South Carolina's 1st congressional district special election, 2013

South Carolina's 1st congressional district special election, 2013
South Carolina
May 7, 2013
South Carolina's 1st congressional district
 
Nominee Mark Sanford Elizabeth Colbert Busch
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 77,466[1] 64,820[1]
Percentage 54.04% 45.21%
U.S. Representative before election

Tim Scott
Republican

 Elected U.S. Representative

Mark Sanford
Republican

A special election for South Carolina's 1st congressional district was held on May 7, 2013 to fill the seat following the resignation of U.S. Representative Tim Scott, who was appointed to the United States Senate by Governor Nikki Haley to fill the seat previously held by Jim DeMint.[2][3] DeMint resigned from the Senate on January 1, 2013 to accept a position as president of The Heritage Foundation.

The filing period for candidates lasted between January 18 and January 28, 2013. The special primary elections took place on March 19, 2013.[2][4] Businesswoman Elizabeth Colbert Busch won the Democratic Party primary and Mark Sanford, the former Governor of South Carolina who held the seat from 1995 to 2001, advanced to a runoff with former Charleston County Councilman Curtis Bostic for the Republican Party nomination. Prior to the runoff, 14 Republicans and 1 Democrat signed the "Reject the Debt" pledge put out by the nonpartisan Coalition to Reduce Spending. Curtis Bostic's refusal to sign the pledge became a campaign issue appearing in a Daily Caller editorial [5] as well as a National Review piece authored by Deroy Murdock, which called Sanford the "taxpayer's choice" in the race.[6] In the runoff election on April 2, Sanford defeated Bostic. Eugene Platt, a James Island Public Service Commissioner, was nominated by the South Carolina Green Party. In the general election on May 7, Sanford received 54% of the vote, beating Colbert Busch (45%) and Platt (1%).[7]

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Primary

Results

2013 Republican Primary - South Carolina's 1st Congressional District Special Election[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mark Sanford 19,854 36.91% N/A
Republican Curtis Bostic 7,168 13.33% N/A
Republican Larry Grooms 6,673 12.40% N/A
Republican Teddy Turner 4,252 7.90% N/A
Republican Andy Patrick 3,783 7.03% N/A
Republican John Kuhn 3,479 6.47% N/A
Republican Chip Limehouse 3,279 6.10% N/A
Republican Ray Nash 2,508 4.66% N/A
Republican Peter McCoy 867 1.61% N/A
Republican Elizabeth Moffly 530 0.99% N/A
Republican Tim Larkin 393 0.73% N/A
Republican Jonathan Hoffman 360 0.67% N/A
Republican Jeff King 211 0.39% N/A
Republican Keith Blandford 195 0.36% N/A
Republican Shawn Pinkston 154 0.29% N/A
Republican Ric Bryant 87 0.16% N/A

Runoff

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Curtis
Bostic		 Mark
Sanford		 Other Undecided
Public Policy Polling March 22–24, 2013 648 ± 3.9% 40% 53% — 7%

Results

2013 Republican Primary Runoff - South Carolina's 1st Congressional District Special Election[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mark Sanford 26,127 56.59 N/A
Republican Curtis Bostic 20,044 43.41 N/A

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Withdrawn

Declined

Primary

Results

2013 Democratic Primary - South Carolina's 1st Congressional District Special Election[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Elizabeth Colbert Busch 15,802 95.86% N/A
Democratic Ben Frasier 682 4.14% N/A

Green Party

On the Ballot

Declared

General election

On May 7, 2013, Mark Sanford won the election and will take the seat vacated by U.S. Representative Tim Scott.[1][43]

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Mark
Sanford (R)		 Elizabeth
Colbert Busch (D)		 Eugene
Platt (G)		 Undecided
Public Policy Polling May 4–5, 2013 1,239 ± 2.8% 47% 46% 4% 4%
RRH/PMI Polling April 29–May 1, 2013 650 ± 5% 46% 46% — 8%
Public Policy Polling April 19–21, 2013 796 ± 3.5% 41% 50% 3% 5%
Lake Research Partners^ March 25–27, 2013 500 ± 4.4% 44% 47% — 7%
Public Policy Polling March 22–24, 2013 1,175 ± 2.9% 45% 47% — 8%

Results

2013 1st Congressional District of South Carolina Special Election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Sanford 77,466 54.04
Democratic Elizabeth Colbert Busch 64,820 45.21
Green Eugene Platt 690 0.48
Voter turnout 31.55%

