Nurse practitioner backed by Gov. McMaster wins 3rd District GOP runoff

Sheri Biggs, left, and Mark Burns, right, faced off Tuesday, June 25, 2024, in the 3rd Congressional District GOP primary runoff. (Sheri Biggs campaign, File/Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Nurse practitioner Sherri Biggs has defeated pastor Mark Burns in a contentious runoff for the Upstate 3rd Congressional District. 

With 96% of votes counted, The Associated Press called the race about 9:15 p.m., when Biggs was leading with 51% of ballots cast.

In her victory speech, Biggs told voters she’s “ready to fight for our communities and deliver results.

“Your call for a true servant leader, a political outsider, a committed Christian conservative to represent our values in Congress — mission-focused on results has been answered,” she said in her prepared remarks. “Your desire to help heal the nation’s mental, fiscal, and spiritual problems has been answered.”

It was the only congressional contest where Gov. Henry McMaster — who endorsed Biggs — split from former President Donald Trump, who backed Burns.

But Biggs said Trump actually won the contest, since both she and Burns staunchly backed the former president.

“President Trump won because President Trump has an ally with Sheri Biggs. From day one, I have been a strong supporter of President Trump. And, in Congress, I will be a strong ally of President Trump,” she said in concluding her victory speech. “I will do whatever I can to ensure President Donald Trump wins the White House in November and has the conservative support he needs in Congress.”

Biggs will face Democrat Bryon Best and Mike Bedenbaugh of the Alliance Party in November in a bid to represent the conservative Upstate district that spans 11 counties and runs along the Georgia border from Edgefield County to the state’s northwest corner. 

After U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan announced in January that he wouldn’t seek re-election after 14 years in Congress, the race to replace him became a seven-way contest between Republicans. 

Burns, who’s made a national name for himself since 2016 as a staunch Trump supporter, led in the primary with 33% of the vote. Biggs picked up 29%. By state law, a runoff is required if no primary candidate gets at least one vote over 50%. 

Burns is a televangelist with a TV network he founded and pastor of The Harvest Praise & Worship Center of Easley. Biggs is an Air National Guard Lieutenant with a doctorate of nursing and a bachelor’s degree in Christian ministries.

The two candidates clashed in a debate last week hosted by Fox Carolina.  

Burns described himself as a “pit bull” and called Biggs a “swamp creature.” She shot back that he’s a “chihuahua.”

Biggs suggested Burns was a Democrat who had voted for Joe Biden and Barack Obama. Burns has acknowledged voting for Obama, saying nearly all Black voters did, but he denied voting for Biden.  

The finances of both campaigns drew questions. Burns is primarily financing his run through $750,000 in loans from the Bank of Washington, Missouri, without a clear way to pay the loans back. Biggs raised about $220,000 and loaned her campaign a total of $345,000.

The governor and the former president continued their vocal support through the runoff.

Last Friday, McMaster campaigned in Anderson with Biggs at a meet-and-greet event. 

On Saturday, Trump reiterated his endorsement of Burns in a post and a short video on his social media site.

“He has been with me right from the beginning, 2016, and even earlier than that,” Trump wrote in the post. “Mark wanted me to run long before it was fashionable!” 

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