South Carolina Attorney General election, 2018

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2022
2014
South Carolina Attorney General
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 30, 2018
Primary: June 12, 2018
Primary runoff: June 26, 2018 (if needed)
General: November 6, 2018

Pre-election incumbent(s):
Alan Wilson (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in South Carolina
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2018
Impact of term limits in 2018
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
South Carolina
executive elections
Governor

Lieutenant governor
Attorney general
Secretary of state
Treasurer
Comptroller
Agriculture commissioner
Superintendent of education

South Carolina held an election for attorney general on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 30, 2018. The primary election took place on June 12, 2018. A Republican primary runoff election was held on June 26, 2018.

Democratic Party For more information about the Democratic primary, click here.
Republican Party For more information about the Republican primary, click here.
For more information about attorney general elections in 2018, click here.

SETTING THE STAGE
  • Heading into the 2018 election, the attorney general of South Carolina was Alan Wilson (R), who was first elected in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014. On October 7, 2017, Wilson confirmed he would seek a third term in 2018.
  • In 2018, South Carolina was under a Republican trifecta. It had held this status since former Gov. Mark Sanford (R) took office in 2003. South Carolina was also a Republican triplex.
  • South Carolina was won by the Republican candidate in each of the presidential elections between 2000 and 2016. The widest margin of victory was George W. Bush's 17 percent margin in 2004, while the narrowest was John McCain's nine percent margin in 2008.

  • Candidates and election results

    General election

    General election
    General election for Attorney General of South Carolina

    Candidate
    %
    Votes
    Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/AlanWilson2015.jpg
    Alan Wilson (R)
     
    55.1
     
    938,032
    Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Constance_Anastopoulos.jpg
    Constance Anastopoulo (D)
     
    44.9
     
    764,806
     Other/Write-in votes
     
    0.1
     
    996

    Total votes: 1,703,834
    Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
    If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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    Political party key:
    Electiondot.png Democratic
    Ends.png Republican
    Begins.png Green Party
    Libertarian Party Libertarian Party
    Darkgreen.png Working Families Party
    Independent Independent Party Purple.png American Party

    Fusion voting candidates

    Republican primary runoff election

    Republican primary runoff election
    Republican primary runoff for Attorney General of South Carolina

    Candidate
    %
    Votes
    Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/AlanWilson2015.jpg
    Alan Wilson
     
    65.0
     
    213,538
    Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Todd_Atwater.jpg
    Todd Atwater
     
    35.0
     
    115,133

    Total votes: 328,671
    Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
    If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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    Democratic primary election

    Democratic primary election
    Democratic primary for Attorney General of South Carolina


    Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
    If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

    Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

    Republican primary election

    Republican primary election
    Republican primary for Attorney General of South Carolina

    Candidate
    %
    Votes
    Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/AlanWilson2015.jpg
    Alan Wilson
     
    48.6
     
    166,860
    Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Todd_Atwater.jpg
    Todd Atwater
     
    29.7
     
    102,038
    Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
    William Herlong
     
    21.6
     
    74,199

    Total votes: 343,097
    Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
    If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

    Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

    State overview

    Partisan control

    This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in South Carolina heading into the 2018 elections.

    Congressional delegation

    State executives

    State legislature

    • Republicans controlled both chambers of the South Carolina State Legislature. They had a 80-44 majority in the state House and a 27-19 majority in the state Senate.

    Trifecta status

    2018 elections

    See also: South Carolina elections, 2018

    South Carolina held elections for the following positions in 2018:

    Demographics

    Demographic data for South Carolina
     South CarolinaU.S.
    Total population:4,894,834316,515,021
    Land area (sq mi):30,0613,531,905
    Race and ethnicity**
    White:67.2%73.6%
    Black/African American:27.5%12.6%
    Asian:1.4%5.1%
    Native American:0.3%0.8%
    Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
    Two or more:2%3%
    Hispanic/Latino:5.3%17.1%
    Education
    High school graduation rate:85.6%86.7%
    College graduation rate:25.8%29.8%
    Income
    Median household income:$45,483$53,889
    Persons below poverty level:22%11.3%
    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
    Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in South Carolina.
    **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

    As of July 2016, South Carolina's three largest cities were Charleston (pop. est. 135,000), Columbia (pop. est. 133,000), and North Charleston (pop. est. 111,000).[1]

    State election history

    This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in South Carolina from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the South Carolina Election Commission.

    Historical elections

    Presidential elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of the presidential election in South Carolina every year from 2000 to 2016.

