South Carolina's 6th congressional district is in central and eastern South Carolina. It includes all of Allendale, Bamberg, Calhoun, Clarendon, Hampton, and Williamsburg counties and parts of Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Florence, Jasper, Orangeburg, Richland and Sumter counties. South Carolina's 6th is a majority-minority district, with a black plurality. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+13, it is the only Democratic district in South Carolina.
Borders The district's current configuration dates from a deal struck in the early 1990s between state Republicans and Democrats in the South Carolina General Assembly to create a majority-black district. The rural counties of the historical black belt in South Carolina make up much of the district, but it sweeps south to include most of the majority-black areas near Beaufort (though not Beaufort itself), then sweeps east to cover most of the majority-black precincts in and around Charleston, and sweeps north to include most of the majority-black precincts in and around Columbia.
From 1993 to 2013, the district stretched from the Pee Dee to the Atlantic Coast, sweeping west to take in most of the majority-black areas of the Midlands. The district borders were shifted south in the 2012 redistricting. It lost its share of the Pee Dee while picking up almost all of the majority-black precincts in the Lowcountry. It now takes in part of the area near the South Carolina-Georgia border, reaching just far enough to the north to grab its share of Columbia itself. In all of its configurations, its politics have been dominated by black voters in the Columbia and Charleston areas.
Following the Reconstruction era, the white Democratic-dominated legislature passed Jim Crow laws, as well as a new constitution in 1895 that effectively disfranchised blacks, crippling the Republican Party in the state. For most of the next 60 years, South Carolina was essentially a one-party state dominated by the Democrats, and blacks were nearly excluded from the political system.
Demographic and political changes have included the Great Migration of blacks out of the state during the Jim Crow era in the first half of the 20th century. At the same time, many white Democrats felt chagrin at the national party's greater support of civil rights for blacks from the 1940s onward, and began splitting their tickets in federal elections. After successes of the Civil Rights Movement in gaining passage of federal legislation in the mid-1960s to enforce their constitutional rights and ability to vote, blacks in South Carolina supported national Democratic candidates. Even before then, white conservatives had begun splitting their tickets and voting for Republicans at the federal level as early as the 1950s, and gradually began moving into the Republican Party in the 1980s.
Since the late 20th century, South Carolina politics have been very racially polarized. Republicans in South Carolina have been mostly white, and most African Americans in the state continue to support the Democrats. In the 21st century, the 6th is considered the only "safe" Democratic district in the state.
From 1883 to 1993, this district included the northeastern part of the state, from Darlington to Myrtle Beach. In this configuration, it was a classic "Yellow Dog" Democratic district; from the end of Reconstruction until 1983, it only elected two Republicans, both for a single term. In 2012, the new 7th congressional district was created; it includes much of the territory that was in the 6th for most of the 20th century.
Jim Clyburn, a Democrat and the Majority Whip from 2019 to 2023, has represented this district since first being elected in 1992.
