# Electoral history of Strom Thurmond

Electoral history of Strom Thurmond, 103rd Governor of South Carolina (1947–1951), United States Senator from South Carolina (1954–1956, 1956–2003; Democrat until 1964 and Republican after), 1948 States' Rights Democrats presidential nominee and President pro tempore of the United States Senate (1981–1987, 1995–2001 and 2001).
Thurmond's over 70 years electoral career begun from successful election for the county attorney in 1930 and continued until 2003.

## Governor of South Carolina

Democratic gubernatorial primary in South Carolina, 1946 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Strom Thurmond | 96,691 | 33.43 |
| | Democratic | James C. McLeod | 83,464 | 28.86 |
| | Democratic | Ransome Judson Williams (incumbent) | 35,813 | 12.38 |
| | Democratic | John C. Taylor | 22,447 | 7.76 |
| | Democratic | Dell O'Neall | 16,574 | 5.73 |
| | Democratic | John D. Long | 16,503 | 5.71 |
| | Democratic | Carl B. Epps | 5,189 | 1.79 |
| | Democratic | Marcus A. Stone | 4,353 | 1.51 |
| | Democratic | A. L. Wood | 3,040 | 1.05 |
| | Democratic | A. J. Beattie | 2,889 | 1.00 |
| | Democratic | Roger W. Scott | 2,251 | 0.78 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 289,214 | 100.00 |
Democratic gubernatorial runoff primary in South Carolina, 1946 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Strom Thurmond | 144,420 | 56.95 |
| | Democratic | James C. McLeod | 109,169 | 43.05 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 253,589 | 100.0 |
1946 South Carolina gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Strom Thurmond | 26,520 | 100.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 26,520 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## United States presidential elections

1948 United States presidential election:
* Harry S. Truman/Alben W. Barkley (D) – 24,179,347 (49.6%) and 303 electoral votes (57.06%, 28 states carried)
* Thomas E. Dewey/Earl Warren (R) – 21,991,292 (45.1%) and 189 electoral votes (35.59%, 16 states carried)
* Strom Thurmond/Fielding L. Wright (Dixiecrat) – 1,175,930 (2.4%) and 39 electoral votes (7.35%, 4 states carried)
* Henry A. Wallace/Glen H. Taylor (Progressive) – 1,157,328 (2.4%)
* Norman Thomas/Tucker P. Smith (Socialist) – 139,569 (0.3%)
* Claude Watson/Dale Learn (Prohibition) – 103,708 (0.2%)
* Others – 46,361 (0.1%)
1960 United States presidential election:
* John F. Kennedy/Lyndon B. Johnson (D) – 34,220,984 (49.7%) and 303 electoral votes (56.43%, 22 states carried)
* Richard Nixon/Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. (R) – 34,108,157 (49.6%) and 219 electoral votes (40.78%, 26 states carried)
* Harry F. Byrd/Strom Thurmond (I) – 286,359 (0.4%) and 14 electoral votes (2.61%, 2 states carried)
* Harry F. Byrd/Barry Goldwater (I) – 1 electoral vote (0.19%, Oklahoma faithless elector)
* Orval E. Faubus/John G. Crommelin (State's Rights) – 44,984 (0.1%)
* Charles L. Sullivan/Merritt Curtis (Constitution) – 18,162 (0.0%)
* Others – 216,982 (0.3%)

