8 primaries across the Midlands likely go to runoffs, another election to be held June 25

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Published: Jun. 12, 2024 at 4:12 PM EDT|Updated: Jun. 12, 2024 at 6:34 PM EDT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - South Carolina decided on candidates during the June 11 primaries, but not every election has resolved yet.

According to unofficial election results, eight elections across the Midlands did not have a candidate receive a majority vote. State law requires that a majority voting percentage to declare a winner. In the event of no candidate securing this, a runoff election is held a few weeks after the primary election date.

The primary runoff sees the two candidates who received the most votes during the primary go head to head, ensuring one of them receives a majority. South Carolina is one of nine states to have runoff elections as part of the party nomination process.

The top-two vote getters will face off in another election on June 25.

U.S. House District 3 - Republican

Seven Republican candidates ran for South Carolina’s third Congressional District this primary season, looking to claim Rep. Jeff Duncan’s spot after he announced he would not seek re-election in January. This crowded race caused votes to spill into various pools, meaning no candidate was able to secure a majority.

Mark Burns, a pastor and founder of The NOW Television Network, received the largest share of votes at 33% and a total of 27,031 votes. He will face Sheri Biggs, a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard and family nurse practitioner, who followed closely with 29% and a total of 23,493 votes.

The other candidates during the initial Republican primary include Stewart Jones, Kevin Bishop, Francois Franco, Elspeth Murday and Philip Healy.

The winner of the Republican runoff will eventually face Bryon Best, who beat out Frances Guldner during the district’s Democratic primary.

The third Congressional District stretches from the Upstate down to northern Midlands counties including Newberry and Saluda.

SC Senate District 10 - Republican

Republican incumbent Sen. Billy Garrett faced three challengers for his District 10 seat on June 11. Those challengers include Charles Bumgardner, a dentist; Troy Simpson, an executive for Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative; and Taylor Bell, a lawyer at The Jeffcoat Firm. Combined, these challengers were able to draw enough support to keep Garrett from clinching a majority.

Sen. Garrett, who won 41% of the primary vote, will face Bumgardner for the Republican runoff. Bumgardner received 23% of the vote.

The winner of this runoff will face Frances Kleckley, who won the Democratic primary for District 10 by a razor-thin margin, earning 51.01% of the vote.

SC Senate District 22 - Democratic

Three candidates competed for state Senator Mia McLeod’s seat on June 11 in a tight race. Sen. McLeod announced she would not be seeking re-election in April. State representative Dr. Ivory Thigpen, Richland County Councilman Overture Walker and Richland Two School Board Member Dr. Monica Elkins all went to bat for the District 22 seat.

Rep. Thigpen led the primary by a narrow margin at 43% with Councilman Walker close behind at 40%. Dr. Elkins trailed significantly at 17% of the vote. Rep. Thigpen and Walker will face off for the Democratic runoff.

No Republican filed for the District 22 race, meaning the winner of the Democratic runoff will face Gary Votour, a candidate from the Workers Party, in November.

SC Senate District 23 - Republican

Senate District 23′s Republican incumbent Sen. Katrina Shealy did not receive a majority vote after two challengers drew enough support to cause a runoff. Prosecutor Carlisle Kennedy and documentarian Zoe Warren were able to garner enough votes to keep Sen. Shealy from winning the primary.

Sen. Shealy received 4,359 votes, which is 40%. Kennedy closely followed with 3,945 votes, which is 36%.

There is no Democratic challenger for this race.

SC Senate District 26 - Republican

While many voters were paying attention to the Democratic primary for District 26, which saw a heated clash between notable South Carolina Democrats Rep. Russell Ott and Sen. Dick Harpootlian, the Republican primary did not end as cleanly. Three Republicans contended for longtime state Senator Nikki Setzler’s seat, but none of them secured a majority on June 11.

Conservative advocate Chris Smith led the Republican primary with 38% of the vote, but entrepreneur Jason Guerry was close behind at 35%. These two will go head-to-head for a chance to run against Russell Ott, the winner of the Democratic primary, in November.

SC Senate District 35 - Democratic

Several candidates from both parties jumped at the chance to win the Senate District 35 seat after Democrat Sen. Thomas McElveen announced his retirement. The Democrats seeking to claim the spot include teacher Austin Floyd, former Mayor of Camden Jeffrey Graham and physical therapist Lucy Mahon.

Graham almost reached a majority on June 11 with 47% of the vote but fell short after Floyd picked up 38%. The two will head into a runoff, and the winner will face the candidate selected by the Republican runoff for the same district: Mike Jones or Lindsay Agostini.

SC Senate District 35 - Republican

Several Republicans also decided to run for the District 35 seat, seeking to overturn the district’s party representation after over a decade of Sen. McElveen’s presence. Four candidates competed for the seat on June 11: former soldier and business owner Mike Jones, Richland County School Board Member Lindsay Agostini, prosecutor Christina Allard, and Jerry Chivers.

Jones was just a few votes shy of claiming a victory, having garnered 50% of the vote, but the other candidates were able to keep him from an outright win. He will face Agostini, who received 30% of the vote, for the Republican runoff.

The winner will face the candidate selected by the Democratic runoff for the same district: Jeffrey Graham or Austin Floyd.

SC House District 93 - Democratic

Four Democrats leapt into the fray to compete for Rep. Russell Ott’s former seat when he chose to run for Senate District 26 this primary season. These candidates were Johnny Felder, son of longtime Sen. John Felder; Phillip Ford, who works with non-profit Wholespire; Jerry Govan, former representative of House District 95; and Chris Roland, an engineer.

Former Rep. Govan secured the most votes during this primary race at 46%, followed by Felder at 32%.

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