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Statewide Results". South Carolina Dept. Of Elections. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "U.S. House of Representatives District 1 Special Election". South Carolina State Election Commission. January 2, 2013. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Gov. Haley (R-SC) Announces Rep. Scott to Replace Sen. DeMint". C-SPAN. December 17, 2012. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Primary Runoffs". August 16, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Words vs. Actions in SC-1". March 27, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
  6. ↑ ["http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/344299/mark-sanford-taxpayers-choice-congress-deroy-murdock "Mark Sanford: Taxpayers’ Choice for Congress"]. March 29, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Mark Sanford wins South Carolina special election". Washington Post. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Elmore, Christina; Kropf, Schuyler (December 19, 2012). "1st District field widens with three additions". The Post and Courier. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Behre, Robert (January 1, 2013). "Thurmond not running for Scott's 1st district seat". The Post and Courier. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  10. ↑ Sullivan, Shaun (March 22, 2013). "Bostic still tops Grooms after S.C. recount, will face Sanford". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 23, 2013.
  11. ↑ Behre, Robert (February 9, 2013). "1st Congressional District candidate Ric Bryant says nation's debt first issue". The Post and Courier. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Behre, Robert; Kropf, Schuyler (January 4, 2013). "Summey won't run for Congress, but Grooms will". The Post and Courier. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  13. ↑ Charleston Business Owner Enters Congressional Race - Charleston, SC Patch
  14. ↑ Jeff King for Congress
  15. ↑ "Summerville Man Enters First Congressional Race". Summerville, SC Patch. January 25, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "1st Congressional District field expands as Rep. Chip Limehouse announces candidacy". The Post and Courier. January 11, 2013. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Behre, Robert (December 8, 2012). "If Haley picks Scott to take DeMint's place, expect wide-open race". The Post and Courier. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Sullivan, Sean (December 17, 2012). "Scott's departure for Senate will trigger third special House election in 2013". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  19. ↑ Casey, Diette Courrégé (January 16, 2013). "Charleston County School Board member Elizabeth Moffly to enter 1st Congressional District Race". The Post and Courier. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Former Dorchester Co. Sheriff Ray Nash to run for congress". WIS TV. January 15, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  21. ↑ Smith, Gina (January 9, 2013). "Hilton Head lawmaker running for Congress". The Island Packet. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  22. ↑ Winston, Chris (January 28, 2013). "Charleston Attorney Shawn Pinkston Enters SC1 GOP Race". Mount Pleasant, SC Patch. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
  23. ↑ "The Fix". The Washington Post.
  24. ↑ Hambrick, Greg (December 18, 2012). "Robert "Teddy" Turner, "Rogue Republican," Announces District 1 Campaign". West Ashley, SC Patch. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  25. ↑ Smith, Bruce. Ted Turner's son vying in SC congressional primary, Associated Press, January 23, 2013.
  26. ↑ Livingston, Abby (December 17, 2012). "South Carolina Special Election Attracts Familiar Faces". Roll Call. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Drury, Shawn (January 7, 2013). "UPDATED: The Race For SC1". Summerville, SC Patch. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  28. ↑ Barton, Tom; Smith, Gina (December 18, 2012). "Scott's seat has many takers". The State. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Sobel, Julie (December 18, 2012). "Hotline Sort: South Carolina Scorecard". National Journal. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  30. ↑ "Jenny Sanford not running for Congress". January 14, 2013.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 "SC District 01 - Special R Primary". SC Elections. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  32. ↑ "RUNOFF - U.S. House of Representatives District 1 Primary". Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  33. ↑ Isenstadt, Alex (January 18, 2013). "No joke: Stephen Colbert's sister plans House bid". Politico. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
  34. ↑ Groce, Rob (22 March 2013). "Colbert Busch Lands Working Families Party Endorsement". North Charleston Patch. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  35. ↑ Drury, Shawn (January 28, 2013). "Perennial Candidate Returns to SC1 Democratic Primary". North Charleston, SC. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
  36. ↑ "Rose drops out of District 1 race on last day to file". ABC News 4. January 28, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
  37. ↑ Miller, Joshua (February 11, 2013). "South Carolina: Skelly Exits Special Election; Colbert's Sister Now Top Democratic Contender". Roll Call. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
  38. ↑ Crisp, Adam (January 4, 2013). "Robert Burton Studying Congressional Run". Mount Pleasant, SC Patch. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  39. ↑ Easley, Cameron (December 19, 2012). "Rep. Stavrinakis will not run for Tim Scott's seat". WCSC-TV. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
  40. ↑ "Eugene Platt To Run In Special Congressional Election". South Carolina Green Party. January 28, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
  41. ↑ Dendy, Dallas (April 29, 1991). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 1990" (PDF). Clerk of the House of Representatives. Retrieved January 29, 2013.
  42. ↑ Bowers, Paul (January 29, 2013). "Abortion protester accuses liberal activist of hitting him with a car". Charleston City Paper. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
  43. ↑ "Mark Sanford wins South Carolina special election". Washington Post. Retrieved May 8, 2013.

External links