While the “throw all the bums out” ethos hasn’t quite hit the Statehouse, some incumbents are still biting their fingernails. Here’s a rundown of what’s ahead June 28 during primary runoffs:
In the Senate:
- Sen. Larry Martin, chair of the powerful Judiciary Committee, will face former state Rep. Rex Rice on June 28. Rice, a moderate like Martin, appeared to have appealed better to the more rural voters.
- GOP Sen. Mike Fair of Greenville finished second to a former prosecutor, William Timmons, who was a handful of votes away from carrying the primary.
- GOP Sen. Lee Bright of Roebuck, one of the least popular members of the Senate, had some popularity problems back at home, facing three challengers. He will next face former Rep. and attorney Scott Talley, as well as the power of the state Chamber of Commerce, which is campaigning against him.
- Sen. Creighton Coleman (D-Fairfield) narrowly missed winning his primary against Mike Fanning, an education advocate and tax reformer.
- State Rep. Stephen Goldfinch (R-Murrells Inlet) and Reese Boyd are headed for a runoff for Sen. Ray Cleary’s open seat representing portions of Georgetown and Horry counties. Haley has endorsed Boyd, having expressed serious distaste for Goldfinch.
- While not technically a shake-up, Sen. Marlon Kimpson (D-Charleston) survived one of the most watched Democratic primaries when he trounced the man whom he replaced, former Sen. Robert Ford. Some worried that Ford would prevail based on his roots in the community and name recognition, despite allegations of having used campaign donations for personal use over 300 times. Charleston County Democratic Party Chair Brady Quirk-Garvan said there “was real concern about the turnout … that people who voted in the presidential primaries wouldn’t vote again until November.” And while there was a small turnout, it was largely for Kimpson.
In the House:
- Rep. Doug Brannon (R-Landrum), who received threats for supporting the removal of the Confederate flag from Statehouse grounds, was removed from office by twentysomething Josiah Magnuson.
- Rep. Wendy Nanney (R-Greenville) was pole-axed by lawyer Jason Elliott, who accused her of missing too many crucial votes. Even endorsements from Haley and House Speaker Jay Lucas (R-Hartsville) didn’t help her keep the seat. Some said a bill that she authored banning abortions after five months made her unpopular, despite the presence of a sizable number of social conservatives in her district.
We Can Do Better, South Carolina!