1974 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

1974 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

←  1972 November 5, 1974 (1974-11-05) 1976  →
All 6 South Carolina seats to the United States House of Representatives
Majority party Minority party   Party Democratic Republican Last election 4 2 Seats won 5 1 Seat change 1 1
District results Democratic   50–60%   60–70%   70–80% Republican   50–60%

The 1974 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 5, 1974, to select six Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. The primary elections were held on July 16 and the runoff elections were held two weeks later on July 30. Three incumbents were re-elected, Democrat John Jenrette defeated incumbent Republican Edward Lunn Young in the 6th district and the two open seats in the 3rd and 5th districts were retained by the Democrats. The composition of the state delegation after the elections was five Democrats and one Republican.

1st congressional district

1974 South Carolina's 1st congressional district election

←  1972 November 5th, 1974 1976  →

Nominee Mendel J. Davis George B. Rast Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 60,142 22,000 Percentage 72.2% 26.4%

County results Davis:     70-80%     80-90%

U.S. Representative before election Mendel J. Davis Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Mendel J. Davis Democratic

Incumbent Democratic Congressman Mendel Jackson Davis of the 1st congressional district, in office since 1971, defeated Republican challenger George B. Rast.

General election results

South Carolina's 1st congressional district election results, 1974

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Mendel J. Davis (incumbent)	60,142	72.2	+17.9
	Republican	George B. Rast	22,000	26.4	−19.3
	Independent	Charles Amaker	673	0.8	+0.8
	United Citizens Party	Benjamin Frasier, Jr.	509	0.6	+0.6
Majority			38,142	45.8	+37.2
Turnout			83,324
	Democratic hold

2nd congressional district

1974 South Carolina's 2nd congressional district election

←  1972 November 5th, 1974 1976  →

Nominee Floyd Spence Matthew J. Perry Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 58,936 45,205 Percentage 56.1% 43.0%

County results Spence:     50-60%     70-80% Perry:     50-60%     60-70%

U.S. Representative before election Floyd Spence Republican Elected U.S. Representative Floyd Spence Republican

Incumbent Republican Congressman Floyd Spence of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1971, defeated Democratic challenger Matthew J. Perry.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary
Candidate	Votes	%
Matthew J. Perry	31,360	57.5
Cole Blease Graham	23,189	42.5

General election results

South Carolina's 2nd congressional district election results, 1974

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Floyd Spence (incumbent)	58,936	56.1	−43.9
	Democratic	Matthew J. Perry	45,205	43.0	+43.0
	Independent	Paul Proveaux	950	0.9	+0.9
Majority			13,731	13.1	−86.9
Turnout			105,091
	Republican hold

3rd congressional district

1974 South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election

←  1972 November 5th, 1974 1976  →

Nominee Butler Derrick Marshall Parker Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 55,120 34,036 Percentage 61.8% 38.2%

County results Mace:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90% Mace:     50-60%

U.S. Representative before election Butler Derrick Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Butler Derrick Democratic

Incumbent Democratic Congressman William Jennings Bryan Dorn of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1951, chose to not seek re-election and instead made an unsuccessful run for governor. Butler Derrick won the Democratic primary and defeated Republican Marshall Parker in the general election.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary
Candidate	Votes	%
Butler Derrick	36,501	64.7
Jack M. McIntosh	13,751	24.4
George M. Jones	6,138	10.9

General election results

South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election results, 1974

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Butler Derrick	55,120	61.8	−13.4
	Republican	Marshall Parker	34,036	38.2	+13.4
Majority			21,084	23.6	−26.8
Turnout			89,156
	Democratic hold

4th congressional district

1974 South Carolina's 4th congressional district election

←  1972 November 5th, 1974 1976  →

Nominee James R. Mann Robert Watkins Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 45,070 26,193 Percentage 63.2% 36.8%

County results Mann:     60-70%

U.S. Representative before election James R. Mann Democratic Elected U.S. Representative James R. Mann Democratic

Incumbent Democratic Congressman James R. Mann of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1969, defeated Republican challenger Robert L. Watkins.

General election results

South Carolina's 4th congressional district election results, 1974

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	James R. Mann (incumbent)	45,070	63.2	−2.9
	Republican	Robert L. Watkins	26,193	36.8	+2.9
Majority			18,877	26.4	−5.8
Turnout			71,263
	Democratic hold

5th congressional district

1974 South Carolina's 5th congressional district election

←  1972 November 5th, 1974 1976  →

Nominee Kenneth Lamar Holland B. Len Phillips Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 47,617 29,294 Percentage 61.4 % 37.8%

County results Holland:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%

U.S. Representative before election Kenneth Lamar Holland Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Kenneth Lamar Holland Democratic

Incumbent Democratic Congressman Thomas S. Gettys of the 5th congressional district, in office since 1964, opted to retire. Kenneth Lamar Holland won the Democratic primary and defeated Republican B. Len Phillips in the general election.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary
Candidate	Votes	%
Kenneth Lamar Holland	20,176	31.5
Frank Roddey	17,051	26.7
John Justice	11,406	17.8
Robert H. Moore	5,848	9.1
E.M. Watt	3,631	5.7
Howard J. Parnell	3,244	5.1
William S. Holler	2,648	4.1

Democratic primary runoff
Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Kenneth Lamar Holland	32,549	52.2	+20.7
Frank Roddey	29,768	47.8	+21.1

General election results

South Carolina's 5th congressional district election results, 1974

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Kenneth Lamar Holland	47,617	61.4	+0.5
	Republican	B. Len Phillips	29,294	37.8	−1.3
	Independent	James B. Sumner	637	0.8	+0.8
Majority			18,323	23.6	+1.8
Turnout			77,548
	Democratic hold

6th congressional district

1974 South Carolina's 6th congressional district election

←  1972 November 5th, 1974 1976  →

Nominee John Jenrette Edward Lunn Young Party Democratic Republican Popular vote John Jenrette 41,982 Percentage 52.0% 48.0%

County results Jenrette:     50-60%     60-70% Young:     50-60%

U.S. Representative before election Edward Lunn Young Republican Elected U.S. Representative John Jenrette Democratic

Incumbent Republican Congressman Edward Lunn Young of the 6th congressional district, in office since 1973, was defeated in his bid for re-election by Democrat John Jenrette.

General election results

South Carolina's 6th congressional district election results, 1974

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	John Jenrette	45,396	52.0	+5.4
	Republican	Edward Lunn Young (incumbent)	41,982	48.0	−5.4
Majority			3,414	4.0	−2.8
Turnout			87,378
	Democratic gain from Republican

See also

• United States House elections, 1974
• United States Senate election in South Carolina, 1974
• South Carolina's congressional districts

References

• State Election Commission (1975). Report of the South Carolina State Election Commission. Columbia, SC: State Election Commission. pp. 38–39, 446–447.