United States Senate election in South Carolina, 2020

Elections in South Carolina, 2020

• Election date: Nov. 3
• Registration deadline(s): Oct. 2 (in person); Oct. 4 (online); Oct. 5 (by mail)
• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: No
• Recount laws

• Early voting starts: Oct. 5
• Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): Nov. 3 (received)
• Processing, counting, and challenging absentee/mail-in ballots
• Voter ID: Photo ID
• Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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2022 → ← 2016
U.S. Senate, South Carolina
Democratic primary Republican primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 30, 2020
Primary: June 9, 2020 Primary runoff: June 23, 2020 General: November 3, 2020 Pre-election incumbent: Lindsey Graham (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in South Carolina
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Toss-up Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican Inside Elections: Tilt Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2020
See also
U.S. Senate, South Carolina U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th South Carolina elections, 2020 U.S. Congress elections, 2020 U.S. Senate elections, 2020 U.S. House elections, 2020 Alabama U.S. Senate raceAlaska U.S. Senate raceArizona U.S. Senate raceArkansas U.S. Senate raceColorado U.S. Senate raceDelaware U.S. Senate raceGeorgia U.S. Senate raceIdaho U.S. Senate raceIllinois U.S. Senate raceIowa U.S. Senate raceKansas U.S. Senate raceKentucky U.S. Senate raceLouisiana U.S. Senate raceMaine U.S. Senate raceMassachusetts U.S. Senate raceMichigan U.S. Senate raceMinnesota U.S. Senate raceMississippi U.S. Senate raceMontana U.S. Senate raceNebraska U.S. Senate raceNew Hampshire U.S. Senate raceNew Jersey U.S. Senate raceNew Mexico U.S. Senate raceNorth Carolina U.S. Senate raceOklahoma U.S. Senate raceOregon U.S. Senate raceRhode Island U.S. Senate raceSouth Carolina U.S. Senate raceSouth Dakota U.S. Senate raceTennessee U.S. Senate raceTexas U.S. Senate raceVirginia U.S. Senate raceWest Virginia U.S. Senate raceWyoming U.S. Senate raceSubmit

Incumbent Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) defeated Jaime Harrison (D) in the November 3, 2020, general election for United States Senate in South Carolina.

Graham was first elected in 2002. In 2014 Graham defeated Bob Conley (D) 55% to 42%. Leading up to the 2020 election, a Republican had represented this seat since 1964 when Sen. Strom Thurmond changed his party affiliation.

Donald Trump (R) defeated Hillary Clinton (D) in South Carolina in the 2016 presidential election 55% to 41%. Five of South Carolina’s 46 counties are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Trump in 2016.

The Cook Political Report's Jessica Taylor said demographic shifts in South Carolina and fundraising made this race competitive. Taylor wrote: “there are shifting areas here too, and not just in the changing Charleston-based 1st District [...] but also even in the typically reliably conservative Upstate core of Greenville/Spartanburg and along the Charlotte exurbs.”

The outcome of this race affected partisan control of the U.S. Senate. Thirty-five of 100 seats were up for election, including two special elections. At the time of the election, Republicans had a 53-45 majority over Democrats in the Senate. Independents who caucus with the Democrats held the two remaining seats. Republicans faced greater partisan risk in the election. They defended 23 seats while Democrats defended 12. Both parties had two incumbents representing states the opposite party's presidential nominee won in 2016.

This election was a battleground race. Other 2020 battlegrounds included:

Georgia's 5th Congressional District special election, 2020 Montana Secretary of State election, 2020 Texas House of Representatives elections, 2020 (March 3 Republican primaries)

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

South Carolina modified its absentee/mail-in and in-person voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:

• Absentee/mail-in voting: Any eligible voter could request an absentee ballot for the general election. Return postage for all mailed absentee ballots was prepaid.
• In-person voting: In-person absentee voting was authorized to begin on October 5, 2020.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for U.S. Senate South Carolina

Incumbent Lindsey Graham defeated Jaime Harrison and Bill Bledsoe (Unofficially withdrew) in the general election for U.S. Senate South Carolina on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lindsey Graham (R)	54.4	1,369,137
		Jaime Harrison (D)	44.2	1,110,828
		Bill Bledsoe (Constitution Party) (Unofficially withdrew)	1.3	32,845
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	2,294

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,515,104
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Keenan Dunham (L)
• David Weikle (L)

Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Jaime Harrison advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate South Carolina.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Justin Wooton (D)
• Gloria Bromell Tinubu (D)
• Matthew Knights (D)
• William Stone (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate South Carolina

Incumbent Lindsey Graham defeated Michael LaPierre, Joe Reynolds, and Duke Buckner in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate South Carolina on June 9, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lindsey Graham	67.7	317,512
		Michael LaPierre	17.0	79,932
		Joe Reynolds	9.2	43,029
		Duke Buckner	6.1	28,570

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 469,043
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Johnny Garcia (R)
• Peggy Kandies (R)
• Carey Wilson (R)
• Mark Sloan (R)

Constitution convention

Constitution convention for U.S. Senate South Carolina

Bill Bledsoe advanced from the Constitution convention for U.S. Senate South Carolina on January 11, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Bill Bledsoe (Constitution Party)

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.

Lindsey Graham

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office: 

• U.S. Senate (Assumed office: 2003)
• U.S. House (1995-2003)
• South Carolina House of Representatives (1993-1995)

Biography:  Graham received a bachelor's degree from the University of South Carolina in 1977 and a law degree from the University of South Carolina Law School in 1981. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1982 to 1988 and the South Carolina Air National Guard from 1989 to 1995. Graham worked as a lawyer in private practice prior to entering Congress.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Graham said he voted in favor of the CARES Act and provided financial support to his constituents during the coronavirus pandemic. He said he would work with the Trump administration to support the development of coronavirus treatments and vaccines, secure funding for means-tested stimulus checks and school reopenings, and hold China accountable.

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Graham said he helped businesses and created jobs when he supported the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project. He said he would lower taxes, reduce business regulations, and invest in infrastructure.

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Graham said Jaime Harrison (D) was too liberal for South Carolina. He said Harrison supported Nancy Pelosi (D), increased government involvement in healthcare, and providing healthcare to unauthorized immigrants.

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Show sources

Sources: YouTube, "Player," July 28, 2020; Lindsey Graham's 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed October 14, 2020; Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "Graham, Lindsey," accessed October 14, 2020; Lindsey Graham's 2020 campaign website, "About Lindsey Graham," accessed October 14, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate South Carolina in 2020.

Jaime Harrison

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Harrison received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Yale University in 1998 and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. He worked as a world geography teacher, at the non-profit College Summit, and as a principal with the Podesta Group. His political experience included working as a policy advisor to Rep. James Clyburn (D), as chairman of the Democratic Party of South Carolina, and as associate chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Harrison said he would work to reduce financial barriers to healthcare, lower prescription drug costs, protect coverage for those with pre-existing conditions, and support rural hospitals.

