2024 South Carolina Senate election

← 2020 November 5, 2024 2028 →
All 46 seats in theSouth Carolina Senate 24 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Thomas Alexander Brad Hutto Party Republican Democratic Leader since December 6, 2021 November 17, 2020 Leader's seat 1st 40th Last election 30 16 Seats before 30 15 Seats after 34 12 Seat change 4 3
Results:      Republican gain     Democratic gain      Republican hold     Democratic hold
President before election Thomas C. Alexander Republican Elected President Thomas C. Alexander Republican

Elections in South Carolina
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v t e

The2024South Carolina Senate election was held on November 5, 2024, alongside the2024 United States elections.^[1] Primary elections took place on June 11, 2024.

The political parties certified in South Carolina for the 2024 elections include the typical Republican and Democratic parties, chaired byDrew McKissick andChristale Spain, respectively. Additionally, several third-party candidates are running for state senate elections:^[2][3]

• Alliance Party of South Carolina: Chaired byJim Rex, the 16thSouth Carolina Superintendent of Education. A central tenet of their platform is term limits.^[4][5] They ran a candidate in District 15 against incumbentWes Climer.^[6]
• South CarolinaConstitution Party: Chaired by Ted Adams. They ran no candidates for state senate.
• South CarolinaForward Party: Formerly, the Independence Party of South Carolina. Chaired by Wayne Griffin.
• South Carolina Green Party: Co-chaired by Jessica Lazenby and Mike Stewart. They ran no candidates for state senate.
• Libertarian Party of South Carolina: Chaired by Kathryn Whitener. They ran a candidate in District 20.
• United Citizens Party: Chaired by Chris Nelums, who ran in the special election for District 19. He ran again for District 19 in the general election.^[6]
• South Carolina Workers Party: Co-chaired by Harold Geddings III and Leonard Lee Goff III. They ran candidates in Districts 16, 22, & 26.^[6]

After longtime Republican incumbentHugh Leatherman died in November 2021, a special election was held to fill his seat to representFlorence, South Carolina, in the Senate.^[7] A Republican primary was held on January 25, and a special election was held on March 29.^[8]

Democratic incumbentMarion Kimpson resigned May 11, 2023, after an appointment to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations within theOffice of the U.S. Trade Representative.^[9] Democratic primary was held on September 5, a Democratic runoff was held on September 19, and the special election was held on November 7.^[10]

IncumbentJohn L. Scott Jr. died August 13, 2023, fromblood clot complications.^[12] A special election was held on January 2, 2024.^[13]

Five incumbents did not seek re-election.^[61]

1. District 26:Nikki G. Setzler retired.
2. District 35:Thomas McElveen retired.

1. District 6:Dwight Loftis retired.
2. District 12:Scott Talley retired.

1. District 22:Mia McLeod retired.

Three incumbent senators, one Democrat and two Republicans, were defeated in the June 11 primary election. One more incumbent senator, a Republican, was defeated in the June 25 primary runoff election.

1. District 26:Dick Harpootlian lost renomination toRussell Ott.^[62]

1. District 23:Katrina Shealy lost renomination toCarlisle Kennedy.^[63]
2. District 27:Penry Gustafson lost renomination toAllen Blackmon.^[64]
3. District 41:Sandy Senn lost renomination toMatt Leber.^[64]

Four incumbent senators, all Democrats, were defeated in the general election. One more incumbent senator, a Republican, was defeated in the June 25 primary runoff election.

1. District 36:Kevin L. Johnson lost renomination.
2. District 39:Vernon Stephens lost renomination.
3. District 17:Mike Fanning lost renomination.
4. District 29:Gerald Malloy lost renomination.^[65]

District 1 covers parts ofOconee andPickens Counties. IncumbentThomas C. Alexander ran unopposed in the Republican primary and the general election. If reelected, it will be his eighth full-term and mark over 30 consecutive years in the Senate.^[67]

District 2 is contained withinPickens County. IncumbentRex Rice ran unopposed in the Republican primary and the general election for a third term.^[67]

District 3 consists of NorthernAnderson County. Republican incumbent Richard Cash sought a second full term, while Democrat and mental health counselor, Jessicka Spearman,^[70][71] sought to unseat him in the general election.^[72]

IncumbentMichael Gambrell ran unopposed in the Republican primary and the general election.^[67]

IncumbentTom Corbin ran unopposed in the Republican primary and the general election.^[67]

IncumbentShane Martin ran unopposed in the Republican primary and the general election.^[67]

IncumbentHarvey S. Peeler Jr. ran unopposed in the Republican primary and the general election.^[67]

IncumbentRonnie Cromer ran unopposed in the Republican primary and the general election.^[67]

IncumbentDarrell Jackson (politician) ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and the general election.^[67]

Incumbent RepublicanKatrina Shealy ran for re-election, but was defeated in the Republican primary. Shealy had drawn national attention during the previous legislative session when she joined with the chamber's other female senators, including two other Republicans, in afilibuster of a proposed totalabortion ban.^[93] Her actions drew the ire of the state Republican party, leading to her primary challenge, which she lost in a runoff.^[94]

IncumbentA. Shane Massey ran unopposed in the Republican primary and the general election.^[67]

During the 2021 decennial reapportionment, Democratic incumbentsNikki G. Setzler andDick Harpootlian were drawn into the same district. Setzler, the longest serving state senator in office in the country, has chosen to retire rather than seek a thirteenth term.^[98] State RepresentativeRussell Ott defeatedDick Harpootlian for the Democratic nomination while Jason Guerry defeated Chris Smith for the Republican nomination.^[99][100]

Incumbent RepublicanPenry Gustafson ran for re-election, but was defeated in the Republican primary. Gustafson had drawn national attention during the previous legislative session when she joined with the chamber's other female senators, including two other Republicans, in afilibuster of a proposed totalabortion ban.^[93] Her actions drew the ire of the state Republican party, leading to her primary challenge, which she lost.^[94]

IncumbentStephen Goldfinch ran unopposed in the Republican primary and the general election.^[67]

IncumbentLarry Grooms ran unopposed in the Republican primary and the general election.^[67]

IncumbentSean Bennett ran unopposed in the Republican primary and the general election.^[67]

District 40 covers Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, and Orangeburg counties. IncumbentBrad Hutto has held the seat since 1996. If he retains the seat, it will mark his eighth full term. Bamberg Democrat Kendrick Brown has filed to challenge him in the primary, and Bamberg Republican Sharon Carter has filed to challenge the winner in the general election.^[115]

Incumbent RepublicanSandy Senn ran for re-election, but was defeated in the Republican primary. Senn had drawn national attention during the previous legislative session when she joined with the chamber's other female senators, including two other Republicans, in afilibuster of a proposed totalabortion ban.^[93] Her actions drew the ire of the state Republican party, leading to her primary challenge, which she lost.^[94]

IncumbentMargie Bright Matthews ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and the general election.^[67]

• 2024 United States elections
• 2024 South Carolina Democratic presidential primary
• 2024 South Carolina Republican presidential primary
• 2024 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina
• South Carolina Senate
• List of South Carolina state legislatures

• 2024 South Carolina elections
• 2024 state legislature elections in the United States
• South Carolina Senate elections

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from March 2024