Few incumbents face primary challenges on S. Carolina ballot
COLUMBIA,, S.C. (AP) — The COVID-19 pandemic and a lack of marquee races on either party's ballot have left 2020 a quiet primary season in South Carolina.
The only statewide primary Tuesday sees Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham seeking the nomination for a fourth term against three little-known GOP challengers before perhaps his hardest reelection fight.
All seven of South Carolina's U.S. House members are running again, but just one incumbent faces a primary opponent. And only 34 of the 170 members of the General Assembly face a challenger from their own party — or just 20%
In the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers decided to allow no-excuse absentee voting by mail. They also struggled to find enough poll workers.
A candidate must get a majority of the votes to be nominated. Otherwise, the top two vote-getters must regroup quickly for a June 23 runoff.
1st DISTRICT
The marquee primary race is for the Republican nomination in the 1st District, which runs from Charleston to Hilton Head Island along the coast.
Four Republicans are running to take on incumbent Democrat Joe Cunningham.
Cunningham pulled off a stunning win in 2018, flipping the seat from Republican to Democrat for the first time in 40 years and becoming South Carolina's first new Democrat in Congress since Jim Clyburn in 1992.
The Republicans running are state Rep. Nancy Mace, who was the first woman to graduate from The Citadel; Kathy Landing, a businesswoman and financial planner who is on the Mount Pleasant Town Council; Chris Cox, who was the co-founder of Bikers for Trump and touts his chainsaw art; and Brad Mole, chairman of the Lowcountry Affordable Housing Coalition who said he was encouraged to run after meeting Republican U.S. Sen. Tim Scott at an empowerment event.
Mace and...