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Harrison said he would strengthen South Carolina’s economy by expanding access to skill-training and apprenticeship programs, incentivizing the creation of small businesses, and reducing taxes for middle and working class people.

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Harrison said Lindsey Graham (R) was dishonest and out of touch with his constituents. He said Graham voted to limit healthcare access for those with pre-existing conditions, failed to secure substantial coronavirus loans for small businesses, and opposed extending coronavirus unemployment benefits.

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Show sources

Sources: YouTube, "Attacking," September 28, 2020; YouTube, "Dead Bodies," September 28, 2020; YouTube, "Changed," September 28, 2020; Jaime Harrison's 2020 campaign website, "On the Issues," accessed October 14, 2020; Ballotpedia, "Jaime R. Harrison," accessed October 14, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate South Carolina in 2020.

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

U.S. Senate election in South Carolina: General election polls
Poll	Date	Graham	Harrison	Other	Margin of error	Sample size	Sponsor
Data for Progress	Oct. 27-Nov. 1	49%	46%	5%	±3.3	880	--
Morning Consult	Oct. 29-31	46%	44%	--	±3.0	904	--
East Carolina University	Oct. 24-25	49%	46%	5%	±4.1	763	--
Data for Progress	Oct. 22-27	46%	46%	8%	±2.8	1,196	--
Morning Consult	Oct. 11-20	45%	47%	8%	±3.2	926	--

Click [show] to see older poll results
Poll	Date	Peters	James	Other	Margin of error	Sample size	Sponsor
Siena College/The New York Times	Oct. 9-14	46%	40%	14%	±4.5	605	--
Data for Progress	Sept. 23-28	45%	44%	11%	±3.4	824	--
Morning Consult	Oct. 2-11	48%	42%	10%	±3.3	903	--
Quinnipiac University	Sept. 23-27	48%	48%	3%	±2.9	1,123	--
YouGov/CBS News	Sept. 22-25	45%	44%	11%	±3.8	1,080	--
Quinnipiac University	Sept. 10-14	48%	48%	3%	±3.2	969	--
Quinnipiac University	July 30-Aug. 3	44%	44%	12%	±3.2	914	--
Gravis Marketing	July 17	48%	41%	10%	±4.0	604	--

Campaign finance

This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election. It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees.

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Lindsey Graham	Republican Party	$112,292,176	$102,195,709	$12,491,458	As of December 31, 2020
Jaime Harrison	Democratic Party	$132,685,670	$132,350,243	$335,427	As of December 31, 2020
Bill Bledsoe	Constitution Party	$0	$0	$0	As of September 30, 2020
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2020. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). * According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." ** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from three outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, and Sabato's Crystal Ball. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

• Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
• Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
• Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.
• Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.

Race ratings: U.S. Senate election in South Carolina, 2020
Race tracker	Race ratings
	November 3, 2020	October 27, 2020	October 20, 2020	October 13, 2020
The Cook Political Report	Toss-up	Toss-up	Toss-up	Toss-up
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Tilt Republican	Tilt Republican	Tilt Republican	Tilt Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Lean Republican	Lean Republican	Lean Republican	Lean Republican
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season.

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.

Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available.

• Jaime Harrison

Noteworthy endorsements
Endorsement	Graham (R)	Harrison (D)
Newspapers and editorials
Charleston City Paper		✔
The Post and Courier	✔
The State		✔
Elected officials
Senator Kamala Harris (D)		✔
President Donald Trump (R)	✔
Individuals
Former Vice President Joe Biden (D)		✔
Former President Barack Obama (D)		✔

Timeline

2020

• November 2020 (click to collapse)

  November

  • Nov. 2, 2020:
    • Morning Consult released a poll showing Graham at 46% and Harrison at 44%. The margin of error was ±3.0.
    • Data for Progress released a poll showing Graham at 49%, Harrison at 46%, and 5% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±3.3.

• October 2020 (click to expand)

  October

  • Oct. 28, 2020: East Carolina University released a poll showing Graham at 49%, Harrison at 46%, and 5% undecided. The margin of error was ±4.1.

  • Oct. 27, 2020: Data for Progress released a poll showing Graham and Harrison tied at 46% with 8% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±2.8.

  • Oct. 26, 2020: The State endorsed Harrison.

  • Oct. 24, 2020: The Post and Courier endorsed Graham.

  • Oct. 22, 2020: Morning Consult released a poll showing Graham at 45%, Harrison at 47%, and 8% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±3.2.

  • Oct. 15, 2020: Siena College/The New York Times released a survey that showed Graham at 46%, Harrison at 40%, and 14% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±4.5.

  • Oct. 13, 2020: Morning Consult released a survey that showed Graham at 48%, Harrison at 42%, and 10% registering other responses with a ±3.3 margin of error.

  • Oct. 7, 2020: The Cook Political Report shifted its rating of the race from Lean Republican to Toss-up.

  • Oct. 1, 2020:
    • A poll from Data for Progress of 824 likely voters showed Graham at 45%, Harrison at 44%, and 11% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±3.4.
    • Bill Bledsoe (Constitution Party) unofficially withdrew from the race and endorsed Graham. Bledsoe will still appear on the ballot.

• September 2020 (click to expand)

  September

  • Sept. 30. 2020: A poll from Quinnipiac University of 1,123 likely voters showed Graham and Harrison tied at 48% with 3% undecided. The margin of error was ±2.9.

  • Sept. 21, 2020: Sabato’s Crystal Ball shifted its rating of the race from Likely Republican to Leans Republican.

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Lindsey Graham

Supporting Graham

"100 Years" - Graham campaign ad, released September 30, 2020

"We're Here" - Graham campaign ad, released September 22, 2020

"Lead" - Graham campaign ad, released September 17, 2020

"Essential" - Graham campaign ad, released August 12, 2020

"The US MADE Act: Bringing the PPE Supply Chain Back to America" - Graham campaign ad, released July 30, 2020

"An American Upbringing" - Graham campaign ad, released March 13, 2020

• "Lindsey cares about the people of South Carolina like he cares about me.” - Graham campaign ad, released October 25, 2020
• "Listener" - Graham campaign ad, released October 15, 2020
• "Lindsey knows what it means to get back up and fight." - Graham campaign ad, released October 10, 2020
• "Security" - Graham campaign ad, released October 5, 2020

Opposing Harrison

"Never" - Graham campaign ad, released October 28, 2020

"Don't Let Liberals Buy South Carolina" - Graham campaign ad, released October 8, 2020