    Election results (President of the United States), South Carolina 2000-2016
    Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
    2016 Republican Party Donald Trump 54.9% Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 40.7% 14.2%
    2012 Republican Party Mitt Romney 54.6% Democratic Party Barack Obama 44.1% 10.5%
    2008 Republican Party John McCain 53.9% Democratic Party Barack Obama 44.9% 9.0%
    2004 Republican Party George W. Bush 58.0% Democratic Party John Kerry 40.9% 17.1%
    2000 Republican Party George W. Bush 56.8% Democratic Party Al Gore 40.9% 15.9%

    U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in South Carolina from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

    Election results (U.S. Senator), South Carolina 2000-2016
    Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
    2016 Republican Party Tim Scott 60.6% Democratic Party Thomas Dixon 36.9% 23.7%
    2014[2] Republican Party Tim Scott 61.1% Democratic Party Joyce Dickerson 37.1% 24.0%
    2014 Republican Party Lindsey Graham 54.3% Democratic Party Brad Hutto 38.8% 15.5%
    2010 Republican Party Jim DeMint 61.5% Democratic Party Alvin Greene 27.7% 33.8%
    2008 Republican Party Lindsey Graham 57.5% Democratic Party Bob Conley 42.3% 15.2%
    2004 Republican Party Jim DeMint 53.7% Democratic Party Inez Tenenbaum 44.1% 9.6%
    2002 Republican Party Lindsey Graham 54.4% Democratic Party Alex Sanders 44.2% 10.2%

    Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in South Carolina.

    Election results (Governor), South Carolina 2000-2016
    Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
    2014 Republican Party Nikki Haley 55.9% Democratic Party Vincent Sheheen 41.4% 14.5%
    2010 Republican Party Nikki Haley 51.4% Democratic Party Vincent Sheheen 46.9% 4.5%
    2006 Republican Party Mark Sanford 55.1% Democratic Party Kerry Healey 44.8% 10.3%
    2002 Republican Party Mark Sanford 52.8% Democratic Party Jim Hodges 47.0% 5.8%

    Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent South Carolina in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

    Congressional delegation, South Carolina 2000-2016
    Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
    2016 Republican Party 6 85.7% Democratic Party 1 14.3% R+5
    2014 Republican Party 6 85.7% Democratic Party 1 14.3% R+5
    2012 Republican Party 6 85.7% Democratic Party 1 14.3% R+5
    2010 Republican Party 5 83.3% Democratic Party 1 16.7% R+4
    2008 Republican Party 4 66.7% Democratic Party 2 33.3% R+2
    2006 Republican Party 4 66.7% Democratic Party 2 33.3% R+2
    2004 Republican Party 4 66.7% Democratic Party 2 33.3% R+2
    2002 Republican Party 4 66.7% Democratic Party 2 33.3% R+2
    2000 Republican Party 4 66.7% Democratic Party 2 33.3% R+2

    Trifectas, 1992-2017

    A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

    South Carolina Party Control: 1992-2024
    No Democratic trifectas  •  Twenty-two years of Republican trifectas
    Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

    Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
    Governor R R R R R R R D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
    Senate D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
    House D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R


    Pivot Counties

    See also: Pivot Counties by state

    Five of 46 South Carolina counties—10.9 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

    Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
    County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
    Barnwell County, South Carolina 5.16% 5.33% 1.65%
    Calhoun County, South Carolina 2.83% 4.31% 3.55%
    Chester County, South Carolina 4.83% 10.58% 8.30%
    Colleton County, South Carolina 8.49% 0.19% 0.53%
    McCormick County, South Carolina 3.32% 3.60% 6.08%

    In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won South Carolina with 54.9 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 40.7 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, South Carolina cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 53.3 percent of the time. In that same time frame, South Carolina supported Democratic candidates for president more often than Republican candidates, 53.3 to 43.3 percent. South Carolina favored Republicans in every presidential election between 2000 and 2016.

    Presidential results by legislative district

    The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in South Carolina. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns show the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns show the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[3][4]

    In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 39 out of 124 state House districts in South Carolina with an average margin of victory of 32.8 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 38 out of 124 state House districts in South Carolina with an average margin of victory of 28.3 points. Clinton won one district controlled by a Republican heading into the 2018 elections.
    In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 85 out of 124 state House districts in South Carolina with an average margin of victory of 28.7 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 86 out of 124 state House districts in South Carolina with an average margin of victory of 30.1 points. Trump won seven districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.


    Recent news

    The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms South Carolina attorney general election 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

    See also

    South Carolina government:

    Elections:

    Ballotpedia exclusives:

    External links

    Footnotes