ELECTION RESULTS

by Ben Homeyer

We had a pretty good night with the candidates that were endorsed by the PAC.  Senators Reese and Nicholson both lost but everyone else was a winner.

In the South Carolina Senate, where Republicans held a 27-19 edge going in, the party made gains. All four Democrat-targeted Lowcountry Senate seats remained in GOP hands: Senate District 37 (Republican incumbent Larry Grooms defeated Democrat Kathryn Whitaker), Senate District 41 (Republican incumbent Sandy Senn defeated Democrat Sam Skardon), Senate District 43 (Republican incumbent Chip Campsen defeated Democrat Richard Hricik), and Senate District 44 (an open seat that saw Republican Brian Adams defeat Democrat Debbie Bryant).

The GOP made at least two other gains: in Senate District 10 Republican Billy Garrett unseated incumbent Democrat Floyd Nicholson and in Senate District 11 Republican Josh Kimbrell took out incumbent Democrat Glenn Reese. Republican Penry Gustafson defeated Democrat Senator and former candidate for Governor Vincent Sheheen in Senate District 27.

The previous 27-19 edge in the SC Senate appears to now be 30-16.

In the House of Representatives, Republicans held a 79-45 advantage, but made several gains in 2020.

In House District 44 Republican Sandy McGarry upended 2018 Democratic Lieutenant Governor nominee and State Representative Mandy Powers Norrell and in House District 52Republican Vic Dabney defeated State Representative Laurie Slade Funderburk. In House District 80, Republican Vincent Wilson narrowly defeated Democrat Jermaine Johnson. (Johnson defeated Democrat twenty year incumbent Rep. Jimmy Bales in a primary earlier this year.)