"Hiding" - Graham campaign ad, released October 6, 2020

"Cashopoly" - Graham campaign ad, released July 28, 2020

"Player" - Graham campaign ad, released July 28, 2020

"Left Out" - Graham campaign ad, released June 26, 2020

• "This election comes down to one question: Do we want liberal, activist judges who rewrite laws or constitutional conservative judges who will uphold them?" - Graham campaign ad, released October 19, 2020
• "That's Who" - Graham campaign ad, released September 1, 2020
• "Lindsey Graham for U.S. Senate" - Graham campaign ad, released August 19, 2020

Jaime Harrison

Supporting Harrison

"Inspire" - Harrison campaign ad, released October 9, 2020

"Justice" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Thinking" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Right" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Bio" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Raised Right" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Hope" - Harrison campaign ad, released June 6, 2020

"Grandparents' Bible" - Harrison campaign ad, released May 15, 2020

"Dream" - Harrison campaign ad, released May 15, 2020

"Promise of South Carolina" - Harrison campaign ad, released April 9, 2020

"Endure" - Harrison campaign ad, released April 9, 2020

• "President Obama" - Harrison campaign ad, released October 20, 2020
• "South Carolina Values" - Harrison campaign ad, October 12, 2020
• "I Approve This Message" - Harrison campaign ad, October 6, 2020

Opposing Graham

"Police" - Harrison campaign ad, released October 14, 2020

"XRay" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Kook" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"What Happened" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Lindsey's Word" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Where's Lindsey" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Planes" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"His/Ours" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Dead Bodies" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Attacking" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Working" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Tucker Carlson" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Nancy" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Age Tax" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"More Value" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Fresh Air" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Sold Out" - Harrison campaign ad, released September 28, 2020

"Character Counts" - Harrison campaign ad, released July 29, 2020

"Goalposts" - Harrison campaign ad, released July 2, 2020

"Fraud" - Harrison campaign ad, released February 28, 2020

"One of the dumbest human beings I've ever seen." - Harrison campaign ad, released June 19, 2019

"Everyone's Talking About Jaime Harrison" - Harrison campaign ad, released June 3, 2019

"Character" - Harrison campaign ad, released May 29, 2019

• "I promise not to lie to the people of South Carolina..." - Harrison campaign ad, released October 31, 2020
• "Lindsey Graham's Changed" - Harrison campaign ad, October 27, 2020
• "As Good as His Word" - Harrison campaign ad, October 19. 2020
• "Know Who's on the Ballot" - Harrison campaign ad, October 17, 2020

Satellite group ads

Click "show" to the right to see satellite group ads.

Opposing Graham "Phony" - MoveOn ad, released October 7, 2020 "He's Changed" - MoveOn ad, released October 7, 2020 "Golfer" - Senate Majority PAC ad, released October 6, 2020 "Bad" - Senate Majority PAC ad, released September 26, 2020 "Accountable" - The Lincoln Project ad, released September 19, 2020 Opposing Harrison "Payback" - Senate Leadership Fund ad, released October 24, 2020 "Too Close to China" - Security is Strength PAC ad, accessed September 24, 2020

Campaign themes

See also: Campaign themes

Lindsey Graham

Graham’s campaign website stated the following:

