South Carolina state elections, 2006
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The 2006 South Carolina State Elections will take place on November 7, 2006, and will include the gubernatorial election. South Carolina is unique in having nine popularly elected constitutional officers, including the United States' only elected Adjutant General, all of whom will be up for reelection. The entire South Carolina House of Representatives, one state senator and six state circuit solicitors will also take part in the election. Several constitutional amendments are also on the ballot.
Filing for the major parties closed on March 28, 2006, and filing for minor parties closed on August 15. The primaries for both parties were held on June 13th, and run-offs were held June 27. All results are taken from the South Carolina Election Commission's official results. Percentages may not add up to 100 because of rounding.
Contents
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[edit] Constitutional Officers
[edit] Governor
Before the general election campaign, major issues in the race were expected to likely be South Carolina's property tax, cigarette tax, and school vouchers. However, the race has had surprisingly low visibility, with the only major issue being the governor's combative relationship with the legislature. Job creation and public school investment have been minor issues in the campaign. Sanford leads in the polls against Tommy Moore by around 5-10 points, according to SurveyUSA and Rasmussen polls, despite being named one of the worst Governors in the country by Time Magazine[1] a year before the election and generally being seen as ineffective. State Senator Jake Knotts considered mounting an independent petition candidacy for governor, and collected enough signatures to theoretically qualify for the ballot, but decided not to run.
[edit] Republican Primary
- Mark Sanford (Incumbent) - former realtor and US Congressman
- Oscar Lovelace - physician
Lovelace's candidacy was largely quixotic, although it did garner some interest from disaffected Republicans and Democrats. The Prosperity doctor ran what might be called a centrist campaign, emphasizing working across party lines, healthcare reform, opposition to vouchers and job creation. Sanford largely ignored Lovelace's campaign, even refusing to attend an SCETV debate with his opponent. Although Lovelace made a stronger than expected showing in the primary, his loss was not surprising.
| Governor - Republican Primary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Mark Sanford | 160,238 | 64.8 |
| Oscar Lovelace | 87,043 | 35.2 |
[edit] Democratic Primary
- Tommy Moore - SC State Senator (Aiken) and businessman
- Frank Willis - mayor of Florence
- C. Dennis Aughtry - attorney
- Ken Holland (withdrew) - former Congressman
The Democratic primary was also a relatively uneventful affair. Moore had obtained the support of much of the state party months in advance, having declared his candidacy early. The Senator stressed his experience in state government and consensus-building politics in his campaign. Willis largely self-financed his run, highlighting his history fighting crime in Florence and bringing economic development to the PeeDee. Aughtry was a late entrant in the race, and based almost his entire campaign off the idea of legalizing casino gambling in the state to boost revenues. Holland briefly entered the race, but left when it became apparent he could not raise enough money to be an effective candidate.
| Governor - Democratic Primary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Tommy Moore | 88,092 | 63.7 |
| Frank Willis | 42,317 | 30.6 |
| C. Dennis Aughtry | 7,934 | 5.7 |
[edit] Lieutenant Governor
The Lieutenant Governor's race has been dominated by the missteps of André Bauer, who has been stopped by police officers for speeding - once going 101 miles an hour - repeatedly since taking office. Bauer has also been derided for his personal MySpace account[2] and for his unusually young age upon taking office. Most recently, in late May, a two-passenger plane which Bauer was piloting crashed in the Upstate. Bauer's ankle was shattered, but otherwise he and the passenger in the plane survived with minimal injuries. Since, the plane crash has been determined to have been caused by faulty bolts in the plane's construction. Thus far, Barber's campaign has made far less of a public impact than the incumbent's. However, Barber's restaurant, Bowen's Island, garnered a James Beard Foundation award for cultural contributions to the Lowcountry, an accolade which landed him in the media in several states, including Florida and Texas, as well as South Carolina. Additionally, Barber has achieved surprisingly good fundraising results which allowed him to air television ads nearly four weeks before the general election, earlier than any other Democratic candidate. Both an independent SurveyUSA poll and a poll from the Barber campaign show the race a statistical dead-heat, while a poll commissioned by the Bauer campaign shows Bauer with a strong lead.