Composition For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd118/cd_based/ST45/CD118_SC06.pdf
Allendale County (4)
All 4 communities
Bamberg County (5)
All 5 communities
Calhoun County (2)
Cameron, St. Matthews
Charleston County (7)
Adams Run, Charleston (part; also 1st; shared with Berkeley County), Hollywood, Lincolnville, Meggett, North Charleston (part; also 1st; shared with Berkeley and Dorchester counties), Ravenel
Clarendon County (8)
All 8 communities
Colleton County (7)
Cottageville, Islandton, Jacksonboro, Lodge, Smoaks, Walterboro, Williams
Dorchester County (6)
Grover, Harleyville, North Charleston (part; also 1st; shared with Berkeley and Charleston counties), Reevesville, Ridgeville, St. George
Florence County (2)
Lake City, Scranton (part; also 7th)
Hampton County (10)
All 10 communities
Jasper County (4)
Coosawhatchie, Gillisonville, Hardeesville (part; also 1st), Ridgeland (part; also 1st; shared with Beaufort County)
Orangeburg County (12)
Bowman, Branchville, Brookdale, Edisto, Elloree, Eutawville, Holly Hill, Orangeburg, Rowesville, Santee, Vance, Wilkinson Heights
Richland County (9)
Arthurtown, Capitol View (part; also 2nd), Cayce (part; also 2nd; shared with Lexington County), Columbia (part; also 2nd; shared with Lexington County), Eastover, Gadsden, Hopkins, Olympia, St. Andrews (part; also 2nd)
Sumter County (6)
East Sumter (part; also 5th), Lakewood, Mayesville, Shiloh, South Sumter, Sumter (part; also 5th)
Williamsburg County (6)
All 6 communities
Recent election results from statewide races Year Office Results2008 PresidentObama 67% - 32%2012 PresidentObama 68% - 32%2016 PresidentClinton 64% - 32% SenateDixon 59% - 39%2018 GovernorSmith 68% - 32% Secretary of StateWhittenburg 66% - 34% TreasurerGlenn 63% - 33% Attorney GeneralAnastopoulo 66% - 32%2020 PresidentBiden 65% - 33% SenateHarrison 66% - 33%2022 SenateMatthews 59% - 41% GovernorCunningham 63% - 36% Secretary of StatePeggy Butler 59% - 41%2024 PresidentHarris 61% - 38%
List of members representing the district Member Party Years Congress Electoral history District location District established March 4, 1793 Andrew Pickens Anti-Administration March 4, 1793 –March 3, 1795 Elected in 1793.Retired. 1793–1797"Pinckney and Washington district" Samuel Earle Democratic-Republican March 4, 1795 –March 3, 1797 Elected in 1794.Retired. William Smith Democratic-Republican March 4, 1797 –March 3, 1799 Elected in 1796.Lost re-election. 1797–1803"Washington district" Abraham Nott Federalist March 4, 1799 –March 3, 1801 Elected in 1798.Retired. Thomas Moore Democratic-Republican March 4, 1801 –March 3, 1803 Elected in 1800.Redistricted to the . Levi Casey Democratic-Republican March 4, 1803 –February 3, 1807 Elected in 1803.Re-elected in 1804.Re-elected in 1806.Died. 1803–1813"Abbeville district" Vacant February 3, 1807 –June 2, 1807 Joseph Calhoun Democratic-Republican June 2, 1807 –March 3, 1811 Elected to finish Casey's term.Re-elected in 1808.Retired. John C. Calhoun Democratic-Republican March 4, 1811 –November 3, 1817 Elected in 1810.Re-elected in 1812.Re-elected in 1814.Re-elected in 1816.Resigned to become U.S. secretary of war. 1813–1823"Abbeville district" Vacant November 3, 1817 –January 24, 1818 Eldred Simkins Democratic-Republican January 24, 1818 –March 3, 1821 Elected to finish Calhoun's term.Re-elected in 1818.Retired. George McDuffie Democratic-Republican March 4, 1821 –March 3, 1823 Elected in 1820.Redistricted to the . John Wilson Democratic-Republican March 4, 1823 –March 3, 1825 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1823.Re-elected in 1824.Lost re-election. 1823–1833"Pendleton district" Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –March 3, 1827 Warren R. Davis Jacksonian March 4, 1827 –March 3, 1831 Elected in 1826.Re-elected in 1828.Re-elected in 1830.Re-elected in 1833.Re-elected in 1834 but died before next term began. Nullifier March 4, 1831 –January 29, 1835 1833–1843 Vacant January 29, 1835 –September 10, 1835 Waddy Thompson Jr. Anti-Jackson September 10, 1835 –March 3, 1837 Elected to finish Davis's term.Re-elected in 1836.Re-elected in 1838.Retired. Whig March 4, 1837 –March 3, 1841 William Butler Whig March 4, 1841 –March 3, 1843 Elected in 1840.Redistricted to the and lost re-election. Isaac E. Holmes Democratic March 4, 1843 –March 3, 1851 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1843.Re-elected in 1844.Re-elected in 1846.Re-elected in 1848.Lost re-election. 