“	Jobs and the Economy Lindsey Graham understands that the way to create jobs and build a strong economy is to let Americans keep more of what they earn and get the government out of the way. Raised in the back room of a small bar, restaurant, and liquor store owned and operated by his parents, Senator Graham saw first-hand the tremendous work it takes to run a small business and the invaluable contributions they make to a community. Lower taxes. Less regulation. A smaller, smarter, more efficient government. Those are the values and priorities Lindsey Graham has fought for as a senator in Washington. In 2017, Senator Graham was a leading advocate for the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a historic tax reform package that spurred unprecedented economic growth throughout the country. In the wake of the agenda of deregulation and private enterprise empowerment championed by Senator Graham and President Trump, South Carolina experienced record low unemployment preceding the global COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Graham has also been a strong advocate for South Carolina’s farming and agribusiness community through his support of numerous farm bills. He has been at the forefront of promoting our state’s speciality crops, fighting back against unfair trade practices, and ensuring that there is an adequate supply of legal labor for our farms. Working extensively with the electric cooperatives in South Carolina, Senator Graham has supported efforts to expand affordable electricity and broadband to rural areas of the state. He has helped the coops champion energy efficiency measures that collectively save our state’s residents millions of dollars every year. To assist South Carolina’s tourism industry, he helped pass the Brand USA reauthorization which promotes South Carolina to international travelers and has generated over 173,000 visitors and $1.5 billion in tax revenue, while supporting over 190,000 jobs. He also was a lead author of the RESTAURANTS Act which would create a $120 billion revitalization fund to help independent restaurants overcome COVID-19 challenges. Finally, Senator Graham supports a major infrastructure bill that will help rebuild our nation’s crumbling roads, bridges, ports, and airports. He has been a longtime supporter of I-73 to help with traffic going to and from Myrtle Beach — both for tourism and hurricane evacuation efforts. Supporting South Carolina Here at home, Senator Graham is an integral member of #TeamSouthCarolina, which is the economic development effort designed to bring new business to the Palmetto State. Senator Graham was one of the first officials to meet with Boeing and let them know South Carolina was interested in becoming the second 787 Dreamliner production site. He played another leading role in talks with Volvo in their decision to locate a $1.1 billion manufacturing facility in Berkeley County. Lindsey Graham secured the initial, critical funding to study and kick off the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project. He has led the South Carolina congressional delegation’s efforts in pushing for planning, design, and actual construction funding of the project. With one in ten jobs in South Carolina tied to the Port of Charleston, Senator Graham is proud to have helped secure hundreds of millions of dollars for the economic engine of South Carolina. While working tirelessly to help South Carolina to become a modern manufacturing giant in the aviation, automotive and tire industries, Senator Graham has worked hand in hand with our textile manufacturers to help combat currency manipulation and intellectual property theft by China. He has helped the textile industry identify important manufacturing opportunities with the Department of Defense, and he has led the effort to bring our medical supply chain back from overseas. Nearly every major company in South Carolina has a story to tell about how Senator Graham assisted their operations. Countless constituent companies have worked with Senator Graham on issues ranging from steel and aluminum tariffs to EPA regulations. He has solved issues as complex as helping South Carolina manufacturers execute multi-million dollar Foreign Military Sales to allies and as simple as ensuring allowing our companies to compete for opportunities on a level playing field. To assist South Carolina’s tourism industry, Senator Graham has successfully worked to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This fund has provided over $61 million in grants to more than 1,100 recreational projects across the state. Some recipients of this funding include Beaufort’s Waterfront Park, Glencairn Gardens in Rock Hill, and Caesars Head State Park in Cleveland. Lindsey Graham will continue to put the needs of taxpayers first and foremost by promoting policies that create jobs and a strong economy in South Carolina. A Strong America , A Strong Military Lindsey Graham believes a strong and safe America is only possible with a strong United States military. He supports better pay for our troops, cutting-edge equipment for our soldiers, and strong alliances which help keep us safe here at home. Senator Graham has pushed for policies in the fight against radical Islam which protect American citizens, the homeland, and our long-term national security interests. One leading conservative wrote that when it comes to defending America, “[Lindsey] Graham has been right about more things on foreign policy for longer than just about anyone.” Lindsey Graham wore the uniform of the United States Air Force for more than 30 years serving on active duty, in the South Carolina Air National Guard, and U.S. Air Force Reserves where he retired at the rank of Colonel. Senator Graham has traveled the globe meeting with countless world leaders in an effort to protect American interests and promote American values. He has visited Iraq and Afghanistan over 50 times. While America remains the leader of the free world, Senator Graham knows we need to enlist the help of friends and allies to accomplish our shared goals of peace and prosperity. The right to vote. The rights of women. The promotion of human rights. Senator Graham’s leadership has given him a direct line to the President and world leaders when it comes to discussing the toughest issues around the globe. Judges and Protecting the Constitution This is Lindsey Graham’s record on judges: Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. Over 200 district and court of appeals judges – nominated by President Trump – confirmed for lifetime appointments to the federal bench. When he assumed the role of Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Graham made clear his priority: “Judges, judges, and more judges.” Today, 20 percent of all current federal judges were nominated by President Trump and confirmed by the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate. Senator Graham has made good on his promise. Health Care Health care is one of the most important issues for Americans. First, Lindsey Graham believes no American should be denied medical coverage or insurance due to a preexisting condition. Second, Senator Graham favors health care solutions which put patients – not government bureaucrats – in charge of medical decisions. Third, Senator Graham opposes “Medicare for All,” which puts the government in complete control of the health care system. So what’s the best way to bring down health care costs, cover more people, and make health insurance more affordable? Redirect money and power over health care decisions away from Washington and return it to patients, local communities, and states. Just like no two patients are the same, no two states have the same health care populations and health care needs. Simply put, what works in Massachusetts may not work in South Carolina. And what works in South Carolina may not work in California. That one-size-fits-all thinking is one of the many failures of Obamacare which centralizes money and decision-making in Washington. Instead of continuing to empower Washington, Senator Graham supports returning money to the states and empowering local communities to explore and utilize health care solutions that work for them. Recognizing the unique needs of South Carolina’s rural population, he has used the Appropriations process to bring millions of dollars to telehealth efforts, which aim to ensure every South Carolinian has access to quality medical care, regardless of where they live. Senator Graham has also been at the forefront of funding important medical research. He is a co-chair of the Senate’s National Institutes of Health (NIH) Caucus, which has successfully secured billions of dollars of additional funding. The Right to Life When it comes to protecting the right to life, very few have done more for the cause than Lindsey Graham. He has compiled a proud record of achievement and support in the pro-life cause. Twice, South Carolina Citizens for Life have named him their Legislator of the Year. An ‘A’ rating from the Susan B. Anthony List National Pro-Life scorecard. 100% rating from the National Right to Life Committee. Senator Graham is the author of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act which bans abortion after 20-weeks when an unborn child can feel pain. Only seven nations in the world allow abortion on demand after 20 weeks — including Iran and North Korea, and Senator Graham feels strongly America should not be in this notorious club. Senator Graham’s long pro-life voting record includes support for the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban, Unborn Victims of Violence Act, and Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. The president of South Carolina Citizens for Life recently remarked, “When it comes to pro-life legislation, Senator Graham doesn’t just vote the right way — he leads the way.” Second Amendment Lindsey Graham is a strong supporter of Americans’ right to “keep and bear arms” as specified in the Second Amendment of the Constitution. As an owner of multiple guns himself, Senator Graham has been a steadfast protector of law-abiding gun owners. He is proud to receive high marks from organizations advocating for responsible gun ownership, including a 100% rating from the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Lindsey Graham is also committed to ending the scourge of senseless gun violence perpetrated by individuals who obtained firearms illegally. In the case of the Parkland shooter in Florida, the FBI and local police officers made numerous house calls due to complaints about the eventual shooter. Still, they were unable to take any action to disarm him before he killed seventeen innocent students. Working with members of both parties, Senator Graham has introduced legislation to create a federal grant program to assist law enforcement in coordinating with mental health professionals so preemptive action can be taken to stop known troubled individuals before they strike. This legislation is accompanied by robust due process to ensure no guns are taken from owners without just cause and swift due process. COVID-19 Lindsey Graham has worked to mobilize all of the federal government’s resources in response to the worst pandemic that the world has seen in over 100 years. In March, Senator Graham voted in favor of the $2 trillion relief package, the CARES Act. This historic package brought nearly $2 billion of aid to South Carolina to help local hospitals, schools, and more. Hundreds of billions of additional dollars were provided to low and moderate income families, small businesses, employees, and those unemployed through no fault of their own. While the CARES Act was a critical first step, more is needed to combat COVID-19 and get our economy moving again. First, Senator Graham will continue to work closely with the Trump administration to ensure the speedy discovery of therapeutics to lessen the severity of this virus and a vaccine to prevent further spread. Next, Senator Graham supports additional stimulus payments to low and moderate income families, and he supports providing funding to help schools reopen safely. He also supports reforming unemployment benefits so people make up to 100% of their income but aren’t disincentivized from going back to work. He has authored legislation that would do just that. Congress must also pass liability protections to ensure that businesses aren’t sued for reopening when they follow the rules. Without this, businesses will be overwhelmed with lawsuits. Senator Graham is also working to ensure we hold China accountable for the role they played in allowing the virus to spread. He introduced a sanctions bill aimed at forcing China to cooperate with all investigations into the virus. It’s estimated that 90 percent of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) used in the United States today is made in China. Senator Graham is leading the effort to bring the medical supply chain home and manufacture PPE in the United States. That’s why he wrote the US MADE Act, which will ensure PPE is made here in America and treated as a resource on par with military equipment. This legislation was one of the foundational components of the Senate’s new legislation to address the virus. Combatting this virus is a team effort, and Senator Graham believes all Americans should closely follow CDC guidelines to keep themselves safe, which can be found here.	”
—Lindsey Graham’s campaign website (2020)

Jaime Harrison

Harrison’s campaign website stated the following:

“	Healthcare Jaime knows first-hand how hard it can be to access medical care when you’re from a poor, rural community. His grandfather worked long backbreaking days, paving roads across South Carolina. Despite working his whole life, he couldn’t afford regular visits to the doctor. When he was finally able to see a doctor, he learned he suffered from undiagnosed diabetes, which had gone unchecked for years and resulted in his losing a leg. Jaime’s family is not alone. Thousands in South Carolina face impossible choices between paying the regular bills or taking themselves or their kids to the doctor. Jaime will work tirelessly to make sure families don’t have to make those hard decisions. That means lowering the cost of healthcare for those who already pay too much, extending health care to those who cannot afford it to begin with, making sure all South Carolinians have access to high quality services they actually need, lowering prescription drug prices, protecting people with pre-existing conditions, and stopping the closure of rural hospitals. Growing the Middle Class Jaime’s mother was a teenager when he was born, and she worked her hardest to provide the best possible life for him. When she was out of work and had few options, she contacted South Carolina’s Senators, Fritz Hollings and Strom Thurmond. Even though she did not know either Senator, and had no political connections to serve their interests, they helped her find work at a local factory. These leaders understood that their role was to serve all of their constituents, regardless of party. As Senator, Jaime will serve the many South Carolinians who face struggles like the ones his own family faced. He will work to build an economy where the American Dream is a reality, and the middle class feels within reach. Every American deserves the opportunity to earn a living wage and keep their family healthy. As Senator, Jaime will fight to ensure that there’s economic opportunity for folks like his mom, who are willing to work. As the COVID-19 pandemic bears down on South Carolina and the nation, we have an opportunity—and a responsibility—to reimagine our economy so that it rewards hard work and gives every family a fighting chance. Jaime’s agenda will spur growth, raise wages, and create jobs by investing in the American middle class. He supports expanding skill-training and apprenticeship opportunities, incentivizing innovation and small business creation across the state, and offering tax breaks to middle and working class families. He plans to raise the necessary revenues by repealing the 2017 tax cuts to big corporations and the ultra-wealthy. Protecting Seniors Neither of Jaime’s grandparents made it to high school. But they worked hard, and instilled in him the values that shape his character today. When Jaime was young, they lost their home and nearly everything else to a scam artist. Jaime vowed that one day he would purchase them a house so that they never had to worry again. Jaime kept that promise as soon as he graduated from law school. While Lindsey Graham says Medicare and Social Security are “promises we can’t keep,” Jaime understands that Medicare and Social Security are vital commitments that American seniors depend on. He will work every day to keep those commitments. That means standing up to politicians who want to privatize these vital programs or enact devastating cuts. Jaime will also work to shore up Social Security for future generations, but he will firmly oppose proposals to raise the retirement age or decrease benefits. Jaime will lead the efforts to lower the price of prescription drugs for seniors and increase benefits for low-income seniors who lose their spouses. He also knows that Medicare does not cover most seniors’ health care expenses, so he is committed to fighting for added coverage for vision and hearing. Ending Poverty Jaime rose up from poverty thanks to teachers and mentors who helped guide him to, and through, college. But he knows that his story is uncommon. For so many hard-working Americans, the American Dream is just that—a dream. Jaime understands that struggling families simply want a fair shot. That is why he will fight for an economy that gives every American family the hope for a better tomorrow, no matter their situation today. Jaime taught at his old high school, and has dedicated his life to creating opportunity for others. Jaime knows there is no quick fix to poverty, and he knows what it’s like for families to get caught in the middle of political games. He’ll champion policies aimed at making the American Dream a reality, including better jobs, better schools, clean air and water, child care, affordable housing, and a strong social safety net for those who need help getting back on their feet. He will also fight to increase the earned income tax credit, a proven way to help struggling families. In addition to this systemic fight to make an economy that works for working people, Jaime will tackle the root causes and consequences of poverty. He will increase funding for affordable housing and push back against bureaucratic zoning laws. He will advocate for good schools in every school district by boosting support for underfunded schools, retooling the teaching pipeline, and closing the digital divide. He will fight to expand Medicaid and work to ensure that healthcare is affordable and accessible for all. He will tackle food insecurity by eliminating food deserts, and ensuring resources for a new generation of produce farmers. Education for the 21st Century Jaime is where he is today because of the power of public education. It gave him, a poor kid from Orangeburg, a route out of poverty. Jaime believes education must build ladders for other hard working students to climb out of poverty and into the middle class. That’s why he believes passionately in investing in South Carolina’s schools and colleges, including our Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In the Senate, he will be a fierce champion for public schools, working to increase grants to rural schools, beef up teacher recruitment and retention efforts, and ensure our next Secretary of Education undoes the damage caused by Betsy DeVos. School districts across the country have been hit hard by COVID-19. Jaime will help schools respond to the pandemic with increased support for health-related modernizations and increased funding to shore up losses in state and local revenue. He will also fight for universal broadband access to ensure that no students are left behind by remote learning. And when it comes to reopening, Jaime will ensure that local communities retain control over decision-making. But South Carolina’s public schools are responsible for much more than academic development: in many communities, they serve as a much-needed resource for mental health, nutrition, and stability. Too many South Carolina schools lack enough teachers and resources to provide the basic opportunities students need, much less get ahead. Jaime is committed to ensuring that all kids can get a good education, no matter where they live in South Carolina. That means that schools in our poor and rural communities must get the resources they need for all children to achieve. It also means that the academic expectations and aspirations in all schools must be as high. Jaime will also work to ensure that there are affordable educational opportunities for all students after high school graduation, whether that pathway is technical school, vocational training, or a college degree. There are thousands of jobs that pay a living wage but are waiting to be filled because applicants do not possess all of the necessary skills. Jaime will work to bridge that divide by expanding educational opportunities in South Carolina that match the 21st century economy. Finally, Jaime and his family know the burden of student loans all too well. Jaime will fight to end the student loan crisis in this country and make college affordable for anyone willing to work hard. Defending Democracy Jaime’s passion for public service came at an early age when he learned that good citizens make good communities. Growing up, he made a point to learn all he could about government, and he credits his success in life to that foundation. But today, public confidence in our institutions is low. Politicians have replaced the respected leaders who used to run our country. Government corruption and fraud have undermined public trust. Gerrymandering gives elected officials the power to pick their voters. And campaign finance regulations have created an environment where dark money and corporate donors get an outsized say in politics. Jaime will fight to make our democracy fairer, by undoing the damage wrought by the disastrous Citizens United decision and ensuring that politicians do not receive personal profits from public office. Jaime has a deep appreciation for the enduring struggle that helped our nation become a more perfect union. As Senator, he will fight to preserve our fundamental rights—not because they are in his political interests, but because it is the necessary thing to do to protect our values. And Jaime knows the best way to restore confidence in our government is to instill a love of country and community in our young people. Child Care & Family Leave Growing up in a household where a missed day of work meant bills were not paid, Jaime has lived through the stress that confronts many South