[edit] Republican Primary
- André Bauer (Incumbent) - former SC State Congressman (Lexington) and businessman
- Mike Campbell - son of former SC governor Carroll Campbell, businessman
- Henry Jordan - frequent candidate
The Republican primary was expected to be messy and close between Bauer and Campbell, but the former's plane crash and resulting public sympathy late in the race stymied negative campaigning. Campbell relied upon a base of support in the Upstate, where support for his father was strong, while Bauer made stops all across the state in a traditional face-to-face campaign. Campbell received an endorsements from former president George H. W. Bush, support that was the basis of one of his television ads. Jordan, a late entrant, went negative against both camps in radio and internet ads, but never gained traction outside of Anderson. No candidate received 50% of the votes in the primary, and thus Campbell and Bauer faced each other in a run-off.
| Lt. Governor - Republican Primary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Mike Campbell | 111,065 | 45.4 |
| André Bauer | 89,938 | 36.8 |
| Henry Jordan | 43,503 | 17.8 |
[edit] Republican Run-off
Campbell was seen to be in a strong position coming out of the primary, but Bauer ran an effective on-the-ground campaign, bringing out his trademark grass-roots support in large numbers. Far fewer of Campbell's supporters made it to the polls for the run-off, giving Bauer enough of an advantage to win the run-off.
| Lt. Governor - Republican Run-0ff | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| André Bauer | 81,591 | 51.3 |
| Mike Campbell | 77,567 | 48.7 |
[edit] Democrat
- Robert Barber - former SC State Congressman, businessman, pastor and attorney
Barber's early entry in the race and fundraising acumen dissuaded any other Democratic candidates from joining the race. Barber has remained comparatively strong going into November, and some see him as the Democrat most likely to win.
[edit] Secretary of State
The Secretary of State race remains a largely quiet affair, garnering little interest. The incumbent's natural tendency to avoid major public campaigning also mutes the race.
[edit] Republican Primary
- Mark Hammond (Incumbent)
- Bill McKown - Surfside Beach Town Councilman
- L. W. Flynn (withdrew) - 2004 candidate for the State House of Representatives
Hammond initially faced little opposition from Flynn and McKown and far out fundraised both. However, Flynn withdrew from the race and endorsed McKown, whose campaign picked up traction based on questioning Hammond's conservatism and support for the governor. McKown's attacks did not stick, however, and Hammond turned back his challenge. Although Flynn received 6.5% of the vote in the primary, his withdrawal from the race prevented those votes from being officially tallied.
| Secretary of State - Republican Primary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Mark Hammond | 125,016 | 58.8 |
| Bill McKown | 87,744 | 41.2 |
[edit] Democrat
- Cheryl Footman - teacher
Footman's late entry into the race, low profile, lack of experience and the Republican leanings of the state make it unlikely she will make any more than token opposition. In a rather bizarre moment in the race, Footman attempted to burst into patriotic song at the end of her SCETV debate with Hammond, but was quickly cut off by the moderator.
[edit] State Treasurer
The treasurer's race pitted Thomas Ravenel, a young millionaire and emerging politician, against Grady Patterson, a nine-term incumbent. The race was largely fought over the state of South Carolina's employee pension fund, with Ravenel taking issue with the state's projected unfunded liability and its failure to invest the fund in equity funds, which he claims would boost returns. Patterson retorted by pointing out Ravenel's inexperience and accusing Ravenel of using the race as a platform to run against incumbent Senator Lindsey Graham, which Ravenel denied was his intention. Thomas Ravenel won the election, but was indicted on June 19, 2007 on cocaine charges, and has been suspended as Treasurer.