1843–1853 William Aiken Jr. Democratic March 4, 1851 –March 3, 1853 Elected in 1850.Redistricted to the . William W. Boyce Democratic March 4, 1853 –December 21, 1860 Elected in 1853.Re-elected in 1854.Re-elected in 1856.Re-elected in 1858.Re-elected in 1860 but retired due to Civil War. 1853–1860 District inactive December 21, 1860 –March 3, 1867 Civil War and Reconstruction District dissolved March 3, 1867 District re-established March 4, 1883 George W. Dargan Democratic March 4, 1883 –March 3, 1891 Elected in 1882.Re-elected in 1884.Re-elected in 1886.Re-elected in 1888.Retired. 1883–1893 Eli T. Stackhouse Democratic March 4, 1891 –June 14, 1892 Elected in 1890.Died. Vacant June 14, 1892 –December 5, 1892 John L. McLaurin Democratic December 5, 1892 –May 31, 1897 Elected to finish Stackhouse's term.Also elected to the next full term.Re-elected in 1894.Re-elected in 1896.Resigned when appointed U.S. Senator. 1893–1903 Vacant May 31, 1897 –December 6, 1897 James Norton Democratic December 6, 1897 –March 3, 1901 Elected to finish McLaurin's term.Re-elected in 1898.Retired. Robert B. Scarborough Democratic March 4, 1901 –March 3, 1905 Elected in 1900.Re-elected in 1902.Retired. 1903–1913 J. Edwin Ellerbe Democratic March 4, 1905 –March 3, 1913 Elected in 1904.Re-elected in 1906.Re-elected in 1908.Re-elected in 1910.Lost renomination. J. Willard Ragsdale Democratic March 4, 1913 –July 23, 1919 Elected in 1912.Re-elected in 1914.Re-elected in 1916.Re-elected in 1918.Died. 1913–1923 Vacant July 23, 1919 –October 7, 1919 Philip H. Stoll Democratic October 7, 1919 –March 3, 1923 Elected to finish Ragsdale's term.Re-elected in 1920.Lost renomination. Allard H. Gasque Democratic March 4, 1923 –June 17, 1938 Elected in 1922.Re-elected in 1924.Re-elected in 1926.Re-elected in 1928.Re-elected in 1930.Re-elected in 1932.Re-elected in 1934.Re-elected in 1936.Died. 1923–1933 1933–1943 Vacant June 17, 1938 –September 13, 1938 Elizabeth H. Gasque Democratic September 13, 1938 –January 3, 1939 Elected to finish her husband's term.Retired. John L. McMillan Democratic January 3, 1939 –January 3, 1973 Elected in 1938.Re-elected in 1940.Re-elected in 1942.Re-elected in 1944.Re-elected in 1946.Re-elected in 1948.Re-elected in 1950.Re-elected in 1952.Re-elected in 1954.Re-elected in 1956.Re-elected in 1958.Re-elected in 1960.Re-elected in 1962.Re-elected in 1964.Re-elected in 1966.Re-elected in 1968.Re-elected in 1970.Lost renomination. 1943–1953 1953–1963 1963–1973 Edward Lunn Young Republican January 3, 1973 –January 3, 1975 Elected in 1972.Lost re-election. 1973–1983 John Jenrette Democratic January 3, 1975 –December 10, 1980 Elected in 1974.Re-elected in 1976.Re-elected in 1978.Lost re-election and resigned early as a result of the ABSCAM scandal. John L. Napier Republican January 3, 1981 –January 3, 1983 Elected in 1980.Lost re-election. Robin Tallon Democratic January 3, 1983 –January 3, 1993 Elected in 1982.Re-elected in 1984.Re-elected in 1986.Re-elected in 1988.Re-elected in 1990.Retired following redistricting. 1983–1993 Jim Clyburn Democratic January 3, 1993 –present Elected in 1992.Re-elected in 1994.Re-elected in 1996.Re-elected in 1998.Re-elected in 2000.Re-elected in 2002.Re-elected in 2004.Re-elected in 2006.Re-elected in 2008.Re-elected in 2010.Re-elected in 2012.Re-elected in 2014.Re-elected in 2016.Re-elected in 2018.Re-elected in 2020.Re-elected in 2022.Re-elected in 2024. 1993–20032003–2013 2013–2023 2023–2033
Past election results 2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
See also
List of United States congressional districts South Carolina's congressional districts