Carolina families. Today, Jaime and his wife, Marie, are two working parents of two young children so Jaime understands the importance of paid family leave. No parent should have to choose between their job and caring for their child, and no person should miss valuable moments with their loved ones because of work. With all the uncertainty surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, policies such as paid sick leave are critical—not only for individual workers but also for public health and the economy. As Senator, Jaime will champion paid family and sick leave as well as tax credits for child care because he understands that what is good for South Carolina families is good for our economy. Environment Having spent most of his life in South Carolina, Jaime remembers when historic floods happened once in a lifetime instead of regularly. Now, sea level rise in Charleston and the Southeast could cost our economy $47 billion. Droughts are causing wildfires in the Upstate, and stronger hurricanes and flooding put millions at risk. Climate change is an existential threat to our coastal communities, and it is beginning to affect areas that previously never had to consider emergency preparation. Jaime will take action to make our coastline resilient, protect our clean air and water, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and prepare our infrastructure for rising sea levels and increasingly powerful storms. He will also fight for South Carolinians by opposing any drilling off our pristine coast. The climate crisis also presents an opportunity for the United States to become a leader in renewable energy. Jaime supports efforts to increase research into energy-efficient technologies and alternative energy sources. In the meantime, Jaime believes we must make immediate investments in public transportation, resilient infrastructure, and carbon capture. These investments are not just good for our environment. They make economic sense as well. Additionally, Jaime recognizes the importance of stabilizing the communities most hurt by climate change. That is why he is proposing both an Environmental Justice Fund to reinvest in sustainable infrastructure in the hardest-hit communities as well as increased support for Superfund clean-up. National Security The first line of every Senator’s Oath of Office calls on them to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Jaime believes we cannot retreat from our responsibilities as a global leader, and he will continue to protect America’s national security as Senator. As a senior advisor to House Majority Whip James Clyburn, Jaime had the opportunity to travel overseas on official business. He saw conflict zones first-hand and learned the importance of maintaining America’s overwhelming military strength. Jaime understands that American security at home depends on American power abroad — military, diplomatic, and economic. As Senator, he will work to reinvigorate our fractured alliances, and pursue diplomatic solutions that prevent conflicts at home and abroad. That means pursuing a holistic foreign policy that considers global issues, like climate change and pandemics, while confronting threats to the United States. And rather than ignore the clear and present threat of election interference, Jaime will fight to protect the integrity of our democracy. Most importantly, Jaime knows that South Carolina is an integral piece of the international economy: America’s international alliances drive trade that strengthens our economy. In addition, Jaime knows that endless wars have cost us too many lives and too many dollars. Jaime will pursue a national security policy that prizes diplomacy, protects American interests, and benefits South Carolina’s economic security. Standing up for Veterans With six military bases and 37,507 active service members in South Carolina, Jaime grew up rooted in the knowledge that military service was a sacred assignment and that we must never break our promise to take care of those who have served our nation. He knows that our heroes make sacrifices for our country, and their service can often take a toll on their minds and bodies in a way that many civilians don’t understand. Even veterans with otherwise smooth departures from military service often find it difficult to reenter civilian life. One third of veterans end up taking jobs that are below their skill level, and 44 percent leave their first post-military jobs within a year. With this in mind, Jaime knows we must do everything we can to support our men and women in uniform. As a Senator, Jaime will hold the VA accountable to reduce wait times and improve the quality of care available to veterans. He’ll also increase access to mental health resources to treat PTSD and address the epidemic of veteran suicides. He will make sure veterans have access to job readiness programs that help navigate civilian life. And Jaime will fight for military base housing for those fighting for our country and their families. Jaime believes no veteran should struggle alone after serving their nation. Rebuilding South Carolina's Infrastructure Years ago, when Jaime was campaigning in rural South Carolina, he knocked on the door of a man completely disenchanted with politics. He lived on a dirt road, and he had been waiting for that road to be paved through five administrations. He was tired of waiting and had completely lost faith that his government would help him. For decades, his government had failed him. Jaime will push for aggressive investments in our infrastructure to ensure that the government addresses the problems Americans deal with everyday. He believes that universal access to affordable broadband must be a cornerstone of an economy built for the next generation of workers. He will fight to modernize the state’s sanitation systems and end the lead crisis that is poisoning our children’s water sources. And he will upgrade the state’s roads and bridges so that they meet the highest standards of safety and encourage commercial activity. Across South Carolina, hundreds of miles of roads are crumbling, bridges need urgent repairs, high-speed broadband internet skips over our rural areas, and sea-level rise threatens our sea ports. Failure to invest in infrastructure harms our quality of life and raises the cost of doing business. Addressing these shortfalls will save South Carolina residents money, enable local companies to thrive, and grow our economy. Criminal Justice Reform The American criminal justice system is in dire need of reform. Too many non-violent offenders have been locked up for decades because of unfair sentencing laws. Jaime understands the ways that the law has been used to disproportionately target communities. As Senator, Jaime will fight for a justice system that stands for real justice. And he will work to counteract the built-in biases of the criminal justice system. Previous generations witnessed the tragedy of Emmett Till and today we have lived through the tragic and heartbreaking stories of so many others. Too many families, including Jaime’s own, have been devastated by violence, long prison sentences, and generally a lack of opportunity. Jaime understands racial profiling, bias, injustice and over-policing have plagued our communities for generations. He believes we must end qualified immunity, private prisons and the cash bail system. In addition, Jaime believes we must work together to build safer communities, bring jobs back to our neighborhoods, invest in our schools and rebuild broken families devastated by unjust policies and practices like racial profiling. Rural Hope Agenda Friends, South Carolina is a special place, blessed with incredible people with a passion for helping others. We truly live up to our state motto, “While I breathe, I hope.” My life is a testament that South Carolina is a place where if you work hard and live by good values, you can do anything. But our current U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham has very different priorities. For far too long, Sen. Graham focused on playing political games in Washington while leaving millions of South Carolinians suffering – especially residents of rural communities. I believe every South Carolinian deserves leadership that will put them first. South Carolina is a better state when every one of our state’s 46 counties receives the resources to improve their communities. Across South Carolina, hundreds of miles of roads are crumbling, bridges need urgent repairs, high-speed broadband internet skips over our rural areas, and sea-level rise threatens our ports. Together, the failure to invest in infrastructure harms our quality of life and raises the cost of doing business. My Rural Hope Agenda is focused on revitalizing rural infrastructure, fighting for better healthcare statewide, and creating good-paying jobs that spark economic growth. As Senator, I will push for aggressive investments in our infrastructure to ensure that the government fulfills its most basic duties. I will help build a state that supports the needs of its residents and businesses, and ensures our economic viability now and into the future. Please take a look at this Rural Hope Agenda, because it is your plan. Let me know if you have some ideas that I should know about. You can email me at jaime@jaimeharrison.com. Thanks for your interest and your support, Jaime Harrison	”
—Jaime Harrison’s campaign website (2020)

