South Carolina runoff elections are Tuesday: Here are 7 districts to watch

Voters aren’t quite done with elections this month. They still have 13 runoff elections Tuesday in state legislative and congressional districts.

In order to win a major party nomination and advance to the November general election, a candidate needs to receive more than 50% of the vote in a primary election.

Only 13.55% of voters statewide turned out for the June 11 primary elections. For candidates trying to win a runoff, turning out their voters will be key.

Here are some key races to watch.

3rd Congressional District

Mark Burns and Sheri Biggs are the last two candidates standing in the GOP race to succeed U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-Laurens, who chose not to run for reelection.

Burns finished first in the June 11 primary, garnering 33.16% of the vote. Biggs finished second in the June 11 primary receiving 28.82%.

Seven people were on the ballot for the Republican nomination in the solidly conservative district. The top vote-getters sought to connect themselves to former President Donald Trump, but Burns was the candidate in the race to get GOP standard bearer’s endorsement.

Burns, a pastor, took out a $500,000 loan from a bank in Missouri to fund his campaign this cycle. Outside of the loan, Burns has only raised $64,000. According to Federal Election Commission documents, Burns is using “future contributions” as collateral for the loan.

“I am grateful to be backed by some several wealthy people that support my candidacy. Also, of course, I put my own back, and my own skin in the game,” Burns said in an interview in May. “I got my own skin in the game, and so I believe in myself, I’m banking and betting on myself and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Biggs, an Air National Guard lieutenant colonel who is backed by Gov. Henry McMaster, also rolled out endorsements from seven county sheriffs.

“I am deeply honored to earn the trust of and receive the endorsements from these distinguished sheriffs,” Biggs said. “Their support underscores my commitment to uphold the rule of law, ensure our law enforcement officers have the resources they need to keep our communities safe, and represent our community with integrity.”

The winner 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 the winner of the GOP runoff is in the overwhelming favorite to win the November general election.

The 3rd Congressional District includes all or parts of Abbeville, Anderson, Edgefield, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens and Saluda counties.

Senate District 23 — Republican

State Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, is hoping to hold on her seat and potentially remain the only Republican woman the upper chamber. Shealy finished first in the primary, but only received 40% of the vote in the primary.

Carlisle Kennedy finished second in the three-person primary with 36%.

The Lexington County Republican Party initially endorsed Zoe Warren in the race, but he finished in third place. The Lexington County GOP has since moved its endorsement to Kennedy.

Senate District 12 — Republican

Will former state Sen. Lee Bright make his way back into the upper chamber?

Bright, who was defeated by state Sen. Scott Talley in 2016, is in a runoff against state Rep. Roger Nutt, R-Spartanburg.

Talley chose not to run for reelection.

A Bright victory could bring House Freedom Caucus-like behavior into the state Senate.

Bright, on his campaign Facebook page, called Nutt a “Republican in Name Only.”

“We need a proven conservative leader, not another ‘yes man’ for the Columbia Swamp like Roger Nutt,” Bright said.

The S.C. Senate Republican Caucus is backing Nutt’s election by spending $230,000 in radio and television ads.

“I think folks up there know Lee. They know what he talked about. I think it’s important, Roger has not only walked the walk but he’s talked the talk,” said Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield. “He’s been successful at it, as opposed to just fussing about things.”

The Upstate district includes parts of Greenville and Spartanburg counties.

Senate District 26 — Republican

Chris Smith and Jason Guerry are running for the Republican nomination in Senate District 26. The winner takes on Democratic state Rep. Russell Ott in the November election.

Smith ran in 2020 against state Sen. Nikki Setzler, D-Lexington. Smith came up short losing by 9 percentage points.

In the three-person June 11 primary, Smith, who was endorsed by the Lexington County GOP, received 38.22% of the vote. Guerry received 35.32%.

The district covers parts of Calhoun, Lexington and Richland counties, and is expected to lean Democratic in the general election.

Senate District 22 — Democratic

The race for the Democratic nomination in the northeastern Richland County Senate District 22 between Overture Walker and Ivory Thigpen will test if money is key to victory.

Walker, a Richland County Council member, entered District 22 Senate race on the last day of filing and quickly raised nearly $116,000 through May 22. However, Walker finished in second place in the primary after receiving 40.36% of the vote.

Thigpen, a sitting Richland County state representative and chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus, raised $49,000 through May 22. He finished in first place of the three-person primary with 42.88% of the vote.

The winner becomes the Democratic nominee to succeed state Sen. Mia McLeod, a Richland independent, and will face Workers Party candidate Gary Votour in November’s election. McLeod chose not to run for reelection.

Senate District 35

Both major parties have runoff elections to succeed state Sen. Thomas McEleveen, D-Sumter, who chose not to run for reelection after three terms in the state Senate.

On the Republican side, Lindsay Agostini and Mike Jones are facing off for the GOP nomination. Jones is in the driver’s seat going into Tuesday’s runoff. He received 49.51% of the vote in the four-person June 11 primary coming up just shy of the simple majority to win the nomination outright.

Agostini received 30.36%.

Jeffrey Graham and Austin Floyd are battling for the Democratic nomination. Graham finished first in the primary with 46.99% of the the vote. Floyd had 37.76% of the vote in the three-person primary.

Senate District 35 covers parts of Kershaw, Lee, Richland and Sumter counties.

House District 93 — Democratic

With state Rep. Russell Ott running for the state Senate, his House seat is up for grabs. Former state Rep. Jerry Govan is in a runoff with Johnny Felder.

Govan, a former educator, served in the House for 15 terms and was once chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus. He did not run in 2022 because he was was drawn into a district with Ott. Instead Govan mounted an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic nomination for superintendent of education.

Felder, an attorney, is the son of former state Rep. John Felder, who served 11 terms in House.

In the June 11 primary, Govan received 45.92% of the vote in the four person race. Felder had 32.1% of the vote.

The winner goes on to face Republican Krista Hassell and Workers Party candidate Harold Geddings in the November election.

The House district includes parts of Calhoun, Lexington and Orangeburg counties.