[edit] Republican Primary
- Thomas Ravenel - 2004 Senate Republican primary candidate and businessman
- Greg Ryberg - 2002 Treasurer candidate, state Senator from Aiken
- Rick Quinn - former SC House Majority Leader
- Jeff Willis - real estate developer
The Republican treasurer's race was a hotly contested one. Ryberg and Quinn were initially seen to be the front-runners, and Ryberg made a splash early by putting $2 million into his campaign. Ravenel's late filing threw the race into disarray, with most pundits projecting an upset by the young developer. Ultimately, Ravenel defeated his opponents in the primary just short of the necessary 50 percent total to prevent a run-off.
| Treasurer - Republican Primary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Thomas Ravenel | 115,976 | 48.2 |
| Greg Ryberg | 62,617 | 26 |
| Rick Quinn | 45,737 | 19 |
| Jeff Willis | 16,117 | 6.7 |
[edit] Republican Run-off
After the primary results came in, the race descended into confusion. US Senator Jim DeMint and GOP state chairman Katon Dawson called for the losing candidates to withdraw, allowing Ravenel to win without a run-off. Ryberg withdrew from the race, and initially there was some speculation as to whether Quinn would take his place in the run-off. Ryberg's campaign manager angrily referred to Ravenel's entry as "screwing us over", and alluded to Ravenel's promises that he would quit the job in two years to run for the US Senate. He then referred to Dawson as "an idiot." Ravenel responded to questions about the fracas by stating he was "above all that", calling himself "gracious and classy", and noting that "That's not how I roll. That's not how Thomas Ravenel rolls." The State newspaper reported on the imbroglio [3]. Ultimately, Quinn also withdrew, leaving a defiant Willis to race Ravenel in a run-off, which Ravenel handily won.
| Treasurer - Republican Run-Off | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Thomas Ravenel | 120,124 | 76.6 |
| Jeff Willis | 36,785 | 23.4 |
[edit] Democrat
- Grady Patterson (Incumbent)
The 82-year-old Patterson was in office for 36 years, and was one of only two Democrats to win statewide office in the 2002 elections. His venerable position in the party and decision to run again precluded a Democratic primary. Questions were raised about Patterson's effectiveness and ability, considering his relatively advanced age.
[edit] Attorney General
[edit] Republican
- Henry McMaster (Incumbent)
The popular and effective McMaster has not attracted any opposition from either party, but continues to operate a campaign site.
[edit] Comptroller General
Neither party held a primary for the race. Generally, the contest has been a quiet one, with both sides raising small amounts of money. However, Theodore went on the offensive in late September, questioning Eckstrom's use of a state-owned car to drive himself to Minnesota a year earlier, and also his use of state funds to refurbish his state offices upon taking office in 2003. Eckstrom defended his use of the car by saying he paid the state back for its use, and claimed with documentation that the work done on his offices deceased overall expenses over several years. The race got some national attention when Saturday Night Live aired a sketch September 30, lampooning President Bush's low popularity by portraying Eckstrom as the only Republican running for office who was willing to be seen campaigning with the president.
[edit] Republican
- Richard Eckstrom (Incumbent)
[edit] Democrat
- Drew Theodore - businessman and son of former Lieutenant Governor Nick Theodore
[edit] Superintendent of Education
The Superintendent race has become one of the highest-profile in recent memory. Karen Floyd's early entry in the race and fundraising prowess has raised the interest of observers across the country. Floyd has pushed for stronger discipline in classrooms and the appointment rather than election of the superintendent. Jim Rex has also shown himself to be an apt fundraiser, however, and has gained the financial support of large segments of the education community.
[edit] Republican Primary
- Karen Floyd - former Spartanburg County County Council Chair, attorney
- Bob Staton - businessman, former chair of the SC Education Oversight Committee
- Mike Ryan - teacher
- Elizabeth Moffly - businesswoman
- Kerry Wood (withdrew) - computer programmer
The crowded Republican primary was dominated by Floyd's campaign from the start. Floyd was able to gain the endorsements of the governor, both Senators, Republican Congressmen and state legislators early in the race, when it was presumed that she would be running against incumbent Inez Tenenbaum. When Tenenbaum announced she would not be running, more serious candidates began eyeing the race, and Bob Staton eventually entered to become the major "Not Floyd" candidate. His race emphasized an opposition to school vouchers and support for existing aspects of public education. The other, more minor candidates, were largely united in an anti-voucher position. Ryan, perhaps the most credible of the three other candidates, distinguished himself by straying from attacks on the state's standardized test regime, the PACT, instead supporting the idea of standardized testing as a way to create standards in education. Just before the election, Wood withdrew from the race and endorsed Staton, but despite this his votes were officially tallied after the race. Floyd won the primary, barely surpassing the 50 percent tally to dodge a run-off.
