South Carolinians receive an “I Voted” sticker after casting a ballot. (File photo courtesy of Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections)
COLUMBIA — South Carolina voters return to the polls Tuesday to decide who advances to the November general election for three statewide contests, two congressional races and several Statehouse seats.
Precincts open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the primary runoffs. Anyone still in line at 7 p.m. will be able to cast a vote.
Only Republicans have statewide contests.
Topping the Republican ballot is the gubernatorial contest between Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson. Both have the backing of President Donald Trump after he additionally endorsed Wilson last Friday, three weeks after he endorsed Evette.
The winner will face Democratic state Rep. Jermaine Johnson in November.
The two Republicans fighting to replace Wilson as the state’s chief prosecutor are state Sen. Stephen Goldfinch of Murrells Inlet and 8th Circuit Solicitor David Stumbo of Greenwood.
The winner will face Democrat Richard Hricik in November.
The Republicans vying to be the next agriculture commissioner are Danny Ford II, son of Clemson football championship coach Danny Ford; and Cody Simpson, former agriculture adviser to Gov. Henry McMaster and a Trump administration appointee who was endorsed by both before he officially entered the race.
The winner advances to a November contest with Democrat DeShawn Blanding, United Citizens candidate Chris Nelums, and Libertarian Michael Sullins.
The commissioner’s job entails overseeing about 250 full-time employees with duties that include promoting the state’s various agribusiness sectors, keeping the food supply safe, and — since 2024 — handling all inspections of places that sell food, such as restaurants and cafeterias.
In the coastal 1st District, Democrats and Republicans need to pick their nominees in the race to replace U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, who unsuccessfully ran for governor instead of re-election to Congress.
On Democrats’ ballot are retired-Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore and Mac Deford, both of Charleston County.
Lacore, former chief of the Navy Reserve, moved to Mount Pleasant last August after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired her without explanation. Deford is a Coast Guard veteran and former attorney for the towns of Mount Pleasant and Hilton Head Island.
Lacore led the seven-way primary two weeks ago with 36.5% of the vote, followed by Deford with 29%.
Republicans are picking between Charleston County Councilwoman Jenny Costa Honeycutt, an attorney, and state Rep. Mark Smith, CEO of McAlister-Smith Funeral Homes and former Mount Pleasant town councilman before he moved to Daniel Island.
Smith, first elected to the state House in 2020, replaced Mace in the seat representing parts of Berkeley County.
Honeycutt led the 10-way GOP primary with 22% of the vote, followed by Smith with 18%. (Former Gov. Mark Sanford placed fourth with 12% of the vote despite dropping out of the race in late April.)
The 1st District spans the lower part of South Carolina’s coastline, including all of Beaufort and Berkeley counties, most of Charleston County, chunks of Colleton and Dorchester counties, and a couple of precincts in Jasper County.
In the 2nd District, Democrats will decide who will face U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson in November.
Voters will choose between David Robinson II, a disabled Army veteran, and Zyon Khalifa, who recently graduated from law school after serving four years in the Air Force. In the June 9 primary, Robinson led with 41% of the vote, and Khalifa had 34%.
The district, which Wilson has represented since 2001, stretches from the Georgia border, including all of Aiken and Barnwell counties, to northern Richland County. It includes all of Wilson’s home county of Lexington and a western chunk of Orangeburg County.
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There are three GOP runoffs for state House seats.
In Anderson County, Rep. Don Chapman faces challenger Sherry Hodges, an executive member of the Anderson County Republican Party. Chapman led the three-way primary by less than 2.5 percentage points.
The other two contests are to replace representatives who didn’t seek reelection.
Voters in Berkeley County will decide between Berkeley County Councilman Jarrod Brooks and Summerville realtor Kristy Gore to replace outgoing Smith.
In Lexington County, Hunter Hackett and Scotty Whetstone are vying to replace Freedom Caucus Rep. Ryan McCabe.
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Courtesy of South Carolina Daily Gazette
