2004 South Carolina Senate election
The 2004 South Carolina Senate election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. The primary elections were held on June 8, and the runoff elections were held on June 22. With each Senator's four-year term expired, all forty-six seats were up for election.
Republicans retained their majority gained in the 2002 South Carolina Senate elections, marking the first prolonged period of Republican rule of the chamber since the Reconstruction Era, and the "maturity" of South Carolina's "long-predicated " away from Democratic control.
Experts noted this election for its predictability, with "very few seats seriously contested." Republicans contested just eight seats, while Democrats contested nine. This aligned with a surge in uncontested state legislative races across the country.
Certified political parties
The following parties were certified by the South Carolina Election Commission, thus eligible to participate in and put up candidates for the state's Senate elections:
Special elections
District 18 (April 15, 2003)
On January 15, 2003, Rudolph Andreas Bauer resigned from the Senate to take up the office of Lieutenant Governor. A special election was called to replace him. Primary elections were held on February 25, 2003. The special election was held on April 15, 2003.
District 27 (February 3, 2004)
A special election was called to replace Senator Donald Holland, who died on October 5, 2003. The Republican primary was held on December 16, 2003. The special election was held on February 3, 2004.
Summary
Source:
Detailed results
District 1
District one comprised all of Oconee County and some of Pickens County.
District 2
District two contained a partial section of Pickens County.
District 3
District three contained some of Anderson County. Incumbent Republican Senator Robert L. Waldrep, Jr. did not seek re-election, so primaries were held to nominate a replacement candidate. Kevin L. Bryant won the nomination and defeated Democratic challenger Mike Mullinax and won the seat.
District 4
District four contained portions of Abbeville County and Anderson County.
District 5
District five held a portion of Greenville County.
District 6
District six contained a portion of Greenville County.
District 7
District seven contained a portion of Greenville County.
District 8
District eight contained a portion of Greenville County.
District 9
District nine contained portions of Greenville County and Laurens County.
District 10
District ten contained all of Greenwood County and some of Abbeville County.
District 11
District eleven contained a portion of Spartanburg County.
District 12
District twelve contained a portion of Spartanburg County.
District 13
District thirteen contained a portion of Spartanburg County.
District 14
District fourteen contained portions of Cherokee, Union, and York counties.
District 15
District fifteen contained a portion of York county.
District 16
District sixteen contained portions of Fairfield, Lancaster, and York counties.
District 17
District seventeen contained portions of Chester, Fairfield, Union, and York counties.
District 18
District eighteen contained all of Newberry and Saluda counties, with portions of Lexington and Union counties.
District 19
District nineteen contained a portion of Richland County.
District 20
District twenty contained a portion of Richland County.
District 21
District twenty-one contained portions of Calhoun and Richland counties.
District 22
District twenty-two contained portions of Kershaw and Richland counties. Incumbent Senator Warren Giese, a former Independent, ran in the Republican primary, but lost to Ken Wingate. The seat was won by Democrat Joel Lourie, representing one of the few legislative gains made by Democrats in the election.
District 23
District twenty-three contained portions of Lexington County.
District 24
District twenty-four contained portions of Aiken and Lexington counties.
District 25
District twenty-five contained all of Edgefield and McCormick counties and some of Aiken County.
District 26
District twenty-six contained portions of Aiken and Lexington counties.
District 27
District twenty-seven contained all of Chesterfield County, with portions of Kershaw, Lancaster, and Marlborocounties.
District 28
District twenty-eight comprised portions of Dillon, Florence, Horry, Marion, Marlboro, and Williamsburg counties. Democratic incumbent Dick Elliott narrowly defeated Republican challenger Katherine Jenerette. While she conceded the election, Jenerette alleged the election had "numerous 'irregularities'" and filed a report with the United States Department of Justice to investigate.
District 29
District twenty-nine comprised portions of Darlington, Florence, and Lee counties.
District 30
District thirty comprised portions of Dillion, Florence, and Marion counties. Incumbent Democratic Senator Maggie Wallace Glover sought re-election, but was defeated by challenger Kent Williams in a run-off primary election. Facing no challenger, Williams won the seat.
District 31
District thirty-one comprised portions of Chesterfield, Darlington, Florence, and Marlboro counties.
District 32
District thirty-two comprised portions of Florence, Georgetown, Horry, and Williamsburg counties.
District 33
District thirty-three comprised portions of Horry county.
District 34
District thirty-four comprised portions of Charleston, Georgetown, and Horry counties. Incumbent Republican Senator Arthur Ravenel, Jr. did not seek re-election, so a primary was held to nominate his replacement. Raymond Cleary won the primary and the seat in the general election.
District 35
District thirty-five comprised portions of Sumter and Lee counties.
District 36
District thirty-six comprised portions of Calhoun, Clarendon, Florence, Lee, and Sumter counties.
District 37
District thirty-seven comprised portions of Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, and Dorchester counties.
District 38
District thirty-eight comprised portions of Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties.
District 39
District thirty-nine comprised portions of Bamberg, Colleton, Dorchester, Hampton, and Orangeburg counties.
District 40
District forty comprised all of Barnwell County, with portions of Allendale, Hampton, and Orangeburg counties.
District 41
District forty-one comprised portions of Charleston and Dorchester counties.
District 42
District forty-two comprised a portion of Charleston county.
District 43
District forty-three comprised portions of Berkeley and Charleston counties. Incumbent Senator John Kuhn sought re-election, but was defeated in the primary by fellow Republican Chip Campsen. Campsen defeated his Democratic challenger and won the seat.
District 44
District forty-four comprised portions of Berkeley and Charleston counties.
District 45
District forty-five comprised all Jasper County, along with of portions of Allendale, Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, and Hampton counties.
District 46
District forty-six comprised a portion of Beaufort County.