# 2014 South Carolina elections

"none" is preferred when the title is already sufficiently detailed; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
Elections in South Carolina :
Federal government
U.S. President
1788-89
1792
1796
1800
1804
1808
1812
1816
1820
1824
1828
1832
1836
1840
1844
1848
1852
1856
1860
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
Rep
Dem
2004
Dem
2008
Dem
Rep
2012
Rep
2016
Dem
2020
Dem
2024
Dem
Rep
U.S. Senate
1897
sp 1898
1902
1903
1907
1908
1909
1913
1914
1918
sp 1918
1920
1924
1926
1930
1932
1936
1938
sp 1941
1942
1944
1948
1950
1954
1956
1960
1962
1966
sp 1966
1968
1972
1974
1978
1980
1984
1986
1990
1992
1996
1998
2002
2004
2008
2010
2014
sp 2014
2016
2020
2022
2026
2028
U.S. House of Representatives
1788
1790
1793
1794
1796
1798
1800
1803
1804
1806
1808
1810
1812
1814
1816
1818
1820
1823
1824
1826
1828
1830
1833
1834
1836
1838
1840
1843
1844
1846
1848
1850
1853
1854
1856
1858
1860
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
7th 1901
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
4th 1915
1916
1918
6th 1919
7th 1919
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
4th 1953
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1st 1971
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2nd 2001
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
1st 2013
2014
2016
5th 2017
2018
2020
2022
2024
List of specials :
State offices
General elections
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Gubernatorial elections
1865
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1930
1934
1938
1942
1946
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
State Senate elections
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
State House elections
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Ballot measures
2006
Amendment 1
2008
2010
2012
2014 :
Charleston
Mayoral elections
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023 :
Columbia
Mayoral elections
2005
2009
2010
2013
2017
2021 :
Rock Hill
Mayoral elections
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023 :
Greenville
Mayoral elections
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023 :
vte :
A general election was held in the U.S. state of South Carolina on November 4, 2014. All of South Carolina's executive officers were up for election as well as both United States Senate seats, and all of South Carolina's seven seats in the United States House of Representatives.
Primary elections were held on June 10, 2014, and primary runoffs were held on June 24.

## Governor

Incumbent Republican Governor Nikki Haley ran for re-election to a second term.
Democratic state senator Vincent Sheheen, the nominee in 2010 ran again.
Republican-turned-Independent Tom Ervin, an attorney, former state representative and former circuit court judge ran, but withdrew in the final week and endorsed Sheheen. Other candidates included Libertarian businessman Steve French; and former NFL player Morgan Bruce Reeves of the United Citizens Party. and Charels Green (better known as Angry Grandpa) a semi famous YouTuber
Haley won re-election.

## Lieutenant governor

This was the last election in which the lieutenant governor was elected separately from the governor. Republican Ken Ard, who was elected in 2010, resigned the office in March 2012 while under investigation for ethics charges. He was succeeded by a fellow Republican, President pro tempore of the South Carolina Senate Glenn F. McConnell. McConnell had planned to run, but withdrew from the race in January 2014 and was announced as the next president of the College of Charleston in March, a position he took up in June.
The state constitution requires that the Senate President pro tempore become lieutenant governor in the event of a vacancy but McConnell's successor as president pro tempore, Republican state senator John E. Courson, expressed no desire to give up his Senate seat to serve as lieutenant governor for six months. He went as far as resigning as president pro tempore, to avoid becoming lieutenant governor, a position widely regarded as one of the weakest in the state. There was much confusion as to what would happen next, with McConnell saying he would delay his resignation so as not to leave the state "in a constitutional crisis" and Courson and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Larry A. Martin saying that they knew of no Senator who would want to become lieutenant governor for six months. The dispute was finally ended when Democrat Yancey McGill agreed to become Senate President pro tempore, and then lieutenant governor. After he ascended to that office, Republican Hugh K. Leatherman Sr. became the new Senate President pro tempore.
Businessman Mike Campbell, who lost the runoff for lieutenant governor in 2010, businessman Pat McKinney, former attorney general of South Carolina and candidate for governor in 2010 Henry McMaster and minister Ray Moore ran for the Republican nomination.
South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Republican Primary Results, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Henry McMaster | 131,546 | 43.63 |
| | Republican | Pat McKinney | 73,451 | 24.36 |
| | Republican | Mike Campbell | 72,204 | 23.95 |
| | Republican | Ray Moore | 24,335 | 8.07 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 301,536 | 100 |
As no candidate won a majority of the vote, a runoff was held. A recount had been scheduled to take place as the difference between second-placed Pat McKinney and third-placed Mike Campbell was only 0.41%, but McKinney withdrew from the race, citing personal reasons. Campbell thus faced first-placed Henry McMaster in the runoff.
South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Republican Primary Runoff results, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Henry McMaster | 85,301 | 63.58 |
| | Republican | Mike Campbell | 48,863 | 36.42 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 134,164 | 100 |
State Representative Bakari Sellers ran for the Democrats. McMaster won the general election.
South Carolina Lieutenant Governor election, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Henry McMaster | 726,821 | 58.75% | +3.59% |
| | Democratic | Bakari Sellers | 508,807 | 41.13% | −3.64% |
| | Write-ins | | 1,514 | 0.12% | +0.04% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 218,014 | 17.62% | +7.53% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,237,142 | 42.94% | −7.54% |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | | |

