2013 South Carolina's 1st congressional district special election
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South Carolina's 1st congressional district | |||||||||||||||||
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 County results Sanford: 50–60% 60-70% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in South Carolina |
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A special election for South Carolina's 1st congressional district was held on May 7, 2013, to fill the seat following the resignation of U.S. Representative Tim Scott, who was appointed to the United States Senate by Governor Nikki Haley to fill the seat previously held by Jim DeMint.[1][2] DeMint resigned from the Senate on January 2, 2013, to accept a position as president of The Heritage Foundation.
The filing period for candidates lasted between January 18 and January 28, 2013. The special primary elections took place on March 19, 2013.[1][3] Businesswoman Elizabeth Colbert Busch won the Democratic Party primary and Mark Sanford, the former governor of South Carolina who held the seat from 1995 to 2001, advanced to a runoff with former Charleston County Councilman Curtis Bostic for the Republican Party nomination. Prior to the runoff, 14 Republicans and one Democrat signed the "Reject the Debt" pledge put out by the nonpartisan Coalition to Reduce Spending. In the runoff election on April 2, Sanford defeated Bostic. Eugene Platt, a James Island Public Service Commissioner, was nominated by the South Carolina Green Party. In the general election on May 7, Sanford received 54% of the vote, beating Colbert Busch (45%) and Platt (1%).[4]
Republican primary[edit]
Candidates[edit]
Declared[edit]
- Keith Blandford, businessman and Libertarian nominee for this district in 2012[5]
- Curtis Bostic, former Charleston County Councilman (defeated in runoff)[6][7]
- Ric Bryant, engineer[8]
- Larry Grooms, state senator[9]
- Jonathan Rath Hoffman, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, former director of border security at the White House[10]
- Jeff King, engineer for a military contractor[11]
- John R. Kuhn, former state senator[5]
- Tim Larkin, defense engineer and member of the South Carolina Army National Guard[12]
- Chip Limehouse, state representative[13]
- Peter M. McCoy Jr., state representative[14][15]
- Elizabeth Moffly, member of the Charleston County School Board[16]
- Ray Nash, former Dorchester County Sheriff[17]
- Andy Patrick, state representative[18]
- Shawn Pinkston, attorney[19]
- Mark Sanford, former Governor of South Carolina and former U.S. Representative (won primary)[20]
- Teddy Turner, high school teacher and son of Ted Turner[21][22]
Declined[edit]
- Carroll Campbell III, businessperson and son of former governor Carroll A. Campbell, Jr.[23]
- George E. Campsen III, state senator[24]
- Tom Davis, state senator[25]
- Larry Kobrovsky, former Charleston County School Board member[14]
- Joe McKeown, chief of staff for Tim Scott and former Charleston County Councilman[26]
- James H. Merrill, state representative[15]
- Thomas Ravenel, former state treasurer[13]
- Jenny Sanford, former First Lady of South Carolina[27]
- Duffie Stone, Judicial Circuit Solicitor[26]
- Elliott Summey, Charleston County Councilman[9]
- Paul Thurmond, state senator[6]
Primary[edit]
Results[edit]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Sanford | 19,854 | 36.91% | |
| Republican | Curtis Bostic | 7,168 | 13.33% | |
| Republican | Larry Grooms | 6,673 | 12.40% | |
| Republican | Teddy Turner | 4,252 | 7.90% | |
| Republican | Andy Patrick | 3,783 | 7.03% | |
| Republican | John Kuhn | 3,479 | 6.47% | |
| Republican | Chip Limehouse | 3,279 | 6.10% | |
| Republican | Ray Nash | 2,508 | 4.66% | |
| Republican | Peter McCoy | 867 | 1.61% | |
| Republican | Elizabeth Moffly | 530 | 0.99% | |
| Republican | Tim Larkin | 393 | 0.73% | |
| Republican | Jonathan Hoffman | 360 | 0.67% | |
| Republican | Jeff King | 211 | 0.39% | |
| Republican | Keith Blandford | 195 | 0.36% | |
| Republican | Shawn Pinkston | 154 | 0.29% | |
| Republican | Ric Bryant | 87 | 0.16% | |
| Total votes | 53,793 | 100% | ||
Runoff[edit]
Polling[edit]
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Curtis Bostic |
Mark Sanford |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | March 22–24, 2013 | 648 | ± 3.9% | 40% | 53% | — | 7% |
