SC Election runoffs: Trump-backed candidate loses congressional bid; Shealy concedes senate

With the South Carolina Election Commission reporting all counties vote totals in Tuesday’s state primary runoff elections, most of the parties’ nominees are now set for November, according to unofficial results.

Statewide, South Carolina held 13 runoff elections for congressional and state legislative seats.

Among the races where a party’s nominee was decided Tuesday: 3rd Congressional District, state Senate Districts 22, 23, 26 and 35 and House District 93.

In the 3rd Congressional District race, Air National Guard Lt. Col. Sheri Biggs defeated pastor Mark Burns, according to the Associated Press.

Midlands state Senate runoffs were won by Carlisle Kennedy, Overture Walker and Jason Guerry. Kennedy defeated Lexington County incumbent Katrina Shealy for in the Republican runoff for state Senate District 23. Walker, a Richland County Council member, beat state Rep. Ivory Thigpen for the Democratic bid in District 22.

In District 26, Guerry beat Chris Smith by a little less than 200 votes for the Republican nomination and will face Democrat state Rep. Russell Ott for the seat covering parts of Richland, Lexington and Calhoun counties.

10:38 p.m. update

The margin in the Democratic race in Senate District 35 is 24 votes out of the 3,558 ballots cast.

With all precincts reporting, Jeffrey Graham has 1,791 votes. Austin Floyd Jr. has 1,767 votes, according to Tuesday’s unofficial results.

9:53 p.m. update

The Associated Press has called the 3rd Congressional District race for Sheri Biggs, a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard.

She defeated pastor Mark Burns, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump in the very conservative district.

Biggs had the endorsement of Gov. Henry McMaster.

As of 9:52 p.m. Biggs had 27,794 votes. Burns had 26,809 votes.

Biggs now goes on to face Democratic nominee Byron Best in the general election. But the 3rd Congressional District is one of the most conservative districts in the country, so Biggs is the overwhelming favorite to win the November general election.

9:15 p.m. update

With 34 out 35 precincts reporting in Senate District 22, Richland County Council member Overture Walker leads Ivory Thigpen for the Democratic nomination, according to unofficial results.

Walker has garnered 2,782 votes. Thigpen had 2,415 votes.

Walker was the last candidate to enter the Democratic race for this seat, but he raised the most cash before the election.

Walker had the cash advantage in the race, raising nearly $116,000 through May 22. Thigpen only raised $49,000 through May 22.

State Sen. Mia McLeod, a Richland County independent, currently holds the District 22 seat but chose not to run for reelection.

Ahead of the election, McLeod backed Walker’s bid.

Walker appears he will go on to face Workers Party candidate Gary Votour in November’s election.

8:35 p.m. update

State Sen. Katrina Shealy, R- Lexington, has called Carlisle Kennedy to concede the GOP nomination in Senate District 23.

Even though only 12 of 36 precincts have reported, Shealy told attendees at her election night party that she had left a voicemail for Kennedy.

Kennedy had 2,147 votes. Shealy had 1,397 votes.

Shealy was first elected in 2012 and was part of a group of sister senators who banded together against the state’s fetal heartbeat abortion ban.

8:15 p.m. update

In the Democratic runoff in Senate District 22, Richland County Councilmember Overture Walker has 1,133 votes and leads state Rep. Ivory Thigpen, who has 965 votes.

The totals represent nine of the district’s 35 precincts.

They are running to succeed state Sen. Mia McLeod, a Richland County independent who chose not to run for reelection.

The winner of the race goes on to face Workers Party candidate Gary Votour in November’s election.

8 p.m. update

In the 3rd Congressional District Republican race to succeed U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-Laurens, Sheri Biggs has 8,873 votes and leads Mark Burns who has 8,080 votes.

Biggs, a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard, has been endorsed by Gov. Henry McMaster. Burns, an evangelical pastor, was endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

Check back here as results come in.

7:30 p.m update

The primary elections had low voter turnout driven by the lack of a statewide race on this year’s ballot. The runoffs are expected to have even less.

Only 13.55% of the state’s 3.2 million registered voters turned out for the June 11 primary.

A little less than 1.5 million registered voters were eligible to vote in Tuesday’s runoff election.

According to the S.C. Election Commission, 27,586 people voted early or cast an absentee ballot for the runoff.

Ahead of the June 11 primary election, 139,398 people voted early or cast an absentee ballot.

Reporter Anna Wilder contributed to this article.