Aspecial election forSouth Carolina's 1st congressional district was held on May 7, 2013, to fillthe seat following the resignation of U.S. RepresentativeTim Scott , who was appointed to theUnited States Senate byGovernor Nikki Haley to fillthe seat previously held byJim DeMint .[ 1] [ 2] DeMint resigned from the Senate on January 2, 2013, to accept a position as president ofThe Heritage Foundation .
The filing period for candidates lasted between January 18 and January 28, 2013. The special primary elections took place on March 19, 2013.[ 1] [ 3] BusinesswomanElizabeth Colbert Busch won theDemocratic Party primary andMark Sanford , the former governor of South Carolina who held the seat from 1995 to 2001, advanced to a runoff with former Charleston County Councilman Curtis Bostic for theRepublican Party nomination. Prior to the runoff, 14 Republicans and one Democrat signed the "Reject the Debt" pledge put out by the nonpartisan Coalition to Reduce Spending. In the runoff election on April 2, Sanford defeated Bostic. Eugene Platt, aJames Island Public Service Commissioner, was nominated by theSouth Carolina Green Party . In the general election on May 7, Sanford received 54% of the vote, beating Colbert Busch (45%) and Platt (1%).[ 4]
Keith Blandford, businessman andLibertarian nominee for this district in2012 [ 5] Curtis Bostic, former Charleston County Councilman (defeated in runoff)[ 6] [ 7] Ric Bryant, engineer[ 8] Larry Grooms , state senator[ 9] Jonathan Rath Hoffman , former Deputy Assistant Secretary ofHomeland Security , former director of border security at theWhite House [ 10] Jeff King, engineer for a military contractor[ 11] John R. Kuhn , former state senator[ 5] Tim Larkin, defense engineer and member of theSouth Carolina Army National Guard [ 12] Chip Limehouse , state representative[ 13] Peter M. McCoy Jr. , state representative[ 14] [ 15] Elizabeth Moffly, member of the Charleston County School Board[ 16] Ray Nash, former Dorchester County Sheriff[ 17] Andy Patrick , state representative[ 18] Shawn Pinkston, attorney[ 19] Mark Sanford , formerGovernor of South Carolina and former U.S. Representative (won primary)[ 20] Teddy Turner, high school teacher and son ofTed Turner [ 21] [ 22] Carroll Campbell III, businessperson and son of former governorCarroll A. Campbell, Jr. [ 23] George E. Campsen III , state senator[ 24] Tom Davis , state senator[ 25] Larry Kobrovsky, formerCharleston County School Board member[ 14] Joe McKeown, chief of staff for Tim Scott and former Charleston County Councilman[ 26] James H. Merrill , state representative[ 15] Thomas Ravenel , former state treasurer[ 13] Jenny Sanford , former First Lady of South Carolina[ 27] Duffie Stone,Judicial Circuit Solicitor [ 26] Elliott Summey, Charleston County Councilman[ 9] Paul Thurmond , state senator[ 6] Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of errorCurtis Bostic Mark Sanford Other Undecided Public Policy Polling [ 29] March 22–24, 2013 648 ± 3.9% 40% 53% — 7%
2013 Republican Primary Runoff – South Carolina's 1st Congressional District Special Election[ 30] Party Candidate Votes % Republican Mark Sanford 26,127 56.59% Republican Curtis Bostic 20,044 43.41% Total votes 46,171 100%
Bobbie Rose, former teacher and nominee for the 1st districtin 2012 [ 34] Martin Skelly, businessperson[ 35] 2013 Democratic Primary – South Carolina's 1st Congressional District Special Election[ 28] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Elizabeth Colbert Busch 15,802 95.86% N/A Democratic Ben Frasier 682 4.14% N/A
Eugene Platt ,James Island Public Service Commissioner and 1990 Democratic Party candidate for the 1st district (won primary)[ 38] [ 39] Larry Carter Center, political activist[ 40] On May 7, 2013, Mark Sanford won the election and took the seat vacated by U.S. RepresentativeTim Scott .[ 41] [ 42]
Vote breakdown by county Mark Sanford Republican Elizabeth Colbert Busch Democrat Total County Votes % Votes % Votes Beaufort 17,896 52.60% 14,871 43.71% 34,020 Berkeley 15,137 60.90% 8,670 34.88% 24,856 Charleston 32,019 50.18% 29,056 45.54% 63,809 Colleton 272 69.21% 109 27.74% 393 Dorchester 12,276 59.72% 7,440 36.19% 20,557
^a b "U.S. House of Representatives District 1 Special Election" . South Carolina State Election Commission. January 2, 2013. Archived fromthe original on January 15, 2013. RetrievedJanuary 17, 2013 .^ "Gov. Haley (R-SC) Announces Rep. Scott to Replace Sen. DeMint" . C-SPAN. December 17, 2012. RetrievedDecember 17, 2012 .^ "Primary Runoffs" . August 16, 2012. RetrievedJanuary 17, 2013 .^ "Mark Sanford wins South Carolina special election" .Washington Post . RetrievedMay 8, 2013 .