Population (2000) 668,668 Cook PVI R+15 | Median income 39,417 | |
 | ||
Current Representative Trey Gowdy (R–Spartanburg) Ethnicity 76.2% White
19.8% Black
1.4% Asian
3.2% Hispanic
0.2% Native American
0.1% other | ||
The 4th Congressional District of South Carolina is a congressional district in upstate South Carolina bordering North Carolina. It includes all of Spartanburg county and parts of Greenville and Laurens counties. The district is characterized by the two major cities of Greenville and Spartanburg.
The district is the state's wealthiest district and one of its most conservative. In the late 20th century, it has been in Republican hands since 1979, aside from a six-year stint by Democrat Liz J. Patterson, the daughter of former Senator Olin Johnston. Even before the Republicans finally took control of the seat, the 4th had been a rather conservative district. Like in most of the state, the old-line Southern Democrats began splitting their tickets as early as the 1940s. However, this area's white conservatives became increasingly willing to support Republicans at the state and local level as early as the 1970s, well before the rest of the state swung Republican. The district is a major destination for Presidential candidates in election years, as South Carolina is one of the first states to hold a Presidential primary.
Republican Trey Gowdy has represented the district since 2011.