Population (2000) 668,668 Cook PVI R+16 | Median income 36,092 | |
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Ethnicity 76.9% White20.6% Black0.6% Asian1.9% Hispanic0.2% Native American0.0% other |
The 3rd Congressional District of South Carolina is a congressional district in western South Carolina bordering both Georgia and North Carolina. It includes all of Abbeville, Anderson, Edgefield, Greenwood, McCormick, Oconee, Pickens and Saluda counties, most of Laurens County. The district is mostly rural, but much of the economy revolves around the manufacturing centers of Anderson and Greenwood.
History Lesson
Historically, the district was a Democratic stronghold, and Democrats continued to hold most local offices well into the 1990s. However, most residents share the socially conservative views of their counterparts in the 4th district and the district has elected Republicans since 1994. Republicans now dominate the district's politics at all levels, usually scoring margins rivaling those in the 4th. J. Gresham Barrett, elected in 2002, did not seek reelection in 2010 in order to run for governor. State Rep. Jeff Duncan won the seat in 2010.