1970 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

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1970 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina
Flag of South Carolina.svg
  1968 November 3, 1970 (1970-11-03) [1] 1972  

All 6 South Carolina seats to the United States House of Representatives
 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election51
Seats won51
Seat changeSteady2.svgSteady2.svg
Popular vote309,487115,531
Percentage72.49%27.06%
SwingIncrease2.svg 6.20%Decrease2.svg 5.42%

SC1970CD.svg
District results
South Carolina congressional districts, 1962 to 1970
1st district
2nd district
3rd district
4th district
5th district
6th district SCCongDist1962-1972.png
South Carolina congressional districts, 1962 to 1970
  1st district
  2nd district
  3rd district
  4th district
  5th district
  6th district

The 1970 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 3, 1970, to select six Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. The primary elections were held on June 9 and the runoff elections were held two weeks later on June 23. All five incumbents who ran were re-elected and the open seat in the 2nd district was retained by the Republicans. The composition of the state delegation remained five Democrats and one Republican.

Contents

1st congressional district

Incumbent Democratic Congressman L. Mendel Rivers of the 1st congressional district, in office since 1941, was unopposed in his bid for re-election.

General election results

South Carolina's 1st congressional district election results, 1970
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic L. Mendel Rivers (incumbent)63,891100.00.0
Majority 63,891100.00.0
Turnout 63,891
Democratic hold

2nd congressional district

Incumbent Republican Congressman Albert Watson of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1963, chose to run for Governor instead of re-election. Floyd Spence, a Republican state senator who had unsuccessfully run for the seat in the 1962 elections, defeated Democratic challenger Heyward McDonald.

General election results

South Carolina's 2nd congressional district election results, 1970
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Floyd Spence 48,09353.1−4.5
Democratic Heyward McDonald42,00546.4+4.0
Independent Donald Cole4860.5+0.5
Majority 6,0886.7−8.5
Turnout 90,584
Republican hold

3rd congressional district

Incumbent Democratic Congressman William Jennings Bryan Dorn of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1951, defeated Republican challenger Grady Ballard.

General election results

South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election results, 1970
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic William J.B. Dorn (incumbent)60,70875.2+9.1
Republican Grady Ballard19,98124.8−6.9
Majority 40,72750.4+16.0
Turnout 80,689
Democratic hold

4th congressional district

Incumbent Democratic Congressman James R. Mann of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1969, was unopposed in his bid for re-election.

General election results

South Carolina's 4th congressional district election results, 1970
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic James R. Mann (incumbent)52,175100.0+38.8
Majority 52,175100.0+77.6
Turnout 52,175
Democratic hold

5th congressional district

Incumbent Democratic Congressman Thomas S. Gettys of the 5th congressional district, in office since 1964, defeated Republican challenger B. Leonard Phillips.

General election results

South Carolina's 5th congressional district election results, 1970
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Thomas S. Gettys (incumbent)43,71265.9−8.8
Republican B. Leonard Phillips21,91133.1+11.3
Independent James B. Sumner6881.0−2.5
Majority 21,80132.8−20.1
Turnout 66,311
Democratic hold

6th congressional district

Incumbent Democratic Congressman John L. McMillan of the 6th congressional district, in office since 1939, won the Democratic primary and defeated Republican Edward B. Baskin in the general election.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary
CandidateVotes%
John L. McMillan 26,192 49.6
Claude L. Stephens 11,534 21.8
Bill R. Craig 11,047 20.9
Olin Sansbury Jr. 4,042 7.7
Democratic primary runoff
CandidateVotes%±%
John L. McMillan 46,03071.2+21.6
Claude L. Stephens18,62028.8+7.0

General election results

South Carolina's 6th congressional district election results, 1970
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic John L. McMillan (incumbent)46,92664.1+5.8
Republican Edward B. Baskin25,54634.9−5.0
Independent Charles H. Smith7731.0−0.8
Majority 21,38029.2+10.8
Turnout 73,245
Democratic hold

See also

References

  1. "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 3, 1970" (PDF). clerk.house.gov. Retrieved February 11, 2024.