2012 South Carolina Senate election


The 2012 South Carolina Senate elections were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. The primary elections were held on June 12 and the runoff elections were held two weeks later on June 26. The current composition of the state delegation is 28 Republicans and 18 Democrats. Senators are elected for four-year terms, all in the same year.

Detailed Results


[|District 1] • [|District 2] • [|District 3] • [|District 4] • [|District 5] • [|District 6] • [|District 7] • [|District 8] • [|District 9] • [|District 10] • [|District 11] • [|District 12] • [|District 13] • [|District 14] • [|District 15] • [|District 16] • [|District 17] • [|District 18] • [|District 19] • [|District 20] • [|District 21] • [|District 22] • [|District 23] • [|District 24] • [|District 25] • [|District 26] • [|District 27] • [|District 28] • [|District 29] • [|District 30] • [|District 31] • [|District 32] • [|District 33] • [|District 34] • [|District 35] • [|District 36] • [|District 37] • [|District 38] • [|District 39] • [|District 40] • [|District 41] • [|District 42] • [|District 43] • [|District 44] • [|District 45] • [|District 46]

District 1

District 1 covers parts of Oconee and Pickens Counties. Incumbent Thomas C. Alexander ran unopposed in the Republican primary and the general election. He was reelected to his fifth full-term as senator.

District 2

The district includes parts of Pickens county. Republican incumbent Larry A. Martin faced Republican petition candidate Rex Rice in the general election. Rice was initially on the Republican primary ballot, but due to a lawsuit about proper filing of economic interest statements, he and many other state candidates were decertified. To get on the November ballot instead, Rice pursued the little-used paper process of getting signatures of at least five percent of the district's registered voters. Martin won with 64% of the vote.

District 3

The district includes parts of Anderson county. Republican incumbent Kevin L. Bryant is a pharmacist. In the Republican primary, Bryant won over Don Bowen 75.93% to 24.07%.

District 4

The district includes parts of Abbeville, Anderson and Greenwood counties. Republican incumbent William H. O'Dell is CEO of O'Dell Corporation.

District 5

The district includes parts of Greenville and, Spartanburg counties. Retiring Republican incumbent Phillip Shoopman is a retired businessman. Tom Corbin won the election for District 5 after defeating Amanda Tieder Somers in the Republican primary.

District 6

The district includes parts of Greenville county. Republican incumbent Michael L. Fair works in insurance.

District 7

The district includes parts of Greenville county. Retiring Democratic incumbent Ralph Anderson is a retired postmaster. In the Democratic primary, Karl B Allen defeated Lillian Brock Flemming 54.83% to 45.17%.

District 8

The district includes parts of Greenville county. Retiring Republican incumbent David L. Thomas is an attorney. In the Republican run-off, Ross Turner won over Joe Swann 50.32% to 49.68%.

District 9

The district includes parts of Greenville and Laurens counties. Republican incumbent Daniel B. Verdin III is the owner of Verdin's Farm and Garden Center.

District 10

The district includes parts of Abbeville, Greenwood and Laurens counties. Democratic incumbent John W. Drummond is President of Drummond Oil Company, Inc. and President Pro Tempore Emeritus of the South Carolina Senate.

District 11

The district includes parts of Spartanburg county. Democratic incumbent Glenn G. Reese is a businessman.

District 12

The district includes parts of Spartanburg county. Freshman Republican incumbent Lee Bright is a school board member.

District 13

The district includes parts of Greenville, Spartanburg and Union counties. Freshman Republican incumbent Shane Martin is an attorney.

District 14

The district includes parts of Cherokee, Spartanburg, Union and York counties. Republican incumbent Harvey S. Peeler, Jr. is a dairyman/businessman.

District 15

The district includes parts of York county. Republican incumbent Robert W. Hayes, Jr. is an attorney.

District 16

The district includes parts of Lancaster and York counties. Republican incumbent Chauncey K. Gregory is President of Builders Supply Company.

District 17

The district includes parts of Chester, Fairfield, Union and York counties. Democratic incumbent Creighton B. Coleman is an attorney.

District 18

The district includes Newberry and parts of Saluda and Lexington counties. Republican incumbent Ronnie Cromer is a pharmacist. The Democratic nominee is Michael Ray Ellisor, winning over Pete Oliver 52.30% to 47.70% in the primary.