Results[edit]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Sanford | 26,127 | 56.59% | |
| Republican | Curtis Bostic | 20,044 | 43.41% | |
| Total votes | 46,171 | 100% | ||
Democratic primary[edit]
Candidates[edit]
Declared[edit]
- Elizabeth Colbert Busch, director of business development at Clemson University’s Restoration Institute, (won primary; also nominated by the South Carolina Working Families Party)[30][31]
- Ben Frasier, perennial candidate, former aide to Congressman L. Mendel Rivers[32]
Withdrawn[edit]
- Bobbie Rose, former teacher and nominee for the 1st district in 2012[33]
- Martin Skelly, businessperson[34]
Declined[edit]
- Robert Burton, pilot and retired Air Force Colonel[35]
- Wendell Gilliard, state representative[5]
- Blaine Lotz, Chairman of the Beaufort County Democratic Party[24]
- Leon Stavrinakis, state representative[36]
Primary[edit]
Results[edit]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Elizabeth Colbert Busch | 15,802 | 95.86% | N/A | |
| Democratic | Ben Frasier | 682 | 4.14% | N/A | |
Green Party[edit]
On the Ballot[edit]
- Eugene Platt, James Island Public Service Commissioner and 1990 Democratic Party candidate for the 1st district (won primary)[37][38]
Declared[edit]
- Larry Carter Center, political activist[39]
General election[edit]
On May 7, 2013, Mark Sanford won the election and took the seat vacated by U.S. Representative Tim Scott.[40][41]
Polling[edit]
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Mark Sanford (R) |
Elizabeth Colbert Busch (D) |
Eugene Platt (G) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | May 4–5, 2013 | 1,239 | ± 2.8% | 47% | 46% | 4% | 4% |
| RRH/PMI Polling | April 29 – May 1, 2013 | 650 | ± 5% | 46% | 46% | — | 8% |
| Public Policy Polling | April 19–21, 2013 | 796 | ± 3.5% | 41% | 50% | 3% | 5% |
| Lake Research Partners (D–Colbert–Busch) | March 25–27, 2013 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 44% | 47% | — | 7% |
| Public Policy Polling | March 22–24, 2013 | 1,175 | ± 2.9% | 45% | 47% | — | 8% |
Hypothetical polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Curtis Bostic (R) |
Elizabeth Colbert Busch (D) |
Eugene Platt (G) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Research Partners^ | March 25–27, 2013 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 39% | 48% | — | — | 10% |
| Public Policy Polling | March 22–24, 2013 | 1,175 | ± 2.9% | 43% | 43% | — | — | 14% |
Results[edit]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Sanford | 77,600 | 54.03% | -8.00% | |
| Democratic | Elizabeth Colbert Busch | 64,961 | 45.22% | +9.51% | |
| Green | Eugene Platt | 690 | 0.48% | N/A | |
| Write-in | 384 | 0.27% | +0.20% | ||
| Total votes | 143,635 | 100.00% | N/A | ||
| Republican hold | |||||
County results[edit]
| Mark Sanford Republican |
Elizabeth Colbert Busch Democrat |
Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | |
| Beaufort | 17,896 | 52.60% | 14,871 | 43.71% | 34,020 | |
| Berkeley | 15,137 | 60.90% | 8,670 | 34.88% | 24,856 | |
| Charleston | 32,019 | 50.18% | 29,056 | 45.54% | 63,809 | |
| Colleton | 272 | 69.21% | 109 | 27.74% | 393 | |
| Dorchester | 12,276 | 59.72% | 7,440 | 36.19% | 20,557 | |
References[edit]
- ^ a b "U.S. House of Representatives District 1 Special Election". South Carolina State Election Commission. January 2, 2013. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
- ^ "Gov. Haley (R-SC) Announces Rep. Scott to Replace Sen. DeMint". C-SPAN. December 17, 2012. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
- ^ "Primary Runoffs". August 16, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
- ^ "Mark Sanford wins South Carolina special election". Washington Post. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
- ^ a b c Elmore, Christina; Kropf, Schuyler (December 19, 2012). "1st District field widens with three additions". The Post and Courier. Archived from the original on February 5, 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
- ^ a b Behre, Robert (January 1, 2013). "Thurmond not running for Scott's 1st district seat". The Post and Courier. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- ^ Sullivan, Shaun (March 22, 2013). "Bostic still tops Grooms after S.C. recount, will face Sanford". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 23, 2013.