| Education Superintendent - Republican Primary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Karen Floyd | 120,684 | 50.5 |
| Bob Staton | 82,777 | 34.6 |
| Mike Ryan | 17,332 | 7.3 |
| Elizabeth Moffly | 10,995 | 4.6 |
| Kerry Wood | 7,156 | 3 |
[edit] Democrat
- Jim Rex - former Columbia College president, former teacher
- Cecil Taliaferro (withdrew) - former COO of Allen University
- Ed Murray (withdrew) - teacher
Although Tenenbaum began preparing for a campaign in 2005, she eventually decided against running and withdrew from the race. Cecil Taliaferro and Ed Murray, two Democrats, then entered the race. Frank Holleman, Tenenbaum's campaign manager in her 2004 Senate run and former Deputy Secretary of Education, considered a run but did not enter the race. When Rex announced his candidacy, he received wide acclaim from the party, and Taliaferro and Murray withdrew before filing. Since, Tenenbaum, Holleman, Murray and Elizabeth Moffly have endorsed Rex's candidacy.
[edit] Third parties
- Arnold E. Karr (Green Party) - correctional educator and union activist
- Tim Moultrie (Libertarian Party) - teacher, 1998 Libertarian gubernatorial candidate
- Ralph Linblad (Constitution Party) - machinist, briefly 2006 Constitution gubernatorial candidate
- Tony Fayyazi (independent) - educator
Tim Moultrie won the nomination of the Libertarian Party at their Lowcountry convention, fending off Rebekah Sutherland, the Libertarian Party's 2004 candidate for US Senate. Karr has received the endorsement of the South Carolina AFL-CIO and affiliated unions. His campaign is stressing the independence of the Superintendent's Office from that of the Governor, empowerment of public educators, and funding equity for all school districts in the state. He has proposed using SC lottery proceeds to subsidize poorer districts until the General Assembly enacts a permanent funding plan. Lindblad has pledged to dissolve the SC Department of Education if elected and eliminate the office of Superintendent entirely, claiming that bureaucracy is the biggest impediment to effective education. Fayyazi believes that the state superintendent should be an educator with knowledge of how public education works on the ground
[edit] Adjutant General
The Adjutant General campaign, the only one of its kind in the nation, is interesting not only for its novelty but also because of the entrance of an Iraq War veteran as a Democrat challenger to the incumbent. Lindmann is critical of the decreasing size of the state's national guard contingent over Spears' time in office, and also wants to make the position an appointed one instead of an elected one. Spears counters that the size decrease is due to a national policy decision, not a state one, and says the position should remain elected. Lindman says Spears ducked an SCETV debate with Lindman in October when in fact Spears was summoned to Washington, DC on official business. The day after the debate when Spears returned from Washington, DC it was announced that the South Carolina Air National Guard was on the table to receive the new F-35 fighters. Spears has been endorsed by many members of the opposing party (Democratic) as being the clear choice for the office.
[edit] Republican
- Stan Spears (Incumbent-Republican) retired General Officer, former businessman(Sr. V.P. of Marsh and McLennan, the world's largest international insurance brokerage firm), and graduate of the University of South Carolina (1959), graduate Officer Candidate School, Command and General Staff College, National Defense University, and member of Reserve Policy Board.
[edit] Democrat
- Glenn Lindman - (Challenger-Democrat) Iraq War veteran and businessman, retired SFC and attended Limestone College.
