South Carolina's 1st Congressional District special election, 2013
The 1st Congressional District of South Carolina held a special election for the U.S. House of Representatives on May 7, 2013, which Mark Sanford won. The election was held to fill the vacancy left by the appointment of Representative Tim Scott (R) to the United States Senate. South Carolina law dictated that a primary election to fill a vacancy to the U.S. House must be held on the 11th Tuesday after the vacancy occurs, with the general election being held 18 weeks after the vacancy.[1] The period of time to file to run for office was January 18 to January 28. The primary was held on March 19, with a runoff on April 2 and general election on May 7, 2013.[2]
South Carolina has an open primary system, in which any registered voter can choose which party's primary to vote in, without having to be a member of that party.
| Candidate Filing Deadline | Primary Election | General Election |
|---|---|---|
Candidates
General election
Democratic primary
- Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, sister to The Colbert Report host, Stephen Colbert[7][3]
- Ben Frasier, 2010 Democratic Party nominee for the first congressional district[8]
- Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, sister to The Colbert Report host, Stephen Colbert[7][3]
Republican primary
- Keith Blandford, former Libertarian candidate[9]
- Curtis Bostic, Charleston County Council member, attorney and former Marine[8][3]
- Ric Bryant, an engineer[10]
- Larry Grooms, State Senator[1][11][12]
- Jonathan Hoffman, Judge Advocate General with Air Force Reserve, former Director of the White House Homeland Security Council[8]
- Jeff King, engineer, first time political candidate[8]
- John Kuhn, Attorney and former state Senator[8]
- Tim Larkin, founding member of the South Carolina National Guard's Computer Network Defense team[8]
- Chip Limehouse, State Representative[1][11][12]
- Peter McCoy, State Representative[1][11]
- Elizabeth Moffly,Former member of the Charleston County School Board[8]
- Ray Nash, former Dorchester County Sheriff and Criminal Justice Adviser for the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan[8]
- Andy Patrick, State Representative[8]
- Shawn Pinkston, Attorney, former Army Judge Advocate General[8]
- Mark Sanford, former South Carolina Governor[13][3]
- Teddy Turner, economics teacher, son of media mogul Ted Turner[8]
April 2 Republican runoff
- Note: No candidate won the required majority of votes in the primary election. The top two candidates ran against each other for the nomination in the April 2 runoff primary.[14][15]
- Note: The narrow margin between second and third place winners Curtis Bostic and Larry Grooms necessitated an automatic recount. Once the recount was completed, Curtis Bostic advanced to the runoff primary.[17] Grooms indicated on March 20 that he would no longer be in the running for the seat. The automatic recount will still determine a winner, but since Grooms suspended his campaign Bostic will run against Sanford in the runoff primary.[18][19]
Green Party nominee
Withdrew from race
- Martin Skelly, runs UFG Asset Management investment group, first time political candidate[8][21]
Rumored but did not file
- Tom Davis, state Senator[1][22]
- Jenny Sanford, former first lady of South Carolina[1][11][12][23]
- Larry Kobrovsky, Charleston County School Board member[11]
- James Merrill, state representative[1]
- Elliot Summey, Charleston County Councilman[11][12]
- Paul Thurmond, state Senator[1][11][12]
- Bobbie Rose, candidate for the 1st Congressional District in the 2012 general election[24]
Election results
General election
| U.S. House, South Carolina District 1 General Special Election, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Mark Sanford |
54% | 77,600 | |
| Democratic | Elizabeth Colbert-Busch | 45.2% | 64,961 | |
| Green | Eugene Platt | 0.5% | 690 | |
| N/A | Write-in | 0.3% | 384 | |
| Total Votes | 143,635 | |||
| Source: South Carolina Election Board, "Official Special Election Results" | ||||
Primary Elections
Democratic Primary
| U.S. House, South Carolina District 1 Special Democratic Primary, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|
Elizabeth Colbert-Busch |
95.9% | 15,802 | ||
| Ben Frasier | 4.1% | 682 | ||
| Total Votes | 16,484 | |||
| Source: Official results via South Carolina State Election Commission[3] | ||||
Republican Primary
| U.S. House, South Carolina District 1 Special Republican Primary, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|
Mark Sanford |
36.9% | 19,854 | ||
