1994 South Carolina gubernatorial election

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1994 South Carolina gubernatorial election
Flag of South Carolina.svg
  1990 November 8, 1994 1998  
  GovernorBeasley.JPG Lt. Gov. Nick Theodore of SC.jpg
Nominee David Beasley Nick Theodore
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote470,756447,002
Percentage50.4%47.9%

1994 South Carolina gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Beasley:      40-50%     50-60%     60-70%
Theodore:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

Governor before election

Carroll A. Campbell Jr.
Republican

Elected Governor

David Beasley
Republican

The 1994 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994, to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. The contest featured two politicians from the Upstate and David Beasley narrowly defeated Nick Theodore to become the 113th governor of South Carolina.

Contents

Democratic primary

The South Carolina Democratic Party held their primary for governor on August 9, 1994. Lieutenant Governor Nick Theodore, from the Upstate, emerged as the winner of the runoff election on August 23 against popular Charleston mayor Joseph P. (Joe) Riley Jr. and the three-term Attorney General of South Carolina, Thomas T. Medlock.

Candidates

Results

1994 Democratic gubernatorial primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Nick Theodore 129,57249.56%
Democratic Joseph P. Riley Jr. 99,96738.24%
Democratic Thomas T. Medlock 22,4688.59%
Democratic William Holler9,4393.61%
Total votes261,446 100.00%

Runoff results

1994 Democratic gubernatorial runoff
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Nick Theodore 113,127 50.36% Increase2.svg 0.80
Democratic Joseph P. Riley Jr. 111,51749.64%Increase2.svg11.20
Total votes224,644 100.00%

Republican primary

The South Carolina Republican Party held their primary on August 9, 1994, and the contest featured state representative David Beasley from the Upstate against two Lowcountry politicians. Beasley cruised to victory and benefited from the campaign of popular Charleston mayor Joe Riley for the Democratic nomination by drawing Lowcountry voters away from the Republican primary and towards the Democratic primary.

Candidates

Results

1994 Republican gubernatorial primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican David Beasley 119,72447.19%
Republican Arthur Ravenel Jr. 81,12931.98%
Republican Thomas Hartnett 52,86620.84%
Total votes253,719 100.00%

Runoff results

1994 Republican gubernatorial runoff
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican David Beasley 134,297 57.59% Increase2.svg10.40
Republican Arthur Ravenel Jr. 98,91542.41%Increase2.svg10.43
Total votes233,212 100.00%


General election

Polling

SourceDateBeasley (R)Theodore (D)
The Greenville News Nov. 3, 199438%34%

Results

The general election was held on November 8, 1994, and David Beasley was elected as the next governor of South Carolina in the closest election percentage wise since the disputed election of 1876. Turnout was higher than the previous gubernatorial election because of the competitive nature of the race between the two parties.

South Carolina Gubernatorial Election, 1994
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican David Beasley 470,756 50.41 −19.1
Democratic Nick Theodore 447,00247.87+20.1
U.S. Taxpayers Party John R. Peeples, Jr.8,0030.9+0.9
New Alliance Party Wayne B. Griffin5,8750.6+0.6
No party Write-Ins 2,2140.2−0.2
Majority 23,7542.5−39.2
Turnout 933,85062.3+6.3
Republican hold
1994 South Carolina gubernatorial election map, by percentile by county.
.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}
60%-64% won by Beasley
55%-59% won by Beasley
50%-54% won by Beasley
<50% won by Beasley
<50% won by Theodore
50%-54% won by Theodore
55%-59% won by Theodore
60%-64% won by Theodore
65+% won by Theodore 1994SCGovResults.png
1994 South Carolina gubernatorial election map, by percentile by county.
  60%-64% won by Beasley
  55%-59% won by Beasley
  50%-54% won by Beasley
  <50% won by Beasley
  <50% won by Theodore
  50%-54% won by Theodore
  55%-59% won by Theodore
  60%-64% won by Theodore
  65+% won by Theodore

See also

References

Preceded by
1990
South Carolina gubernatorial elections Succeeded by
1998