With filing done, the 8 most interesting SC races and storylines to watch in 2024

Political junkies won’t have statewide races in South Carolina to watch outside of the presidential election. That means local elections will take center stage in the state for both major parties during the 2024 cycle.

Because of the way most districts are drawn, the primary elections will be the key contests.

Here are races to watch:

Congressional races

In the First Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-Isle of Palms, is facing a primary challenge from Catherine Templeton and Bill Young. This race could get heated between Mace and Templeton. Mace already has received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump. Templeton announced she raised $461,000 in her first quarter on the campaign trail.

Trump’s endorsement usually is key in a GOP primary, but former Gov. Nikki Haley won the district in February’s presidential primary.

Third Congressional District GOP primary featuring Sherri Biggs, Kevin Bishop, the former spokesman for U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, and state Rep. Stewart Jones, a House Freedom Caucus member, are vying for the seat. But it was Mark Burns, a pastor who supported Trump’s campaign as well, who received the former president’s endorsement in the primary.

“While “there are many great Conservatives exploring a run for that seat,” that Burns was “an America First Fighter, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement — He is a Good Man, a Hard Worker, and will not let you down!” Trump said when making his endorsement.

With that field so large, it may lead to a runoff June 25.

Current U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-Laurens, decided not to run for reelection.

Who’s running for Congress in SC? Primaries set as six incumbents get challenged

The Fourth Congressional District GOP primary between current U.S. Rep. William Timmons, R-Greenville, and state Rep. Adam Morgan, R-Greenville, has heated up on social media. Morgan is chairman of the S.C. House Freedom Caucus, but Timmons received Trump’s endorsement in the Upstate race.

State Senate districts

State Sens. Sandy Senn, R-Charleston, Penry Gustafson, R-Kershaw, and Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, all have primary challengers following their push last year to fight against an abortion ban.

The three Republican women along with state Sen. Margie Bright Matthews, D-Colleton, and state Sen. Mia McLeod, I-Richland, banded together as the “sister senators” against a proposed abortion ban at conception. Lawmakers eventually agreed to a six-week ban.

Senn in District 41 is being challenged by state Rep. Matt Leber, R-Charleston. Gustafson is being challenged by Lancaster County Board Member Allen Blackmon. Democrat Yokima Cureton also has filed.

In District 23, Shealy has a primary challenges from Carlisle Kennedy and Zoe Warren.

All three challenges set up the scenario where the number of incumbent women in the male dominated chamber potentially drops. However, women are running in at least 21 Senate districts, according to a review by The State.

The Senate District 26 Democratic primary between state Sen. Dick Harpootlian, D-Richland, and state Rep. Russell Ott, D-Calhoun, has already become heated with the two candidates sniping at each other on social media.

The district is a new district where Harpootlian and state Sen. Nikki Setzler, D-Lexington, were drawn into a district together. Setzler, who is the longest serving state senator in the country, opted not to run again.

State Sen. Thomas McElveen, D-Sumter, is not running for reelection and it has sparked a wide open race in District 35. Democrats Austin B. Floyd Jr., Jeffrey Graham, Lucy Mahon, Dwight C. Moore and Melissa J. Weeks-Richardson have filed. Republicans Lindsay Agostini, Christina Allard, Jerry Chivers and Mike Jones filed to run for the seat.

State Sen. Mike Fanning, a Democrat from Fairfield County, may face a tough general election a rural areas become increasingly conservative. Three Republicans are seeking the seat: Tibi Czentye, Tripp McCoy and Everett Stubbs.

House districts to watch

State Rep. Neal Collins, R-Pickens, has had challenging primary elections in the last few cycles. The 2024 cycle is set to be the same. He has one primary challenger: Brandy Tarleton.

House District 75, currently represented by state Rep. Heather Bauer, D-Richland, is expected to be a close race in November. Bauer, who is running for reelection, narrowly defeated former Republican state Rep. Kirkman Finlay in 2022.

Finlay wants his old seat back and is seeking a rematch. Finlay would have to win a primary race against Tracy Robins.

The Democratic race in District 93, a seat currently held by Ott who is running for the state senate, has four candidates: former state Rep. Jerry Govan, a consultant for nonprofits Phillip Ford, Johnny Felder and Chris Roland.

But an aspect to watch is how conservative does the House chamber become.

Forty house districts have contested Republican primaries, including 10 districts currently represented by hardline House Freedom Caucus members. The GOP primaries may be a test in how influential the Freedom Caucus movement is on the campaign trail or how well more establishment Republicans perform at the ballot box.