| Curtis Bostic |
13.3% | 7,168 | ||
| Ric Bryant | 0.2% | 87 | ||
| Larry Grooms | 12.4% | 6,673 | ||
| Jonathan Hoffman | 0.7% | 360 | ||
| Jeff King | 0.4% | 211 | ||
| John Kuhn | 6.5% | 3,479 | ||
| Tim Larkin | 0.7% | 393 | ||
| Harry "Chip" Limehouse | 6.1% | 3,279 | ||
| Peter McCoy | 1.6% | 867 | ||
| Elizabeth Moffly | 1% | 530 | ||
| Ray Nash | 4.7% | 2,508 | ||
| Andy Patrick | 7% | 3,783 | ||
| Shawn Pinkston | 0.3% | 154 | ||
| Keith Blandford | 0.4% | 195 | ||
| Teddy Turner | 7.9% | 4,252 | ||
| Total Votes | 53,793 | |||
| Source: Official results via South Carolina State Election Commission[3] | ||||
Republican Runoff
| U.S. House, South Carolina District 1 Special Runoff Republican Primary, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|
Mark Sanford |
56.6% | 26,127 | ||
| Curtis Bostic | 43.4% | 20,044 | ||
| Total Votes | 46,171 | |||
| Source: Official results via South Carolina State Election Commission[25] | ||||
Race background
Scott was appointed to the U.S. Senate by Gov. Nikki Haley (R) to replace Jim DeMint (R). DeMint decided to resign and head the conservative Heritage Foundation beginning in January 2013.[26]
Former Governor Mark Sanford was seen as the front runner due to name recognition and the fact that he had $120,000 in an old campaign account. This, coupled with his ability to fundraise quickly, gave him a leg up on the field. This was also his former seat in the U.S. House of Representatives that he held for three terms, prior to being elected governor.[27]
The general election race was expected to be tough for any Democrat. The Charleston-area seat has been a Republican stronghold for decades, and continues to lean Republican.[28][29] The last Democratic candidate elected was Mendel Jackson Davis in 1978.[30]
The race was included on a Washington Post list of the Top 5 races of 2013.[31]
Runoff election history
In a historical look at the last 11 runoff primary elections in South Carolina since 1998, the Washington Post found that only 7 out of the 11 elections, or approximately 64% of the time, the top winner in the primary also won the runoff election.[1] Sanford's first House election in 1994 was one instance of a second place primary winner coming from behind to win the nomination in the runoff election.[1]
Controversy
Sanford debates Pelosi cutout
On April 24 2013, Republican nominee Mark Sanford stood alongside a life-sized photo of Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi at the Medical University of South Carolina, what would have been the site of the first debate between himself and his opponent, Elizabeth Colbert-Busch.[32]
Colbert-Busch did not agree to participate in the debate, citing a tight schedule.[32] The two appeared in one debate on April 29, 2013, in Charleston.[32]
In a statement, Sanford stated, "My opponent continues to run a stealth campaign, avoiding public appearances and refusing to commit to televised forums for the benefit of 1st District voters. Since Elizabeth Colbert-Busch refuses to articulate her views publicly, we are left to draw inferences for what she stands for on the basis of the groups that have made substantial monetary investments on her behalf."[32]
Colbert-Busch's campaign responded the same day replying: "While Mark Sanford continues his desperate campaign to deceive voters, Elizabeth Colbert-Busch is spending her time with real people who support her campaign - today alone, she's meeting with a group of Republicans for Elizabeth Colbert Busch and a rally at Burke High School. She doesn't have to resort to phony cardboard cutouts to talk with the people of South Carolina."[32]
Sanford published list
Following complaints from Sanford about negative ads being run by Democrats, he made an offer saying, "The Democrats' ads will tell you none of this, so if you have further questions, go to www.marksanford.com, call me at the campaign office at 843-764-9188, or even on my cell at 843-367-1010."[33]
In response to the offer, one of the groups whose ads Sanford complained about, the House Majority PAC, decided to take him up on it and in a post-script to a fundraising email reprinted Sanford's cell phone number and suggested that their supporters "[g]ive him a call and ask why he spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on luxury travel."[33]
In response to a number of phone calls received, Sanford published a list of the phone numbers of the people who called him on his campaign website.[34][35] Most of the numbers were from individuals outside of the state.[33]
Polls