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Five of 46 South Carolina counties—10.9 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County	Trump margin of victory in 2016	Obama margin of victory in 2012	Obama margin of victory in 2008
Barnwell County, South Carolina	5.16%	5.33%	1.65%
Calhoun County, South Carolina	2.83%	4.31%	3.55%
Chester County, South Carolina	4.83%	10.58%	8.30%
Colleton County, South Carolina	8.49%	0.19%	0.53%
McCormick County, South Carolina	3.32%	3.60%	6.08%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won South Carolina with 54.9 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 40.7 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, South Carolina cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 53.3 percent of the time. In that same time frame, South Carolina supported Democratic candidates for president more often than Republican candidates, 53.3 to 43.3 percent. South Carolina favored Republicans in every presidential election between 2000 and 2016.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in South Carolina. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns show the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns show the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 39 out of 124 state House districts in South Carolina with an average margin of victory of 32.8 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 38 out of 124 state House districts in South Carolina with an average margin of victory of 28.3 points. Clinton won one district controlled by a Republican heading into the 2018 elections.

In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 85 out of 124 state House districts in South Carolina with an average margin of victory of 28.7 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 86 out of 124 state House districts in South Carolina with an average margin of victory of 30.1 points. Trump won seven districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

2016 presidential results by state House district
District	Obama	Romney	2012 Margin	Clinton	Trump	2016 Margin	Party Control
1	23.28%	75.15%	R+51.9	18.61%	77.65%	R+59	R
2	31.79%	66.50%	R+34.7	28.17%	66.98%	R+38.8	R
3	35.60%	61.95%	R+26.4	33.39%	58.53%	R+25.1	R
4	17.87%	80.08%	R+62.2	12.86%	83.53%	R+70.7	R
5	23.85%	74.46%	R+50.6	20.85%	74.77%	R+53.9	R
6	30.99%	67.41%	R+36.4	27.78%	67.13%	R+39.3	R
7	32.32%	66.10%	R+33.8	23.98%	73.09%	R+49.1	R
8	33.75%	64.76%	R+31	28.69%	68.03%	R+39.3	R
9	35.55%	63.02%	R+27.5	32.29%	63.27%	R+31	R
10	22.06%	76.34%	R+54.3	20.11%	75.76%	R+55.6	R
11	41.13%	57.49%	R+16.4	32.52%	65.04%	R+32.5	R
12	59.39%	39.69%	D+19.7	53.79%	43.46%	D+10.3	D
13	32.85%	65.84%	R+33	30.28%	65.63%	R+35.3	R
14	36.82%	61.80%	R+25	29.74%	67.30%	R+37.6	R
15	48.83%	49.47%	R+0.6	45.11%	49.55%	R+4.4	R
16	41.69%	56.82%	R+15.1	36.19%	59.30%	R+23.1	R
17	21.18%	76.65%	R+55.5	18.81%	75.94%	R+57.1	R
18	25.25%	72.79%	R+47.5	23.48%	71.10%	R+47.6	R
19	35.02%	62.85%	R+27.8	34.74%	59.59%	R+24.9	R
20	27.09%	70.82%	R+43.7	28.31%	64.69%	R+36.4	R
21	25.57%	72.91%	R+47.3	29.67%	64.13%	R+34.5	R
22	32.91%	65.01%	R+32.1	35.65%	56.13%	R+20.5	R
23	64.77%	33.12%	D+31.6	60.89%	32.19%	D+28.7	D
24	35.96%	62.42%	R+26.5	39.48%	53.84%	R+14.4	R
25	71.10%	27.86%	D+43.2	65.40%	31.14%	D+34.3	D
26	35.32%	62.83%	R+27.5	36.60%	57.21%	R+20.6	R
27	36.38%	62.10%	R+25.7	35.80%	58.61%	R+22.8	R
28	34.06%	64.37%	R+30.3	32.48%	62.53%	R+30.1	R
29	33.75%	64.90%	R+31.2	26.63%	70.63%	R+44	R
30	34.61%	64.30%	R+29.7	27.30%	70.23%	R+42.9	R
31	79.20%	19.94%	D+59.3	72.36%	24.44%	D+47.9	D
32	35.50%	63.00%	R+27.5	32.93%	62.60%	R+29.7	R
33	30.03%	68.55%	R+38.5	25.34%	71.30%	R+46	R
34	42.65%	56.21%	R+13.6	41.00%	54.57%	R+13.6	R
35	27.40%	71.15%	R+43.8	27.02%	67.92%	R+40.9	R
36	38.11%	60.33%	R+22.2	31.58%	64.35%	R+32.8	R
37	33.05%	65.49%	R+32.4	29.64%	65.82%	R+36.2	R
38	23.88%	74.78%	R+50.9	18.90%	77.70%	R+58.8	R
39	32.81%	65.88%	R+33.1	27.32%	69.52%	R+42.2	R
40	42.28%	56.63%	R+14.4	36.99%	59.60%	R+22.6	R
41	63.72%	35.30%	D+28.4	61.23%	35.98%	D+25.3	D
42	44.12%	54.53%	R+10.4	37.44%	59.80%	R+22.4	D
43	44.83%	53.97%	R+9.1	35.08%	61.58%	R+26.5	R
44	46.57%	52.34%	R+5.8	38.98%	58.42%	R+19.4	D
45	35.40%	63.31%	R+27.9	34.76%	60.44%	R+25.7	R
46	41.87%	56.57%	R+14.7	40.05%	53.52%	R+13.5	R
47	31.57%	67.02%	R+35.4	26.48%	68.76%	R+42.3	R
48	35.74%	62.60%	R+26.9	35.12%	59.40%	R+24.3	R
49	66.67%	32.40%	D+34.3	61.82%	34.84%	D+27	D
50	63.30%	35.70%	D+27.6	58.24%	39.47%	D+18.8	D
51	73.57%	25.50%	D+48.1	71.54%	26.14%	D+45.4	D
52	41.47%	57.24%	R+15.8	37.04%	59.07%	R+22	D
53	47.26%	51.83%	R+4.6	39.48%	58.10%	R+18.6	R
54	58.26%	40.99%	D+17.3	53.53%	44.66%	D+8.9	D
55	56.03%	43.25%	D+12.8	48.68%	49.42%	R+0.7	D
56	41.06%	57.56%	R+16.5	32.30%	64.06%	R+31.8	R
57	62.48%	36.64%	D+25.8	57.73%	40.44%	D+17.3	D
58	33.03%	66.09%	R+33.1	28.08%	69.29%	R+41.2	R
59	70.58%	28.54%	D+42	67.55%	30.01%	D+37.5	D
60	38.35%	60.80%	R+22.5	34.96%	62.74%	R+27.8	R
61	51.91%	47.23%	D+4.7	45.72%	52.23%	R+6.5	D
62	65.60%	33.61%	D+32	61.45%	36.39%	D+25.1	D
63	34.43%	64.43%	R+30	35.35%	60.23%	R+24.9	R
64	58.22%	40.98%	D+17.2	53.18%	45.00%	D+8.2	D
65	31.75%	67.08%	R+35.3	27.25%	69.53%	R+42.3	R
66	72.57%	26.70%	D+45.9	68.93%	29.57%	D+39.4	D
67	37.94%	61.07%	R+23.1	35.62%	60.53%	R+24.9	R
68	33.20%	65.40%	R+32.2	28.04%	68.23%	R+40.2	R
69	31.53%	66.96%	R+35.4	30.88%	62.14%	R+31.3	R
70	73.89%	25.16%	D+48.7	70.02%	27.11%	D+42.9	D
71	34.78%	63.68%	R+28.9	34.96%	58.73%	R+23.8	R
72	68.08%	29.85%	D+38.2	69.16%	24.22%	D+44.9	D
73	80.11%	18.83%	D+61.3	77.42%	18.47%	D+58.9	D
74	81.27%	17.11%	D+64.2	78.82%	16.24%	D+62.6	D
75	42.45%	55.85%	R+13.4	47.88%	45.26%	D+2.6	R
76	77.22%	21.70%	D+55.5	76.59%	19.75%	D+56.8	D
77	69.65%	29.43%	D+40.2	67.21%	29.11%	D+38.1	D
78	49.92%	48.75%	D+1.2	52.86%	41.64%	D+11.2	D
79	72.59%	26.57%	D+46	70.85%	24.80%	D+46.1	D
80	59.84%	38.87%	D+21	55.10%	40.89%	D+14.2	D
81	29.68%	68.58%	R+38.9	29.88%	64.05%	R+34.2	R
82	59.20%	39.93%	D+19.3	54.84%	42.65%	D+12.2	D
83	28.62%	69.81%	R+41.2	29.03%	66.20%	R+37.2	R
84	34.77%	64.20%	R+29.4	31.33%	65.32%	R+34	R
85	30.93%	67.51%	R+36.6	31.43%	62.49%	R+31.1	R
86	38.58%	60.04%	R+21.5	34.38%	61.86%	R+27.5	R
87	20.64%	78.04%	R+57.4	20.68%	73.42%	R+52.7	R
88	27.08%	71.09%	R+44	25.84%	68.79%	R+42.9	R
89	38.55%	59.55%	R+21	38.45%	55.10%	R+16.6	R
90	52.50%	46.54%	D+6	46.55%	51.10%	R+4.5	D
91	63.50%	35.77%	D+27.7	58.70%	39.27%	D+19.4	D
92	36.52%	61.43%	R+24.9	34.38%	59.77%	R+25.4	R
93	59.26%	39.77%	D+19.5	53.51%	44.10%	D+9.4	D
94	36.52%	61.86%	R+25.3	34.95%	58.59%	R+23.6	R
95	71.56%	27.77%	D+43.8	68.97%	29.07%	D+39.9	D
96	29.83%	68.33%	R+38.5	24.42%	71.46%	R+47	R
97	42.47%	56.02%	R+13.5	37.05%	58.73%	R+21.7	D
98	40.02%	58.27%	R+18.3	38.80%	54.78%	R+16	R
99	32.05%	66.30%	R+34.3	35.35%	58.14%	R+22.8	R
100	33.71%	64.76%	R+31	30.44%	64.82%	R+34.4	R
101	66.78%	32.31%	D+34.5	62.75%	35.67%	D+27.1	D
102	60.06%	38.77%	D+21.3	54.07%	43.50%	D+10.6	D
103	62.63%	36.59%	D+26	58.02%	39.82%	D+18.2	D
104	33.50%	65.34%	R+31.8	28.73%	68.55%	R+39.8	R
105	32.43%	66.37%	R+33.9	27.34%	69.47%	R+42.1	R
106	31.29%	67.43%	R+36.1	26.95%	69.91%	R+43	R
107	37.67%	60.99%	R+23.3	35.21%	61.33%	R+26.1	R
108	35.01%	63.87%	R+28.9	33.02%	62.98%	R+30	R
109	71.24%	27.67%	D+43.6	68.57%	27.36%	D+41.2	D
110	37.37%	60.72%	R+23.3	43.15%	48.70%	R+5.5	R
111	78.60%	19.54%	D+59.1	75.33%	18.53%	D+56.8	D
112	35.27%	63.41%	R+28.1	38.92%	54.10%	R+15.2	R
113	73.23%	25.55%	D+47.7	67.01%	27.72%	D+39.3	D
114	38.05%	60.14%	R+22.1	38.63%	53.60%	R+15	R
115	40.78%	57.26%	R+16.5	44.68%	47.55%	R+2.9	R
116	53.66%	45.16%	D+8.5	49.15%	46.69%	D+2.5	D
117	48.43%	49.82%	R+1.4	45.56%	47.89%	R+2.3	R
118	42.55%	56.44%	R+13.9	40.94%	54.97%	R+14	R
119	48.34%	49.63%	R+1.3	48.31%	43.53%	D+4.8	D
120	36.27%	62.73%	R+26.5	36.77%	59.01%	R+22.2	R
121	64.89%	34.33%	D+30.6	60.68%	36.22%	D+24.5	D
122	61.99%	37.22%	D+24.8	56.78%	41.26%	D+15.5	D
123	34.41%	64.63%	R+30.2	39.14%	56.59%	R+17.5	R
124	37.53%	61.16%	R+23.6	38.63%	56.17%	R+17.5	R
Total	44.09%	54.56%	R+10.5	40.67%	54.94%	R+14.3	-
Source: Daily Kos