[edit] Commissioner of Agriculture
The Commissioner elected in 2002, Charles Sharp, was convicted in 2004 for accepting bribes from a cockfighting ring to help them avoid prosecution. He lost his office and was replaced by Weathers, the interim commissioner.
[edit] Republican Primary
- Hugh Weathers (Incumbent)
- William Bell - farmer, 1994 candidate
One of the major issues in the Republican primary was whether the commissioner should be elected or appointed. Bell was an advocate for election, while Weathers supported appointment.
| Agriculture Commissioner - Republican Primary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Hugh Weathers | 131,061 | 57.4 |
| Bill Bell | 97,326 | 42.6 |
[edit] Democrat
- Emile DeFelice - organic hog farmer, State Food Policy Council chairman
DeFelice has stressed a platform he calls "Put your state on your plate", which would promote South Carolina's agriculture industry by raising consumption of locally grown foods over food from other states or countries. He has also adopted an anti-subsidy platform that would limit direct subsidies to South Carolina farmers.
[edit] General Assembly
[edit] South Carolina House of Representatives
All members of the South Carolina House are up for re-election, although many are not contested. Barring a major shift in the political climate, it can be safely assumed that the Republicans will retain their majority in the House. 18 Democratic primaries were held for statehouse seats: 22 Republican primaries were held. 1 Democratic and 2 Republican run-offs were required in these races.
Many Republican candidates up for reelection have been targeted by the aforementioned group Conservatives in Action. CIA has engaged in a mailing campaign meant to descredit Republicans seen as "Republicans in name only" or RINOs. Commentators have remarked that most of those Republicans attacked are opponents of a school voucher scheme, and thus suspect that CIA is somehow linked to SCRG.
| SC State House | Members |
|
| Republican-Held | 74 | |
| Democrat-Held | 50 | |
| Elections, 2006 | ||
| Uncontested Republican | 54 | |
| Contested | 34 | |
| Uncontested Democratic | 36 | |
| Total |
124 | |
[edit] South Carolina House District 64 Special Election
On October 11, 2005, Rep. Charles Harvin, (D-Summerton) died after a long illness, leaving open House District 64, which encompassed parts of Williamsburg and Clarendon counties. A special election for the remainder of his term was called for February 13, 2006, with a primary date of January 3 if necessary.
- Special Democratic Primary
Harvin's widow, Cathy Harvin, filed for the seat and faced Mitch Ellerby, Charles Harvin's 2004 opponent for the Democratic nomination, in the Democratic primary. She defeated him by a landslide.
| House District 64 - Special Democratic Primary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Cathy Harvin | 4,054 | 82.8 |
| Mitch Ellerby | 841 | 17.2 |
- Special Election
Harvin ran unopposed in the special election.
| House District 64 Special Election Results | Votes |
Percentage |
|
| Cathy Harvin (Democrat) | 1,515 | 99.5 | |
| write-ins | 6 | .5 | |
| Total |
1,521 | 100 | |
[edit] State Senate District 5 Special Election
In July 2006, state Senator Verne Smith announced his early retirement from the South Carolina Senate due to health problems. A special election to fill the seat for the remainder of the current term will be held the same day as the general election. Attorney Frank Eppes will face State Representative Lewis Vaughn. As no other Senate races will be held, the balance of the state Senate will not be affected.
- Special Republican Primary
Initially several Republicans filed to run for Smith's seat. Most prominent was Lewis Vaughn, 72, a state representative from Greenville. Vaughn had previously announced his retirement from the House, and therefore had not been engaged in a reelection campaign until that point. Bill McKown, who had lost in the Republican primary for Secretary of State to Mark Hammond, announced his candidacy but quickly withdrew in favor of Mike Meilinger, a Greer CPA. Also in the race were Kathleen Jennings Gresham, a disbarred attorney, and Tim Macko, a former New Mexico state legislator. Vaughn and Meilinger advanced to a run-off after the September 19 special primary.