According to a poll released March 26, 2013, by Public Policy Polling, Colbert-Busch and Mark Sanford were neck and neck prior to the runoff primary election.[36] President of Public Policy Polling, Dean Debnam, described the race saying, “The South Carolina special looks like a toss up. The big question is how much Republicans will unify around their nominee after the runoff next week.”[36]
Following the runoff primary and heading into the general election, President of Public Policy Polling, Dean Debnam stated, “Elizabeth Colbert Busch is now looking like a clear favorite in the special election. The only question is whether an extremely unpopular Sanford can find some way to make voters like her even less than him in the next two weeks.”[37]
| South Carolina's 1st Congressional District special election | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Elizabeth Colbert-Busch | Mark Sanford | Eugene Platt | Margin of Error | Sample Size | ||||||||||||||
| RRH/PMI May 6, 2013 | 46% | 46% | 7% | +/-5 | 650 | ||||||||||||||
| Public Policy Polling April 19-21, 2013 | 50% | 41% | 3% | +/-3.5 | 796 | ||||||||||||||
| Public Policy Polling March 22-24, 2013 | 47% | 45% | 0% | +/-2.9 | 1,175 | ||||||||||||||
| Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to [email protected] | |||||||||||||||||||
Campaign donors
Pre-primary
Former South Carolina governor Mark Sanford raised $334,397 over January and February in his bid for the South Carolina House seat.[38] David Koch, who launched the conservative outside group Americans for Prosperity, gave $2,500 to Sanford’s House campaign. So did Foster Friess, a major back of Rick Santorum’s presidential campaign.[38] In addition to some leftover primary cash from his 1998 House run, Sanford had approximately $364,714 on hand going into August 2014.[38]
Reports circulated in early March that Sanford asked his ex-wife Jenny, even though they have barely spoken since their divorce, to run his congressional campaign.[39] Jenny Sanford ran all of his campaigns while they were married, starting with his first 1994 bid for Congress.[39] Sanford said about his ex-wife, “She was a vital part of every one of my campaigns and did an extraordinary job and therefore is missed.”[39]
Endorsements
General election
Elizabeth Colbert-Busch
- After Martin Skelly withdrew from the race, he threw his support behind Colbert-Busch, saying "she inspires both the party faithful and the political center that we need to generate consensus and end gridlock in Congress."[40]
- The AFL-CIO endorsed her on February 14, 2013, stating "“Elizabeth’s business experience with the maritime industry and Clemson University helps her understand that when labor and management work together everyone wins." Charleston Mayor Joe Riley endorsed her the same day, describing her as a “tireless worker, a self-made woman in a field where there were few women."[41]
- U.S. Representative James Clyburn endorsed her on February 19, 2013, citing "something unique about Elizabeth’s experiences…She has life experiences to take us to success in the general election."[42]
- Following the GOP runoff primary on April 2, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand threw her support behind Colbert-Busch, which included the support of her PAC Off the Sidelines.[43] In a statement announcing the endorsement Gillibrand said, "Elizabeth has been off the sidelines and involved in her community for years, having founded the Executive Board of Directors of Charleston Women in International Trade as well as serving as Chair of the Maritime Association Port of Charleston, among other positions. I'm thrilled that this year, Elizabeth has decided to add Congressional candidate to her list of achievements, and with your help, we'll be sending her to Washington, D.C. very soon."[43]
Mark Sanford
- On April 25, 2013, Ron Paul endorsed Sanford for the 1st District seat. In a fundraising appeal, Paul stated, “Mark Sanford has always been a strong ally of the Liberty Movement. Help him get to Congress. Donate today!”[44]
- A week prior to the general election, on April 30, 2013, Rand Paul announced his endorsement of Sanford.[45] In a statement released by Sanford's campaign, Paul stated, "More than anything, Washington needs strong and consistent voices for fiscal responsibility and liberty. Mark has proven during his time in office that watching out for taxpayers and holding the line on spending are his top priorities...What we absolutely cannot afford is someone like his opponent, who will be yet another vote for a return to the Pelosi speakership, for disastrous programs like Obamacare, and for more spending and debt."[45] The endorsement comes as a move that could help Sanford regain his footing in the race and improve Paul's standing in the early-voting presidential state.[45]
