2014 United States Senate special election in South Carolina

The 2014 United States Senate special election in South Carolina took place on November 4, 2014, concurrently with the regular election for the other South Carolina Senate seat. The special-election Senate seat was formerly held by Republican Jim DeMint, who resigned on January 2, 2013, to become president of the Heritage Foundation.

Nikki Haley, the Republican governor of South Carolina, announced the appointment of U.S. Representative Tim Scott to fill the seat. Scott ran in the special election and won by beating Democratic candidate and Richland County councilwoman Joyce Dickerson in the November election. Scott became the first black senator in the state's history and the first in a former Confederate state since 1881.

The election was noted for being the second U.S. Senate election since the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment, and the first in a former Confederate state in which both major party nominees were black. This was also the first of three consecutive elections to this seat in which both major party nominees were black.

Background On December 6, 2012, Senator Jim DeMint announced his intention to resign effective January 1, 2013, to become the president of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.

Nikki Haley, the governor of South Carolina, appointed a replacement to fill the seat until the special election. Haley indicated that she would not appoint a "placeholder" to the seat, but would appoint someone who would stand in a 2014 special election to serve the remaining two years of DeMint's term. On December 17, 2012, Haley announced that she would appoint Scott to DeMint's seat following his resignation.

Senate replacement process

According to sources close to Governor Haley, as of December 11, 2012, she had narrowed the list of potential appointees down to five:

Trey Gowdy, U.S. representative (SC-04) Henry McMaster, former South Carolina attorney general Jenny Sanford, former First Lady of South Carolina Tim Scott, U.S. representative (SC-01) Catherine Templeton, head of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control

Other politicians mentioned as possible replacements for DeMint included U.S. Representatives Mick Mulvaney and Joe Wilson, former U.S. Representative Gresham Barrett, state representative Nathan Ballentine, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, former Ambassador to Canada David Wilkins, former South Carolina Republican Party chair Katon Dawson, and Haley's deputy chief of staff Tedd Pitts.

Liberal comedian Stephen Colbert, a South Carolina native, expressed interest in being appointed to the seat, asking his fans to tweet Haley that she should appoint him. Chad Walldorf, the owner of the Sticky Fingers restaurant chain, was also mentioned as a potential placeholder.

Polling on DeMint's replacement A Public Policy Polling poll released on December 10, 2012, which asked respondents who they wanted to replace DeMint, showed Colbert with the highest total. He had support at 20 percent, followed by Scott at 15 percent, Gowdy at 14 percent, and Sanford at 11 percent. Haley said that she would not appoint Colbert to the seat.

Republican primary Candidates Declared Tim Scott, incumbent U.S. senator Randall Young

Results

Democratic primary Candidates Declared Joyce Dickerson, Richland County councilwoman and former chair of the National Foundation for Women Legislators Sidney Moore, former York County councilman Harry Pavilack, attorney and candidate for South Carolina's 7th congressional district in 2012

Withdrew Rick Wade, former United States Department of Commerce official and nominee for Secretary of State of South Carolina in 2002

Declined Jim Hodges, former governor of South Carolina John L. Scott, Jr., state senator James E. Smith, Jr., state representative (running for re-election) Leon Stavrinakis, state representative (running for re-election)

Polling Poll source JoyceDickerson SidneyMoore HarryPavilack UndecidedClemson UniversityClemson University May 26 – June 2, 2014 400 ± 6% 11% 7% 3% 79%

Results

Independent and third parties Candidates Declared Jill Bossi (American Party), vice president of the American Red Cross

Removed from ballot Brandon Armstrong (Independent), businesswoman

General election Debates Complete video of debate, October 28, 2014

Endorsements

Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report November 3, 2014 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 3, 2014 Rothenberg Political Report November 3, 2014 Real Clear Politics November 3, 2014

Polling Poll source TimScott (R) JoyceDickerson (D) Other UndecidedRasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports July 9–10, 2014 750 ± 4% 53% 31% 6% 11%CBS News/NYT/YouGovCBS News/NYT/YouGov July 5–24, 2014 1,180 ± 5.4% 52% 40% 2% 9%CBS News/NYT/YouGovCBS News/NYT/YouGov August 18 – September 2, 2014 833 ± 5% 54% 33% 0% 13%Winthrop UniversityWinthrop University September 21–28, 2014 1,082 ± 3% 52.4% 31.8% 1.9%Jill Bossi (AP) 1.8%, Other 0.1% 13.8%CBS News/NYT/YouGovCBS News/NYT/YouGov September 20 – October 1, 2014 2,663 ± 2% 54% 31% 0% 14%CBS News/NYT/YouGov October 16–23, 2014 1,566 ± 4% 57% 28% 0% 15%

Results

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Calhoun (largest town: St. Matthews) Clarendon (largest city: Manning) Sumter (largest city: Sumter) Richland (largest city: Columbia)

2014 United States Senate special election in South Carolina

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