| 5th District - Special Republican Primary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Lewis Vaughn | 1,949 | 47.7 |
| Mike Meilinger | 1,233 | 30.2 |
| Kathleen Jennings Gresham | 680 | 16.6 |
| Tim Macko | 228 | 5.6 |
- Special Republican Run-off
There were no major issues in the run-off aside from Vaughn's advanced age compared to Meilinger's lack of legislative experience. Vaughn, the favorite to win, cruised to victory in the October 3rd special run-off.
| 5th District - Special Republican Run-off | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Lewis Vaughn | 2,145 | 53.6 |
| Mike Meilinger | 1,856 | 46.4 |
- Special Democratic Primary
Frank L. Eppes, attorney and son of Judge Frank Eppes, former Democratic gubernatorial candidate, was the heavy favorite against Charles Winfield, a former employee of the Greenville County School District who had earlier in the summer lost a Republican primary for a Greenville County Council seat. The race was given light publicity, and Eppes defeated Winfield in a landslide.
| 5th District - Special Democratic Primary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Frank Eppes | 534 | 91 |
| Charles Winfield | 53 | 9 |
[edit] Solicitors
South Carolina is divided into 16 judicial circuits, with one solicitor elected every four years to serve as the state's chief prosecutor in each circuit. In 2006, there will be seven solicitor elections. In all but one, the incumbent is running unopposed. In the seventh race, a Democrat is running unopposed.
| SC Solicitors | Seats |
|
| Republican-Held | 10 | |
| Democrat-Held | 6 | |
| Elections, 2006 | ||
| Uncontested Republican | 3 | |
| Uncontested Democratic | 4 | |
| Not up for election | 9 | |
| Total |
16 | |
In the 6th Circuit (Chester, Lancaster and Fairfield counties), two Democrats faced off in a primary for an open solicitor's seat after the death of long-time incumbent John Justice. Doug Barfield beat Tyre Lee in a lopsided victory, therefore becoming the solicitor-elect.
| 6th Circuit - Democratic Primary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Doug Barfield | 6,861 | 72.6 |
| Tyre Lee | 2,586 | 27.4 |
[edit] Constitutional Amendments
[edit] Amendment 1
Amendment 1 would add Section 15 Article XVII of the state constitution, the wording of which would deny recognition of any domestic union other than a marriage between one man and one woman in South Carolina and all its political subdivisions. This abolishes common-law marriages and civil unions. The amendment is expected to easily pass, although state statute already defines marriage as only between a man and a woman.
[edit] Amendments 2A and 2B
These amendments modify Article III. 2A would amend Section 9 to allow the State Senate to, at any point, recess for up to 30 days with a simple majority vote, or recess for more than 30 days with a 2/3 majority vote. This would basically extend to the Senate the same powers of recess already possessed by the House. 2B would delete a legal prohibition from Section 21 that prevents either legislative body from adjourning for more than 3 days without the consent of the other.
[edit] Amendments 3A and 3B
3A would modify Article X, Section 16 to allow state retirement funds to be invested in equity securities. 3B would modify the same section, deleting language providing for a State Retirement Systems Investment Panel, an advisory body that oversees the investment of state retirement funds.
[edit] Amendment 4
This would amend Articles III and X of the constitution, allowing the General Assembly to cap changes in reassessment of property values for tax purposes at 15% over a five-year period. This amendment is part of a tax reform plan introduced by state Republicans during the summer of 2006, that centers upon cutting property taxes and replacing them with an increased sales tax. Essentially, this amendment would limit increases or decreases in millage to 15% of pre-assessment value.
[edit] Amendment 5
Amendment 5 would amend Article I, Sections 13 and 17, and Article XIV, Section 5, to limit the circumstances in which local governments can use eminent domain to seize private property. This amendment is part of a national movement by state and local governments to limit the powers of eminent domain following the famous 2005 Kelo v. City of New London Supreme Court case, in which the Supreme Court backed the power of governments to seize land for the use of private development projects. The amendment would prevent governments in South Carolina from doing so, as well as eliminate constitutional clauses that give certain counties slum-clearing and redevelopment power.
[edit] Other elections
Elections will also be held for some of the elected members of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. County, school board and municipal elections will also be held across the state.