- South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) is scheduled to appear at a fundraiser for Sanford, her predecessor and former mentor, on May 1, 2013.[46] The appearance comes after her endorsement for Sanford in early April 2013, following his win in the Republican runoff primary.[47]
- On May 1, 2013, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham (R) issued his endorsement for Sanford.[48]
- Also on May 1st, former Rep. Tim Scott endorsed Mark Sanford for his former seat. Until January, Scott represented the 1st District giving his endorsement extra significance.[49] The popular conservative was appointed by Gov. Nikki Haley to finish out Jim DeMint’s Senate term.[49] In the endorsement Scott stated, "On all the most important issues facing our state and country, from dealing with our dangerous levels of debt, to repealing or resisting the government health-care takeover, to standing up for Charleston jobs against the NLRB, 1st District voters have a stark choice. Mark Sanford is hands down better on all of those issues, and that’s why I believe he merits support.”[50]
District history
| Candidate ballot access |
|---|
 |
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2012
On November 6, 2012, Tim Scott (R) won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Bobbie Rose and Keith Blandford in the general election.
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bobbie Rose | 35.7% | 103,557 | |
| Republican | Timothy Scott Incumbent |
62% | 179,908 | |
| Libertarian | Keith Blandford | 2.2% | 6,334 | |
| N/A | Write-In | 0.1% | 214 | |
| Total Votes | 290,013 | |||
| Source: South Carolina State Election Commission "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
2010
On November 2, 2010, Scott won election to the United States House of Representatives. He defeated Ben Frasier, Robert Dobbs, Rob Groce, Keith Blandford, and Jimmy Wood in the general election.[51]
| U.S. House of Representatives, South Carolina Congressional District 1 Election, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Tim Scott |
65.7% | 152,755 | |
| Democratic | Ben Frasier | 28.8% | 67,008 | |
| Working Families | Rob Groce | 1.8% | 4,148 | |
| Green | Robert Dobbs | 1.4% | 3,369 | |
| Libertarian | Keith Blandford | 1.2% | 2,750 | |
| Independence | Jimmy Wood | 1.1% | 2,489 | |
| Total Votes | 232,519 | |||
See also
- Special elections to the 113th United States Congress (2013-2014)
- South Carolina's 1st Congressional District
- United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina, 2012
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2012
- BP News: Sanford defeats Colbert-Busch for 1st District seat
- BP News: Special election battle for South Carolina seat nearing an end
- BP News: Sanford defeats runoff primary challenger, advances to general election
- BP News: Battle for nomination continues in South Carolina's 1st District
- BP News: Former governor advances to runoff primary in South Carolina
- BP News: Voters in South Carolina prepare for special primary election
- BP News: Jenny Sanford announces she will not run for House special election
External links
- SCVotes.org at the South Carolina State Election Commission
- Collected news and commentary at Roll Call
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Washington Post, "Scott's departure for Senate will trigger third special House election in 2013," December 17, 2012 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "wp" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ South Carolina Republican Party Website, "1st Congressional Special Election details set," accessed January 3, 2013
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 SC Votes, "March 19 Special Primary Election" accessed March 19, 2013 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "primary" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "primary" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Politico, "South Carolina Runoff" accessed April 2, 2013
- ↑ Huffington Post, "South Carolina Election Results 2013" accessed May 7, 2013
- ↑ Post and Courrier, "Former GOP Sen. Rick Santorum backs Curtis Bostic" accessed March 27, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "No joke: Stephen Colbert’s sister plans House bid," January 18, 2013
- ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 South Carolina Radio Network "List of 19 candidates running for District 1 seat," January 28, 2013 (dead link)
