Democrat who worked for GOP governor wins 5th District race
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Moe Brown, who touted his days working in the state Commerce Department under former Republican Gov. Nikki Haley, is the Democratic nominee in South Carolina's 5th Congressional District.
Brown is a former wide receiver for the University of South Carolina football team and making his first run at political office.
Brown takes on Republican U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, who is seeking a second full term in the sprawling district that includes the suburbs of Charlotte, North Carolina, northern sections of the Interstate 85 corridor and areas around Sumter.
Brown defeated retired businessman Sidney A. Moore.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story is below:
Low-key state primaries in South Carolina still saw long lines at a few precincts and dozens of problems as poll workers, many of them new hires because of COVID-19, pulled up the wrong ballots.
The polls closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
The state Democratic Party said hundreds of discrepancies were reported to its officials. Poll workers pulled up ballots without all local races, candidates were missing or managers tried to persuade voters to pick a different party's ballot, state Democratic Party Chairman Trav Robertson said in a statement,
Long lines formed at some precincts, especially in Richland County, as polling places were combined because many longtime workers at sites didn't take an assignment this year because of concerns of contracting the novel coronavirus.
“There are problems in every corner of the state,” Robertson said.
Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers decided to allow no-excuse absentee voting by mail. That could slow the counting of results.
The only statewide primary features Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham seeking the nomination for a fourth term against three little-known GOP challengers before perhaps his hardest reelection fight — against Democrat Jaime Harrison in November.
All seven of South Carolina’s U.S. House members are running again, but just one incumbent faces a primary opponent. And only 34 of the 170 members of the General Assembly face a challenger from their own party — or just 20%.
A candidate must get a majority of the votes cast to be nominated. Otherwise, the top two vote-getters must regroup quickly for a June 23 runoff.
1st DISTRICT
State Rep. Nancy Mace has won a four-way race for the Republican nomination in South Carolina’s 1st District, advancing to take on surprising 2018 winner Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham in November.
Mace avoided the divided and bitter Republican primary that caused a rift two years ago that allowed Cunningham to find a path to be the first Democrat to win the seat in more than 40 years.
Mace is the first woman to graduate from The Citadel and has been in the state House for two years.
Cunningham used a combination of opposition to offshore drilling and a personal touch to become South Carolina’s first new Democrat in Congress since 1982.
Republicans almost immediately made flipping the seat back a 2020 priority.
Mace defeated Kathy Landing, a businesswoman and financial planner who is on the Mount Pleasant Town Council; Chris Cox, the co-founder of Bikers for Trump; and Brad Mole, chairman of the Lowcountry Affordable Housing Coalition.
The general election race promises to be competitive and expensive. Cunningham has $2.6 million in his campaign bank account, and Mace has raised $1.3 million so far.
The 1st District runs along the coast from Charleston to Hilton Head Island.
2nd DISTRICT
Republicans in South Carolina’s 2nd District again picked U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson to be their nominee.
Wilson on Tuesday defeated Michael Bishop, mayor of the Lexington County town of Springdale, population 2,600.
Wilson was the only one of South Carolina’s seven U.S. House members to face a primary opponent.
In November, Wilson will face Democrat Adair Ford Boroughs, an attorney and founder of a nonprofit law firm that works with people who make too much to qualify for free legal services and need affordable representation.
Boroughs has already raised more than $1 million. Wilson has never faced such a well-funded challenger and brings just $830,000 into his campaign during the past two years.
The 2nd District extends from the suburbs of Columbia, through staunchly Republican Lexington County and into Aiken.
3rd DISTRICT
In the 3rd District, in the northwest corner of the state west of Greenville and north of Aiken, Democrats Hosea Cleveland and Mark D. Welch are competing to see who faces Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan.
Cleveland, a retired insurance salesman, is running for the fourth straight time. He only won the Democratic nomination in 2016, when he was unopposed.
Welch, who includes his distinctive handlebar mustache in his campaign logo, has promised to work with anyone from any political party who wants to make South Carolina better.
7th DISTRICT
In the 7th District, three Democrats are running to face incumbent Republican U.S. Rep Tom Rice, who is seeking a fifth term in the district anchored by Florence and Myrtle Beach.
State Rep. Robert Williams is hedging his bets, also running unopposed for the state House seat he has held since 2007.
William H. “Cowboy” Williams is a U.S. Postal Service retiree who promises to fight crime, push for equal pay and gun rights with his slogan, “Let’s ride together.”
Melissa Watson touts herself as a single mother and teacher who promises to work for economic development, education and infrastructure.
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