November 6, 2012 (2012-11-06) 2014 → 1,026,129 742,805 0.71% 0.65% | 5 1 56.92% 41.20% Start date November 6, 2012 | |
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The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 and elected the seven U.S. Representatives from the state of South Carolina, an increase of one seat as a result of reapportionment thanks to the continued strong growth found in South Carolina as reported in the 2010 United States Census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election. The people of South Carolina elected six Republicans and one Democrat to represent the state in the 113th United States Congress.
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Redistricting
On July 26, 2011, the South Carolina House of Representatives and Senate passed a compromise redistricting bill which would place the new 7th district in the Pee Dee region. The bill was signed into law by Governor Nikki Haley on August 1.
Under the 1965 Voting Rights Act, South Carolina's congressional redistricting had to be pre-cleared by the U.S. Department of Justice or the United States District Court for the District of Columbia before it could be enacted. The Department of Justice precleared the map in October 2011; a subsequent lawsuit brought by six voters for discrimination under the new lines was dismissed by the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina in March 2012.
District 1
In redistricting, the 1st district was moved south along the coast to include Hilton Head and parts of Charleston County, and is expected to remain favorable to Republicans. Republican Tim Scott, who has represented the 1st district since January 2011, will seek re-election.
Bobbie Rose, a former teacher and realtor, will seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Scott.
District 2
In redistricting, Hilton Head and its surrounding areas, and counties on the state's southern border were removed from the 2nd district, which now includes all of Aiken County. Republican Joe Wilson, who has represented the 2nd district since 2001, will seek re-election.
Phil Black, a businessman who unsuccessfully challenged Wilson in the Republican primary in 2008 and 2010, will run again. No candidate filed to run on the Democratic side.
District 3
Redistricting added parts of Newberry and Greenville counties to the 3rd district; parts of Aiken County were removed. The district was expected to continue to favor Republicans. Republican Jeff Duncan, who has represented the 3rd district since January 2011, sought re-election.
Cason Gaither, a graduate of the Moore School of Business and the College of Charleston, who worked as a Field Organizer for Vincent Sheheen's gubernatorial campaign in 2010, and Brian Doyle, a convicted felon who has a syndicated radio talk show host, will seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Duncan.
District 4
The redrawn 4th district maintains a balance between Greenville and Spartanburg counties, and is expected to continue to favor Republicans. Republican Trey Gowdy, who has represented the 4th district since January 2011, will seek re-election.
Deb Morrow, who is retired, and Jimmy Tobias, a businessman, received the Democratic and Working Families party nomination to challenge Gowdy. Greenville artist Jeff Sumerel is the nominnee of the South Carolina Green Party.
District 5
The 5th district, which extends from the North Carolina border to the outskirts of Sumter, was made more favorable to Republicans in redistricting. Republican Mick Mulvaney, who has represented the 5th district since January 2011, will seek re-election. Joyce Knott, a businesswoman, will seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Mulvaney.
District 6
The 6th district is expected to continue to strongly favor Democrats. Democrat Jim Clyburn, the Assistant Democratic Leader of the U.S. House who has represented the 6th district since 1993, will face Green Party nominee Nammu Muhammad.
District 7
The new 7th district will represent most of the Pee Dee region, including Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Georgetown, Horry, Marion, and Marlboro counties, along with a part of Florence County, and is expected to favor Republicans.
Former lieutenant governor André Bauer; Renée Culler, a realtor; Katherine Jenerette, an Army veteran who ran in the Republican primary in the 1st district in 2010; Jay Jordan, an attorney; Jim Mader, a businessman; Chad Prosser, the former director of South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism; Tom Rice, the chairman of the Horry County Council; Randal Wallace, a member of the Myrtle Beach City Council; and Dick Withington, a businessman who ran in the Democratic primary for the 1st district in 2010, will seek the Republican nomination for the seat. State Representative Alan Clemmons, who had been considering a bid, will not run. State Representative Thad Viers had announced a run, but dropped his bid in January 2012 following his arrest for harassment. Debbie Harwell, the owner of a public relations firm, had planned to run, but dropped her bid for the seat in January 2012. Mande Wilkes, an attorney and local television host, had also planned to run but dropped her bid for the seat in March 2012.
Preston Brittain, an attorney; Parnell Diggs, an attorney and president of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina; Harry Pavilack, an attorney; Gloria Tinubu, a professor at Coastal Carolina University and former member of the Georgia General Assembly; and Ted Vick, the South Carolina House of Representatives' minority whip, will seek the Democratic nomination. Stephen Wukela, the mayor of Florence, will not run.