## Attorney General

Incumbent Republican attorney general Alan Wilson ran for re-election to a second term in office.
Attorney, President of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina and candidate for South Carolina's 7th congressional district in 2012 Parnell Diggs ran as the Democratic nominee. Wilson defeated him and won re-election.
South Carolina Attorney General election, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Alan Wilson | 738,434 | 60.26% | +6.52% |
| | Democratic | Parnell Diggs | 486,058 | 39.67% | −4.53% |
| | Write-ins | | 879 | 0.07% | +0.03% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 252,376 | 17.62% | +8.10% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,225,371 | 42.53% | −7.95% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |

## Secretary of State

Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Mark Hammond is running for re-election to a fourth term in office.
Nonprofit consultant Ginny Deerin ran as the Democratic nominee. She was endorsed by the Club for Growth, a conservative political organization that usually supports Republicans. She was the first ever Democrat running for statewide office to have been endorsed by them. However, Hammond still won re-election.
South Carolina Secretary of State election, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Mark Hammond | 730,739 | 59.51% | −1.40% |
| | Democratic | Ginny Deerin | 496,344 | 40.42% | +1.38% |
| | Write-ins | | 788 | 0.06% | −0.01% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 234,395 | 19.09% | −2.78% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,227,871 | 42.62% | −7.48% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |

## Treasurer

Incumbent Republican Treasurer Curtis M. Loftis Jr. is running for re-election to a second term in office.
Brian Adams ran against Loftis Jr. in the Republican primary.
South Carolina Treasurer Republican Primary results, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Curtis M. Loftis Jr. | 177,854 | 62.02 |
| | Republican | Brian Adams | 108,934 | 37.98 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 286,788 | 100 |
No Democrat filed to run for the office. Loftis won re-election.
South Carolina Treasurer election, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Curtis Loftis | 857,526 | 98.75% | −0.19% |
| | Write-ins | | 10,819 | 1.25% | +0.19% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 846,707 | 97.50% | −0.38% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 868,345 | 30.14% | −4.61% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |

## Comptroller General

Incumbent Republican Richard Eckstrom is running for re-election to a fourth term in office.
He was being challenged in the Republican primary by Robert D. Shelley, but Shelley withdrew.
Kyle Herbert is running for the Democrats. Eckstrom won re-election.
South Carolina Comptroller General election, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Richard Eckstrom | 728,549 | 59.80% | +3.30% |
| | Democratic | Kyle Herbert | 489,066 | 40.14% | −3.31% |
| | Write-ins | | 693 | 0.06% | +0.01% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 239,483 | 19.66% | +6.61% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,218,308 | 42.49% | −7.78% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |

## Superintendent of Education

Incumbent Republican Superintendent of Education Mick Zais did not run for re-election to a second term in office.
Lee Atwater's widow Sally Atwater, Anderson County School Board member Gary Burgess, South Carolina Department of Education official Meka Bosket Childs, Amy Cofield, candidate for the State House in 2010 Sheri Few, Don Jordan, Charleston County School Board member and candidate for South Carolina's 1st congressional district in 2013 Elizabeth Moffly and former state representative Molly Mitchell Spearman ran for the Republican nomination.
South Carolina Superintendent of Education Republican Primary results, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Molly Mitchell Spearman | 64,992 | 22.45 |
| | Republican | Sally Atwater | 63,584 | 21.96 |
| | Republican | Sheri Few | 56,044 | 19.36 |
| | Republican | Gary Burgess | 31,091 | 10.74 |
| | Republican | Amy Cofield | 20,720 | 7.16 |
| | Republican | Meka Bosket Childs | 20,720 | 6.71 |
| | Republican | Elizabeth Moffly | 17,421 | 6.02 |
| | Republican | Don Jordan | 16,246 | 5.61 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 289,534 | 100 |
As no candidate won a majority, a runoff was held between the top two finishers, Molly Mitchell Spearman and Sally Atwater. Atwater was considered to be the frontrunner, until she called conservative talk show host Russ Cassell on News Radio WORD to talk about her candidacy. In the "awkward", "evasive" and "awful, incomprehensible, it-should-force-her-to-drop-out-of-the-race" interview, she seemed unable to give answers to basic questions about sex education and the teaching of evolution, to Cassell's amazement. After Atwater hung up, Cassell concluded: "Folks, I don't want to be brutal, I don't want to be mean. What you have just heard is an example of a person running for public office on name recognition only, who is clueless." Atwater subsequently apologized for her performance and the interview, which was uploaded to YouTube, went viral. Atwater subsequently declined to debate Spearman before the runoff, with a spokesman for Spearman saying that "given [Atwater's] debate performance in the primary and her recent radio interview on WORD-FM, we can understand why she has made this political calculation. Atwater was also the subject of a lawsuit alleging that as a teacher she "routinely harassed, physically assaulted, and psychologically tormented" a disabled student. Atwater's campaign dismissed the lawsuit as "baseless and frivolous".
South Carolina Superintendent of Education Republican Primary Runoff results, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Molly Mitchell Spearman | 76,672 | 57.16 |
| | Republican | Sally Atwater | 57,456 | 42.84 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 134,164 | 100 |

### Endorsements

Presidents of the United States
* George H. W. Bush, 41st President of The United States
U.S. Representatives
* Newt Gingrich (R-GA), former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
South Carolina Department of Education official Montrio M. Belton Sr., Sheila C. Gallagher, State Representative Jerry Govan and Tom Thompson ran for the Democratic nomination.
South Carolina Superintendent of Education Democratic Primary results, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Sheila C. Gallagher | 42,186 | 36.44 |
| | Democratic | Tom Thompson | 30,488 | 26.34 |
| | Democratic | Jerry Govan | 21,824 | 18.85 |
| | Democratic | Montrio M. Belton Sr. | 21,260 | 18.37 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 115,758 | 100 |
As no candidate won a majority, a runoff was held between the top two finishers, Sheila C. Gallagher and Tom Thompson.
South Carolina Superintendent of Education Democratic Primary Runoff results, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Tom Thompson | 23,541 | 59.13 |
| | Democratic | Sheila C. Gallagher | 16,269 | 40.87 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 39,810 | 100 |
Ed Murray ran as the American Party nominee. Spearman won the general election.
South Carolina Superintendent of Education election, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Molly Spearman | 699,081 | 56.97% | +5.71% |
| | Democratic | Tom Thompson | 476,358 | 38.82% | −4.29% |
| | American Party | Ed Murray | 46,695 | 3.81% | +3.81% |
| | Write-ins | | 5,055 | 0.41% | +0.37% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 222,723 | 18.15% | +10.00% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,227,189 | 42.60% | −7.71% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |

## Commissioner of Agriculture

Incumbent Republican Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers, who was appointed to the position in September 2004, ran for re-election to a third full term in office.
Joe Farmer ran against Weathers in the Republican primary.
South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Republican Primary results, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Hugh Weathers | 184,621 | 65.06 |
| | Republican | Joe Farmer | 99,155 | 34.94 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 283,776 | 100 |
Emile DeFelice of the American Party and David Edmond of the United Citizens Party also ran. No Democrat filed to run for the office. Weathers won re-election.
South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture election, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Hugh Weathers | 759,640 | 79.66% | +19.55% |
| | United Citizens | Dave Edmond | 106,223 | 11.14% | +11.14% |
| | American Party | Emile DeFelice | 84,831 | 8.90% | +8.90% |
| | Write-ins | | 2,922 | 0.31% | +0.27% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 653,417 | 68.52% | +48.46% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 953,616 | 33.10% | −16.82% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |

## Adjutant General

Incumbent Republican Adjutant General Robert E. Livingston Jr. ran for re-election to a second term in office.
James Breazeale ran against Livingston Jr. in the Republican primary.
South Carolina Adjutant General Republican primary, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Robert E. Livingston Jr. | 209,484 | 75.75 |
| | Republican | James Breazeale | 67,077 | 24.25 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 276,561 | 100 |
No Democrat filed to run for the office. Livigston won re-election. Because South Carolina voters approved Amendment 2 in the 2014 general election, this was the last time that the adjutant general was popularly elected. Because South Carolina was the only state in the union to elect its adjutant general, this was the final time that a state adjutant general stood for election in the United States, barring future state constitutional changes.
South Carolina Adjutant General election, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Bob Livingston | 858,106 | 98.97% | −0.28% |
| | Write-ins | | 8,896 | 1.03% | +0.28% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 849,210 | 97.94% | −0.56% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 867,002 | 30.10% | −4.27% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |

## United States Senate

Regularly-scheduled election
Incumbent Republican senator Lindsey Graham is running for re-election to a third term in office. He faced six challengers in the Republican primary: pastor and businessman Det Bowers, State Senator Lee Bright, businessman and candidate for South Carolina's 3rd congressional district in 2010 Richard Cash, attorney, Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Reserve and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2010 Bill Connor, attorney Benjamin Dunn and businesswoman and author Nancy Mace. Graham won the primary with 56% of the vote, negating the need for a runoff.
State Senator Brad Hutto defeated entrepreneur Jay Stamper in the Democratic primary.
Former Republican state treasurer Thomas Ravenel is running as an independent. Libertarian Victor Kocher is also running.
Special election
Incumbent Republican senator Tim Scott, who was appointed to the office in January 2013 after Jim DeMint resigned, is running for election to the remaining part of the term. The seat will be up for election to a six-year term in 2016.
Scott defeated Randall Young in the Republican primary.
Richland County Councilwoman Joyce Dickerson defeated former York County Councilman Sidney Moore and attorney and candidate for South Carolina's 7th congressional district in 2012 Harry Pavilack for the Democratic nomination.
Independents Brandon Armstrong, a painting contractor, and Jill Bossi, former Vice President of the American Red Cross, are also running.

## United States House of Representatives

All of South Carolina's seven seats in the United States House of Representatives will be up for election in 2014.

## Advisory Questions and Referendums

Several advisory questions were placed on the primary election ballots to advise the major state parties on the positions of their membership on major policy questions. In the general election, voters also voted on two constitutional amendments. All passed with heavy majorities.

### Primary Advisory Questions

Democratic Advisory Question One asked primary voters whether each state, rather than Congress, should determine whether to allow and how to regulate online gaming.
Democratic Question 1 :
| Choice | Votes | % |
| Yes | 89,365 | 72.36 |
| No | 34,131 | 27.64 |
| Total votes | 123,496 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 2,836,470 | 4.35 |
| Source: – Official Results |||
Democratic Advisory Question Two asked whether gaming laws should be "modified" to fund transportation needs in the state, rather than tax increases.
Democratic Question 2 :
| Choice | Votes | % |
| Yes | 99,667 | 80.50 |
| No | 24,143 | 19.50 |
| Total votes | 123,810 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 2,836,470 | 4.36 |
| Source: – Official Results |||
Democratic Advisory Question Three asked whether medical marijuana should be legalized for the treatment of "severe, chronic illnesses."
Democratic Question 3 :
| Choice | Votes | % |
| Yes | 94,961 | 75.29 |
| No | 31,172 | 24.71 |
| Total votes | 126,133 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 2,836,470 | 4.45 |
| Source: – Official Results |||
Republican Question 1 asked whether the "privileges and immunities" of South Carolina citizens under the state constitution should be extended to unborn fetuses.
Republican Question 1 :
| Choice | Votes | % |
| Yes | 240,453 | 78.65 |
| No | 65,273 | 21.35 |
| Total votes | 305,726 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 2,836,470 | 10.78 |
| Source: – Official Results |||
Republican Question 2 asked whether the state income tax should be reduced by 1.4% a year until it no longer exists.
Republican Question 2 :
| Choice | Votes | % |
| Yes | 245,441 | 79.86 |
| No | 61,908 | 20.14 |
| Total votes | 307,349 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 2,836,470 | 10.84 |
| Source: – Official Results |||

### Constitutional amendments

In the general election, voters voted on two amendments.
Amendment One amended the state's constitution to allow non-profit organizations to hold raffles for fundraising purposes. It passed.
Amendment 1 :
| Choice | Votes | % |
| Yes | 989,991 | 82.72 |
| No | 206,862 | 17.28 |
| Total votes | 1,196,853 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 2,881,052 | 41.54 |
| Source: – Official Results |||
Amendment Two amended the state's constitution to make the adjutant general appointed by the governor, rather than popularly elected. It passed.
Amendment 2 :
| Choice | Votes | % |
| Yes | 666,963 | 56.38 |
| No | 515,970 | 43.62 |
| Total votes | 1,182,933 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 2,881,052 | 41.06 |
| Source: – Official Results |||