Trump endorsed candidate loses and 6 other takeaways from Tuesday’s SC runoff elections

Tuesday’s runoff elections are in the books as 12 of 13 races were settled.

In a congressional race, the power of former President Donald Trump’s endorsement was put to the test one more time in South Carolina. In the state Senate, another female senator suffered defeat.

In the Upstate, two more state representatives are poised to join the state Senate.

Here seven takeaways from Tuesday’s runoffs:

Trump endorsed candidate loses

Having an endorsement from former President Donald Trump isn’t a guarantee for victory in a very conservative congressional district.

Sheri Biggs, a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard, defeated Mark Burns in the Republican runoff in the 3rd Congressional District.

Biggs, who finished second in the June 11 primary, received nearly 51% of the vote.

Biggs’ victory came despite not having the Republican party’s biggest name backing her. Trump endorsed Burns’ campaign ahead of the primary.

Burns’ defeat is the only congressional primary in South Carolina where a Trump-endorsed candidate lost.

The other Trump-endorsed candidates: U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson in the 2nd Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace in the 1st Congressional District, and U.S. Rep. William Timmons in the 4th Congressional District defeated their GOP challengers in the primary.

Biggs was endorsed by Gov. Henry McMaster, as well as seven county sheriffs, in the election. McMaster and Trump are longtime allies and this race is one of the few times they’ve been on opposite campaigns.

McMaster also endorsed Timmons and Mace in their primaries.

Current 3rd District U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-Laurens, chose not to run for reelection this year.

Biggs will face Democratic nominee Byron Best in the general election. But the 3rd Congressional District is one of the most conservative districts in the country, so Biggs is the overwhelming favorite to win the November general election.\

Another sister senator ousted

State Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, lost her runoff election to attorney Carlisle Kennedy, leading to another ouster of a female senator.

Kennedy, who finished in second place in the June 11 primary, won Tuesday’s runoff election by garnering 62.47% of the vote.

Shealy, who was first elected in 2012, banded together with the chamber’s other female senators and voted against the latest abortion ban.

Shealy was censured by the Lexington County Republican Party, which also endorsed Kennedy’s campaign.

With Shealy’s loss, the upper chamber is likely to have only two female senators, but 13 women are running in November.

State Sens. Penry Gustafson, R-Kershaw, and Sandy Senn, R-Charleston, lost their primary elections. State Sen. Mia McLeod, a Richland County independent, chose not to run for reelection.

Kennedy, a trial attorney, is poised to win the seat in November. Only Republicans filed to run.

But Shealy’s loss also means Lexington County loses more seniority in the upper chamber. Even though the Lexington County delegation has five senators, only two live within the county: state Sen. Nikki Setzler and Shealy. Setzler chose not to run for reelection this year and is scheduled to give a farewell speech Wednesday.

In the Senate, a place on the lucrative Finance Committee, which can direct state spending, is based on seniority. Both Setzler, who has served since 1977, and Shealy sit on the Senate Finance Committee. Those who succeed Setzler and Shealy will not have seniority and sit on the Judiciary Committee.

Lexington County GOP goes 2-1 in runoffs

The Lexington County Republican Party, which endorsed in 13 races ahead of the primary elections, saw two of its candidates win.

Kennedy defeated Shealy in the Senate District 23 runoff. State Sen. Billy Garrett, R-Greenwood, defeated Charles Bumgardner in Senate District 10.

Kennedy and Garrett were endorse by the Lexington County GOP. To note, the party endorsed Zoe Warren first in District 23, but he finished third in the primary and did not advance to the runoff.

The local Republican Party also endorsed Chris Smith in Senate District 26, but Smith lost to Jason Guerry. Guerry goes on to face state Rep. Russell Ott, D-Calhoun, the general election.

District 22 gets its Democratic nominee

Richland County Council member Overture Walker is poised to join the state Senate.

Walker defeated state Rep. Ivory Thigpen in the Democratic runoff in Senate District 22.

Walker was the last candidate to enter the Democratic race for this seat, but he raised the most cash before the election.

Walker had the cash advantage in the race, raising nearly $116,000 through May 22. Thigpen only raised $49,000 through May 22.

State Sen. Mia McLeod, a Richland County independent, currently holds the District 22 seat but chose not to run for reelection.

Ahead of the election, McLeod backed Walker’s bid.

Walker now goes on to face Workers Party candidate Gary Votour in November’s election.

Upstate House members poised to join Senate

State Reps. Jason Elliott, R-Greenville, and Roger Nutt, R-Spartanburg, won their runoff elections Tuesday for state Senate seats.

Elliot won the GOP nomination in state Senate District 6, where state Sen. Dwight Loftis, R-Greenville, chose not to run for reelection. Elliott received 4,542 votes. Ben Carper received 4,249 votes. No Democrats filed to run in the seat.

Nutt won the GOP nomination in state Senate District 12, where state Sen. Scott Talley, R-Spartanburg, did not seek another term.

Nutt received 3,163 votes. Former state Sen. Lee Bright received 3,020 votes.

Both Elliott and Nutt had support from the S.C. Senate Republican Caucus, which spent thousands of dollars on each of their races.

The caucus spent $70,000 on television and radio ads to help Elliott win his runoff against Ben Carper. The Republican caucus spent $230,000 to help Nutt defeat Bright.

Nutt goes on to face Democratic nominee Octavia Amaechi in the general election. But the Upstate is a conservative making Nutt the favorite to win the election.

A good night for one former lawmaker

Former state Rep. Jerry Govan is on track to return to the General Assembly.

Govan beat Johnny Felder in the House District 93 Democratic runoff. The House district includes parts of Calhoun, Lexington and Orangeburg counties.

State Rep. Russell Ott, D-Calhoun, who is running for the state Senate, won House District 93 in 2022 by 21 points.

Every vote matters

The margin in the Democratic race in Senate District 35 is 24 votes out of the 3,558 ballots cast.

With all precincts reporting, Jeffrey Graham has 1,791 votes. Austin Floyd Jr. has 1,767 votes, according to Tuesday’s unofficial results.

The race appears to be headed to a recount.

Whoever wins between Graham and Floyd will face Republican Mike Jones in the November election after he defeated Lindsay Agostini in the runoff.

Current state Sen. Thomas McElveen, D-Sumter, decided to run again.