- ↑ CBS Charlotte, "Former Gov. Sanford Could Face Ex-Wife For Open House Seat," December 20, 2012
- ↑ Mount Pleasant Patch, "Hanahan's Ric Bryant Enters SC1 GOP Fray," January 28, 2013 (dead link)
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 Post and Courier, "If Haley picks Scott to take DeMint's place, expect wide-open race," December 8, 2012
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 National Journal, "Scott Appointment Will Shape Two S.C. Special Elections," December 17, 2012
- ↑ CNN "FIRST ON CNN: Mark Sanford plans to run for Congress," December 20, 2012
- ↑ Politico, "Mark Sanford advances to runoff" accessed March 19, 2013
- ↑ South Carolina Republican Party Website, "1st Congressional Special Election details set," accessed January 3, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "South Carolina Runoff" accessed April 2, 2013
- ↑ ABC News, "Sanford Advances in SC Race, Colbert's Sister Wins" accessed March 20, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "Larry Grooms drops out of South Carolina House race" accessed March 25, 2013
- ↑ Washington Post, "Grooms bows out in South Carolina" accessed March 22, 2013
- ↑ Green Party Watch, "South Carolina Greens Nominate Eugene Platt in 1st Congressional District special election" accessed March 11, 2013
- ↑ Roll Call, "South Carolina: Skelly Exits Special Election; Colbert’s Sister Now Top Democratic Contender," February 11, 2013
- ↑ Island Packet, "Patrick, Lotz mulling run for Scott's U.S. House seat," December 17, 2012
- ↑ CNN.com, "Jenny Sanford not running for Congress," January 14, 2013
- ↑ Summerville Patch, "Bobbie Rose to Seek Congressional Seat," January 13, 2013
- ↑ SC Votes, "April 2 Republican Runoff Primary Election," accessed April 30, 2013
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Gov. Nikki Haley to fill DeMint’s seat by appointment," December 6, 2012
- ↑ Roll Call, "Sanford Likely Front-Runner in S.C. Special Election," January 3, 2013
- ↑ MSNBC "Elizabeth Colbert Busch wedged in crowded special election race" accessed March 17, 2013
- ↑ Salon.com, "Ted Turner’s son vying in SC congressional primary," January 23, 2013
- ↑ Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "Davis, Medel Jackson, (1942-2007)," accessed January 28, 2013
- ↑ Washingotn Post, "The Fix's Top 5 Races of 2013" accessed March 18, 2013
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 32.4 Island Packet, "Sanford Debates Pelosi Cutout" accessed April 25, 2013
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest: Sanford publishes phone numbers of ordinary folks who called him" accessed April 26, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Mark Sanford Phone Number Email" accessed April 26, 2013
- ↑ Slate.com, "Mark Sanford Releases the Phone Numbers of People Who Called Him After He Gave Out His Number" accessed April 26, 2013
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 Public Policy Polling, "PPP release SC 3/26" accessed March 27, 2013
- ↑ Public Policy Polling, "PPP Press Release South Carolina Special Election 4/22" accessed April 25, 2013
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 Washington Post, "Koch brother donates to Mark Sanford" accessed March 11, 2013
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 Washington Post, "Mark Sanford asked ex-wife Jenny Sanford to run his latest campaign" accessed March 11, 2013
- ↑ Roll Call, "South Carolina: Skelly Exits Special Election; Colbert’s Sister Now Top Democratic Contender," February 11, 2013
- ↑ "," North Charleston Patch, February 13, 2013 (dead link)
- ↑ Congressman James Clyburn Endorses Elizabeth Colbert Busch, The Charleston Chronicle, February 19, 2013
- ↑ 43.0 43.1 Daily Kos, "Let's Send Elizabeth Colbert Busch to Congress" accessed April 4, 2013
- ↑ Washington Post, "Ron Paul Endorses Mark Sanford" accessed April 26, 2013
- ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 The Hill, "Rand Paul endorses Mark Sanford" accessed April 30, 2013
- ↑ Washington Post, "Nikki Haley to appear at Mark Sanford fundraiser" accessed April 30, 2013
- ↑ Island Packet, "Sanford, Haley speak on phone following his win in GOP runoff" accessed April 30, 2013
- ↑ Post and Courier, "Tim Scott says Mark Sanford “merits support” in 1st District race" accessed May 2, 2013
- ↑ 49.0 49.1 Washington Post, "Tim Scott Endorses Mark Sanford" accessed May 2, 2013
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedendorsemp - ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