Ballot access requirements

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in South Carolina in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in South Carolina, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2020
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Signature formula	Filing fee	Filing fee formula	Filing deadline	Source
South Carolina	U.S. Senate	Qualified party	N/A	N/A	$10,440.00	1% of annual salary multiplied by term of office	3/30/2020	Source
South Carolina	U.S. Senate	Unaffiliated	10,000	5% of active registered voters in the state, or 10,000, whichever is less	N/A	N/A	8/17/2020	Source

Election history

2016

U.S. Senate, South Carolina General Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Tim Scott Incumbent	60.6%	1,241,609
	Democratic	Thomas Dixon	36.9%	757,022
	Libertarian	Bill Bledsoe	1.8%	37,482
	American	Rebel Scarborough	0.6%	11,923
	N/A	Write-in	0.1%	1,857
Total Votes				2,049,893
Source: South Carolina Secretary of State

2014

U.S. Senate, South Carolina General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Lindsey Graham Incumbent	55.3%	672,941
	Democratic	Brad Hutto	37.6%	456,726
	Libertarian	Victor Kocher	2.8%	33,839
	Independent	Thomas Ravenel	3.9%	47,588
	N/A	Write-in	0.4%	4,774
Total Votes				1,215,868
Source: South Carolina State Election Commission

See also

• United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina, 2020
• United States Senate elections, 2020

Footnotes

[show]

South Carolina's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Lindsey Graham (R)

Tim Scott (R)

Representatives

District 1

Nancy Mace (R)

District 2

Joe Wilson (R)

District 3

Jeff Duncan (R)

District 4

William Timmons (R)

District 5

Ralph Norman (R)

District 6

James Clyburn (D)

District 7

Russell Fry (R)

Republican Party (8)

Democratic Party (1)