District 19

The district includes parts of Richland county. Democratic incumbent John L. Scott Jr. is a small business owner.

District 20

The district includes parts of Lexington and Richland counties. Republican incumbent John E. Courson is Senior V.P., Keenan & Suggs. Courson was challenged by Green Party candidate Scott West. West worked for the Tom Clements US Senate campaign in 2010.

District 21

The district includes parts of Richland county. Republican incumbent Darrell Jackson is a businessman and minister; Pres., Sunrise Enterprise of Columbia

District 22

The district includes parts of Kershaw and Richland counties. Democratic incumbent Joel Lourie is a businessman

District 23

The district includes parts of Lexington county. Republican incumbent John M. Knotts, Jr. is retired from law enforcement. In the Republican run-off, Knotts won over Katrina Shealy 57.52% to 42.48%.

District 24

The district includes parts of Aiken county. Republican incumbent W. Greg Ryberg is CEO of REI, Inc.

District 25

The district includes parts of Aiken, Edgefield, McCormick and Saluda counties. Freshman Republican incumbent A. Shane Massey is an attorney.

District 26

The district includes parts of Aiken, Lexington and Saluda counties. Democratic incumbent Nikki G. Setzler is an attorney.

District 27

The district includes parts of Chesterfield, Kershaw and Lancaster counties. Democratic incumbent Vincent A. Sheheen is an attorney.

District 28

The district includes parts of Dillon, Horry, Marion and Marlboro counties. Democratic incumbent Dick Elliott is a real estate developer, retail.

District 29

The district includes parts of Chesterfield, Darlington, Lee and Marlboro counties. Democratic incumbent Gerald Malloy is an attorney.

District 30

The district includes parts of Dillon, Florence, Marion and Marlboro counties. Freshman Democratic incumbent Kent M. Williams is a Deputy County Administrator.

District 31

The district includes parts of Darlington and Florence counties. Republican incumbent Hugh K. Leatherman, Sr. is a businessman.

District 32

The district includes parts of Florence, Georgetown, Horry and Williamsburg counties. Democratic incumbent J. Yancey McGill is a real estate broker and residential homebuilder. In the Democratic primary recount, J. Yancey McGill won over Cezar E McKnight 50.32% to 49.68%.

District 33

The district includes parts of Horry county. Republican incumbent Luke A. Rankin is an attorney.

District 34

The district includes parts of Charleston, Georgetown and Horry counties. Republican incumbent Raymond E. Cleary III is a dentist.

District 35

The district includes parts of Lee and Sumter counties. Retiring Democratic incumbent Phil P. Leventis is an aviation and management services consultant. In the Republican run-off, Tony Barwick won over Wade Kolb 56.86% to 43.14%.

District 36

The district includes parts of Calhoun, Clarendon, Florence and Sumter counties. Democratic incumbent John C. Land III is an attorney.

District 37

The district includes parts of Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton and Dorchester counties. Republican incumbent Lawrence K. Grooms is president and CEO of GTI.

District 38

The district includes parts of Charleston and Dorchester counties. Freshman Republican incumbent Randy Scott is a small businessman. Bill Collins qualified as a petition candidate and will have his name on the ballot in the general election.

District 39

The district includes parts of Bamberg, Colleton, Dorchester, Hampton and Orangeburg counties. Democratic incumbent John W. Matthews, Jr. is a businessman and retired elementary school principal.

District 40

The district includes parts of Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell and Orangeburg counties. Democratic incumbent C. Bradley Hutto is a trial lawyer.

District 41

The district includes parts of Charleston county. Republican incumbent Glenn F. McConnell is an attorney/businessman, and President Pro Tempore.

District 42

The district includes parts of Charleston county. Democratic incumbent Robert Ford is a developer.

District 43

The district includes parts of Berkeley and Charleston counties. Republican incumbent George E. Campsen III is a businessman/attorney. Dist. No. 43 - Berkeley & Charleston Cos.

District 44

The district includes parts of Berkeley county. Freshman Republican incumbent Paul G. Campbell, Jr. is a retired Regional President for Alcoa, now a consultant.

District 45

The district includes parts of Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties. Democratic incumbent Clementa C. Pinckney was a pastor and student.

District 46

The district includes parts of Beaufort county. Republican incumbent Catherine C. Ceips is a full-time legislator.