^a b c Elmore, Christina; Kropf, Schuyler (December 19, 2012)."1st District field widens with three additions" .The Post and Courier . Archived fromthe original on February 5, 2015. RetrievedDecember 21, 2012 . ^a b Behre, Robert (January 1, 2013)."Thurmond not running for Scott's 1st district seat" .The Post and Courier . Archived fromthe original on March 4, 2016. RetrievedJanuary 13, 2013 . ^ Sullivan, Shaun (March 22, 2013)."Bostic still tops Grooms after S.C. recount, will face Sanford" .The Washington Post . RetrievedMarch 23, 2013 . ^ Behre, Robert (February 9, 2013)."1st Congressional District candidate Ric Bryant says nation's debt first issue" .The Post and Courier . Archived fromthe original on March 4, 2016. RetrievedFebruary 14, 2013 . ^a b Behre, Robert; Kropf, Schuyler (January 4, 2013)."Summey won't run for Congress, but Grooms will" .The Post and Courier . Archived fromthe original on March 3, 2016. RetrievedJanuary 13, 2013 . ^ Charleston Business Owner Enters Congressional Race – Charleston, SC Patch ^ Jeff King for Congress ^ "Summerville Man Enters First Congressional Race" .Summerville, SC Patch . January 25, 2013. RetrievedFebruary 14, 2013 .^a b "1st Congressional District field expands as Rep. Chip Limehouse announces candidacy" .The Post and Courier . January 11, 2013. Archived fromthe original on October 21, 2013. RetrievedJanuary 13, 2013 .^a b Behre, Robert (December 8, 2012)."If Haley picks Scott to take DeMint's place, expect wide-open race" .The Post and Courier . Archived fromthe original on May 10, 2013. RetrievedDecember 18, 2012 . ^a b Sullivan, Sean (December 17, 2012)."Scott's departure for Senate will trigger third special House election in 2013" .The Washington Post . RetrievedDecember 18, 2012 . ^ Casey, Diette Courrégé (January 16, 2013)."Charleston County School Board member Elizabeth Moffly to enter 1st Congressional District Race" .The Post and Courier . Archived fromthe original on March 3, 2013. RetrievedJanuary 19, 2013 . ^ "Former Dorchester Co. Sheriff Ray Nash to run for congress" .WIS TV . January 15, 2013. Archived fromthe original on March 4, 2016. RetrievedJanuary 18, 2013 .^ Smith, Gina (January 9, 2013)."Hilton Head lawmaker running for Congress" .The Island Packet . Archived fromthe original on January 22, 2013. RetrievedJanuary 13, 2013 . ^ Winston, Chris (January 28, 2013)."Charleston Attorney Shawn Pinkston Enters SC1 GOP Race" .Mount Pleasant, SC Patch . Archived fromthe original on April 11, 2013. RetrievedFebruary 14, 2013 . ^ "The Fix" .The Washington Post .^ Hambrick, Greg (December 18, 2012)."Robert "Teddy" Turner, "Rogue Republican," Announces District 1 Campaign" .West Ashley, SC Patch . Archived fromthe original on December 23, 2012. RetrievedDecember 19, 2012 . ^ Smith, Bruce.Ted Turner's son vying in SC congressional primary , Associated Press, January 23, 2013. ^ Livingston, Abby (December 17, 2012)."South Carolina Special Election Attracts Familiar Faces" .Roll Call . RetrievedDecember 18, 2012 . ^a b Drury, Shawn (January 7, 2013)."UPDATED: The Race For SC1" .Summerville, SC Patch . RetrievedJanuary 14, 2013 . ^ Barton, Tom; Smith, Gina (December 18, 2012)."Scott's seat has many takers" .The State . Archived fromthe original on December 31, 2012. RetrievedDecember 19, 2012 . ^a b Sobel, Julie (December 18, 2012)."Hotline Sort: South Carolina Scorecard" .National Journal . Archived fromthe original on May 16, 2013. RetrievedDecember 19, 2012 . ^ "Jenny Sanford not running for Congress" . January 14, 2013.^a b "SC District 01 – Special R Primary" . SC Elections. RetrievedMarch 21, 2013 .^a b c Public Policy Polling ^ "RUNOFF – U.S. House of Representatives District 1 Primary" . RetrievedApril 3, 2013 .^ Isenstadt, Alex (January 18, 2013)."No joke: Stephen Colbert's sister plans House bid" .Politico . RetrievedJanuary 19, 2013 . ^ Groce, Rob (March 22, 2013)."Colbert Busch Lands Working Families Party Endorsement" .North Charleston Patch . Archived fromthe original on March 29, 2013. RetrievedApril 2, 2013 . ^ Drury, Shawn (January 28, 2013)."Perennial Candidate Returns to SC1 Democratic Primary" .North Charleston, SC . Archived fromthe original on February 16, 2013. RetrievedFebruary 3, 2013 . ^ "Rose drops out of District 1 race on last day to file" .ABC News 4 . January 28, 2013. RetrievedFebruary 3, 2013 .^ Miller, Joshua (February 11, 2013)."South Carolina: Skelly Exits Special Election; Colbert's Sister Now Top Democratic Contender" .Roll Call . Archived fromthe original on February 17, 2013. RetrievedFebruary 14, 2013 . ^ Crisp, Adam (January 4, 2013)."Robert Burton Studying Congressional Run" .Mount Pleasant, SC Patch . RetrievedJanuary 14, 2013 . ^ Easley, Cameron (December 19, 2012)."Rep. Stavrinakis will not run for Tim Scott's seat" .WCSC-TV . RetrievedDecember 21, 2012 . ^ "Eugene Platt To Run In Special Congressional Election" .South Carolina Green Party . January 28, 2013. RetrievedFebruary 14, 2013 .^ Dendy, Dallas (April 29, 1991)."Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 1990" (PDF) .Clerk of the United States House of Representatives . RetrievedJanuary 29, 2013 . ^ Bowers, Paul (January 29, 2013)."Abortion protester accuses liberal activist of hitting him with a car" .Charleston City Paper . RetrievedFebruary 14, 2013 . ^a b "Statewide Results" . South Carolina Dept. Of Elections. RetrievedMay 8, 2013 .^ "Mark Sanford wins South Carolina special election" .Washington Post . RetrievedMay 8, 2013 .^ Public Policy Polling ^ RRH/PMI Polling ^ Public Policy Polling ^ Lake Research Partners (D–Colbert–Busch) ^ Lake Research Partners^
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