## United States Senate

Democratic primary for the United States Senate from South Carolina, 1950 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Olin D. Johnston (incumbent) | 186,180 | 53.95 |
| | Democratic | Strom Thurmond | 158,904 | 46.05 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 345,084 | 100.0 |
1954 United States Senate election in South Carolina :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent Democrat | Strom Thurmond (write-in) | 143,444 | 63.13 |
| | Democratic | Edgar A. Brown | 83,525 | 36.76 |
| | Democratic | Marcus A. Stone (write-in) | 240 | 0.11 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 227,209 | 100.0 |
1956 United States Senate special election in South Carolina :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Strom Thurmond (incumbent) | 245,371 | 100.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 245,371 | 100.0 |
1960 United States Senate election in South Carolina :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Strom Thurmond (incumbent) | 330,167 | 99.97 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 102 | 0.03 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 330,269 | 100.0 |
1966 United States Senate election in South Carolina :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond (incumbent) | 271,297 | 62.19 |
| | Democratic | Bradley Morrah Jr. | 164,955 | 37.81 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 436,252 | 100.0 |
1972 United States Senate election in South Carolina :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond (incumbent) | 415,806 | 63.29 |
| | Democratic | Nick Ziegler | 241,056 | 36.69 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 172 | 0.03 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 657,034 | 100.0 |
1978 United States Senate election in South Carolina :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond (incumbent) | 351,917 | 55.68 |
| | Democratic | Charles D. Ravenel | 280,146 | 44.32 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 632,063 | 100.0 |
1984 United States Senate election in South Carolina :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond (incumbent) | 44,662 | 94.31 |
| | Republican | Bob Cunningham | 2,693 | 5.69 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 47,355 | 100.00 |
| General election |||||
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond (incumbent) | 644,815 | 66.61 |
| | Democratic | Melvin Purvis | 306,982 | 31.81 |
| | Libertarian | Stephen Davis | 13,323 | 1.38 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 965,120 | 100.00 |
1990 United States Senate election in South Carolina :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond (incumbent) | 482,032 | 64.21 |
| | Democratic | Bob Cunningham | 244,112 | 32.52 |
| | Libertarian | William H. Griffin | 13,805 | 1.84 |
| | American | Marion C. Metts | 10,317 | 1.37 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 450 | 0.06 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 750,716 | 100.00 |
1996 United States Senate election in South Carolina :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond (incumbent) | 132,145 | 60.62 |
| | Republican | Harold G. Worley | 65,666 | 30.12 |
| | Republican | Charlie Thompson | 20,185 | 9.26 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 217,996 | 100.00 |
| General election |||||
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond (incumbent) | 620,326 | 53.38 |
| | Democratic | Elliott S. Close | 511,226 | 43.99 |
| | Libertarian | Richard T. Quillian | 12,994 | 1.12 |
| | Reform | Peter J. Ashy | 9,741 | 0.84 |
| | Natural Law | Annette C. Estes | 7,697 | 0.66 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 141 | 0.01 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 965,120 | 100.00 |

## President pro tempore elections

President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 1981 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond | 53 | 53.54 |
| | Democratic | John C. Stennis | 46 | 46.47 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 100 | 100.00 |
President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 1983 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond (incumbent) | 54 | 54.00 |
| | Democratic | John C. Stennis | 46 | 46.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 100 | 100.00 |
President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 1985 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond (incumbent) | 53 | 53.00 |
| | Democratic | John C. Stennis | 47 | 47.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 100 | 100.00 |
President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John C. Stennis | 55 | 55.00 |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond (incumbent) | 45 | 45.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 100 | 100.00 |
President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 1989 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Robert Byrd | 55 | 55.00 |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond | 45 | 45.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 100 | 100.00 |
President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 1991 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Robert Byrd (incumbent) | 56 | 56.00 |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond | 44 | 44.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 100 | 100.00 |
President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 1993 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Robert Byrd (incumbent) | 57 | 57.00 |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond | 43 | 43.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 100 | 100.00 |
President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 1995 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond | 52 | 52.00 |
| | Democratic | Robert Byrd (incumbent) | 48 | 48.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 100 | 100.00 |
President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 1997 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond (incumbent) | 55 | 55.00 |
| | Democratic | Robert Byrd | 45 | 45.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 100 | 100.00 |
President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 1999 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond (incumbent) | 55 | 55.00 |
| | Democratic | Robert Byrd | 45 | 45.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 100 | 100.00 |
President pro tempore of the United States Senate, January 3, 2001 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Robert Byrd | 51 | 51.00 |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond (incumbent) | 50 | 50.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 101 | 100.00 |
President pro tempore of the United States Senate, January 20, 2001 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond | 51 | 51.00 |
| | Democratic | Robert Byrd (incumbent) | 50 | 50.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 101 | 100.00 |
President pro tempore of the United States Senate, June 6, 2001 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Robert Byrd | 51 | 45.00 |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond (incumbent) | 49 | 49.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 100 | 100.00 |
President pro tempore emeritus of the United States Senate, June 6, 2001 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Strom Thurmond | 100 | 100.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 100 | 100.00 |