- ^ Behre, Robert (February 9, 2013). "1st Congressional District candidate Ric Bryant says nation's debt first issue". The Post and Courier. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
- ^ a b Behre, Robert; Kropf, Schuyler (January 4, 2013). "Summey won't run for Congress, but Grooms will". The Post and Courier. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- ^ Charleston Business Owner Enters Congressional Race – Charleston, SC Patch
- ^ Jeff King for Congress
- ^ "Summerville Man Enters First Congressional Race". Summerville, SC Patch. January 25, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
- ^ a b "1st Congressional District field expands as Rep. Chip Limehouse announces candidacy". The Post and Courier. January 11, 2013. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- ^ a b Behre, Robert (December 8, 2012). "If Haley picks Scott to take DeMint's place, expect wide-open race". The Post and Courier. Archived from the original on May 10, 2013. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- ^ a b Sullivan, Sean (December 17, 2012). "Scott's departure for Senate will trigger third special House election in 2013". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- ^ Casey, Diette Courrégé (January 16, 2013). "Charleston County School Board member Elizabeth Moffly to enter 1st Congressional District Race". The Post and Courier. Archived from the original on March 3, 2013. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
- ^ "Former Dorchester Co. Sheriff Ray Nash to run for congress". WIS TV. January 15, 2013. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
- ^ Smith, Gina (January 9, 2013). "Hilton Head lawmaker running for Congress". The Island Packet. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- ^ Winston, Chris (January 28, 2013). "Charleston Attorney Shawn Pinkston Enters SC1 GOP Race". Mount Pleasant, SC Patch. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
- ^ "The Fix". The Washington Post.
- ^ Hambrick, Greg (December 18, 2012). "Robert "Teddy" Turner, "Rogue Republican," Announces District 1 Campaign". West Ashley, SC Patch. Archived from the original on December 23, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
- ^ Smith, Bruce. Ted Turner's son vying in SC congressional primary, Associated Press, January 23, 2013.
- ^ Livingston, Abby (December 17, 2012). "South Carolina Special Election Attracts Familiar Faces". Roll Call. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- ^ a b Drury, Shawn (January 7, 2013). "UPDATED: The Race For SC1". Summerville, SC Patch. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ^ Barton, Tom; Smith, Gina (December 18, 2012). "Scott's seat has many takers". The State. Archived from the original on December 31, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
- ^ a b Sobel, Julie (December 18, 2012). "Hotline Sort: South Carolina Scorecard". National Journal. Archived from the original on May 16, 2013. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
- ^ "Jenny Sanford not running for Congress". January 14, 2013.
- ^ a b "SC District 01 – Special R Primary". SC Elections. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
- ^ "RUNOFF – U.S. House of Representatives District 1 Primary". Retrieved April 3, 2013.
- ^ Isenstadt, Alex (January 18, 2013). "No joke: Stephen Colbert's sister plans House bid". Politico. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
- ^ Groce, Rob (March 22, 2013). "Colbert Busch Lands Working Families Party Endorsement". North Charleston Patch. Archived from the original on March 29, 2013. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- ^ Drury, Shawn (January 28, 2013). "Perennial Candidate Returns to SC1 Democratic Primary". North Charleston, SC. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
- ^ "Rose drops out of District 1 race on last day to file". ABC News 4. January 28, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
- ^ Miller, Joshua (February 11, 2013). "South Carolina: Skelly Exits Special Election; Colbert's Sister Now Top Democratic Contender". Roll Call. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
- ^ Crisp, Adam (January 4, 2013). "Robert Burton Studying Congressional Run". Mount Pleasant, SC Patch. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ^ Easley, Cameron (December 19, 2012). "Rep. Stavrinakis will not run for Tim Scott's seat". WCSC-TV. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
- ^ "Eugene Platt To Run In Special Congressional Election". South Carolina Green Party. January 28, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
- ^ Dendy, Dallas (April 29, 1991). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 1990" (PDF). Clerk of the House of Representatives. Retrieved January 29, 2013.
- ^ Bowers, Paul (January 29, 2013). "Abortion protester accuses liberal activist of hitting him with a car". Charleston City Paper. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
- ^ a b "Statewide Results". South Carolina Dept. Of Elections. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
- ^ "Mark Sanford wins South Carolina special election". Washington Post. Retrieved May 8, 2013.