had never held public office, becomes the first woman South Carolina voters have elected to the U.S. Senate and the first Democrat to win a Senate race in the state since Ernest “Fritz” Hollings in 1998.
Andrews received 1,042,362 votes, or 51.13 percent, to 951,165 votes, or 46.65 percent, for Graham, according to unofficial State Election Commission results. Libertarian Kasie Whitener received 23,560 votes and Constitution Party candidate Mark Hackett received 16,799.
Graham, sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, conceded and said she called Andrews to congratulate her. Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham in July after her brother’s death. She then won a crowded special Republican primary and defeated Norman in the runoff, 193,360 votes to 175,306, with President Donald Trump’s endorsement.
Wilson elected governor
Wilson, the state’s attorney general since 2011 and the longest serving person in that office in state history, defeated Democratic state Rep. Jermaine Johnson. Wilson had 1,050,190 votes, or 51.59 percent, to 959,001 votes, or 47.11 percent, for Johnson. United Citizens Party candidate Michael Addison and Green Party candidate Walid Hakim each drew less than 1 percent.
Johnson conceded at 10:31 p.m. before supporters at Brookland Baptist Church in West Columbia. He told the crowd that Wilson had asked for his help in bringing the state together.
Wilson succeeds McMaster, who is barred by term limits from running again. He will be inaugurated in January as South Carolina’s 118th governor. His campaign has said its early priorities include eliminating the individual state income tax, cutting property taxes and auditing state agencies.
State Sen. Mike Reichenbach of Florence, Wilson’s running mate, becomes lieutenant governor. He will be the first Black person to hold the office since Reconstruction.
Republicans hold every constitutional office
Republican David Stumbo was elected attorney general, succeeding Wilson. Stumbo received 1,058,525 votes, or 52.32 percent, to 963,645 votes, or 47.63 percent, for Democrat Richard Hricik.
Secretary of State Mark Hammond posted the strongest showing of any statewide Republican, taking 1,072,797 votes, or 52.99 percent, to 950,922 for Democrat Jason Belton. Treasurer Curtis Loftis won another term with 1,061,819 votes, or 52.53 percent, over Democrat Vincent Coe, who received 958,278.
The closest statewide race was for superintendent of education. Incumbent Ellen Weaver won a second term with 1,031,719 votes, or 50.98 percent, to 975,129 votes, or 48.19 percent, for Democrat Sylvia Wright. Weaver won her first race in 2022 with 55.52 percent.
Two other offices change hands. Republican Mike Burkhold won comptroller general with 1,047,724 votes, or 52.07 percent, over Democrat Tiffany Boozer, returning the office to Republican control after McMaster had appointed a Democrat to fill it. Republican Cody Simpson will be the next agriculture commissioner after taking 51.60 percent in a four candidate field. Democrat DeShawn Blanding finished second with 45.65 percent.
No Republican won a statewide office by more than eight points, a narrower range than in recent midterm years. Democrats also gained seats in the S.C. House of Representatives, ending the Republican supermajority in that chamber, though Republicans keep the majority.
Turnout sets records
Close to 2.1 million South Carolinians voted, about six in 10 registered voters, setting records for both total ballots and turnout percentage in a governor’s election, according to the S.C. State Election Commission. The previous marks were 1,726,527 votes in 2018 and 54.6 percent turnout in 2002. More than 1 million people voted during the early voting period.
York County followed the same pattern. Turnout reached 59.33 percent, up from 45.49 percent in the 2022 midterm, and 54,933 of the county’s 195,098 registered voters cast ballots early, roughly double the 26,544 who voted early four years ago.
All results remain unofficial. The York County Board of Voter Registration and Elections will hold its provisional ballot hearing and certification at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 6. Climer and Andrews will be sworn in when the new Congress convenes in January.
Results at a glance (unofficial)
U.S. Senate: Annie Andrews (D) 51.13 percent, Darline Graham (R) 46.65 percent
Governor: Alan Wilson (R) 51.59 percent, Jermaine Johnson (D) 47.11 percent
Lieutenant Governor: Mike Reichenbach (R), elected on the Wilson ticket
Attorney General: David Stumbo (R) 52.32 percent, Richard Hricik (D) 47.63 percent
Secretary of State: Mark Hammond (R) 52.99 percent, Jason Belton (D) 46.97 percent
Treasurer: Curtis Loftis (R) 52.53 percent, Vincent Coe (D) 47.41 percent
Comptroller General: Mike Burkhold (R) 52.07 percent, Tiffany Boozer (D) 47.90 percent
Superintendent of Education: Ellen Weaver (R) 50.98 percent, Sylvia Wright (D) 48.19 percent
Agriculture Commissioner: Cody Simpson (R) 51.60 percent, DeShawn Blanding (D) 45.65 percent
U.S. House District 5: Wes Climer (R) 52.83 percent, Mallory Dittmer (D) 47.12 percent
S.C. Senate District 15 (unexpired term): James Burns (R) 53.70 percent, Chad Williams (D) 46.22 percent
S.C. House District 26: David Martin (R) 54.35 percent, Jenny Desch (D) 44.87 percent
S.C. House District 66: Heather Hart (D) 51.29 percent, Jackie Terribile (R) 48.63 percent
Sources: S.C. State Election Commission, York County Board of Voter Registration and Elections, The Associated Press
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Thomas Hyslip lives in Tega Cay with his wife and daughter. After 27 years in the U.S. Army and Federal Law Enforcement, he retired to pursue his passion for teaching. Tom is now an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida. In 2 short years he has won 10 awards from the South Carolina Press Association, including first place in column writing, education beat reporting and best podcast.
