2024 United States presidential election in South Carolina

The 2024 United States presidential election in South Carolina took place on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, as part of the 2024 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. South Carolina voters choose electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote. The state of South Carolina has nine electoral votes in the Electoral College.

Prior to the election, almost all major news organizations considered South Carolina a safe red state; the state has voted Republican in every presidential election since 1980, including by double-digit margins since 2012.

South Carolina voted for Trump by a comfortable margin in the election, with him winning the state by 17.9%. Trump received more than 1.48 million votes, which was a record for votes cast for any candidate in the history of South Carolina. This was the largest Republican win in the state since 1988.

Primary elections Democratic primary

On February 4, 2023, the Democratic National Committee approved a new 2024 primary calendar, moving South Carolina to hold its race first on February 3, 2024. Due to protests of the change, the New Hampshire primary was scheduled for January 23, maintaining its traditional "first-in-the-nation" status. However, the primary was deemed non-binding, so the South Carolina primary was the first contest in which candidates could earn delegates. President Biden won the primary in a landslide, winning all 55 of the state's unbound delegates. The Democratic primary recorded low voter turnout among registered voters, with only 4% participating.

The South Carolina Democratic primary was held on February 3, 2024.

Republican primary

The South Carolina Republican primary was held on February 24, 2024, the fifth contest in the nationwide Republican primaries. Nikki Haley, who served as the governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017, lost her home state to former president Donald Trump by 20 points. Trump won six congressional districts, earning a total of 47 delegates. Haley won the , earning three delegates. The Republican primary recorded a voter turnout of 23% among its registered voters, passing its 2016 turnout record.

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of Cook Political Report December 19, 2023 Inside Elections April 26, 2023 Sabato's Crystal Ball June 29, 2023 Decision Desk HQ/The Hill December 14, 2023 CNalysis December 30, 2023 CNN January 14, 2024 The Economist October 16, 2024538 October 21, 2024RCP June 26, 2024 NBC News October 6, 2024

Polling Donald J. Trump vs. Kamala Harris Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error DonaldTrump KamalaHarris Other /UndecidedActiVoteOctober 5–29, 2024400 (LV)± 4.9%58.5%41.5%–ActiVote September 9 – October 17, 2024400 (LV)± 4.9%58%42%–Winthrop UniversitySeptember 21–29, 20241,068 (LV)± 3.0%52%42%6%

Donald J. Trump vs. Kamala Harris vs. Cornel West vs. Jill Stein vs. Chase Oliver Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error Donald J.Trump KamalaHarris CornelWest JillStein ChaseOliver Other /UndecidedThe CitadelOctober 17–25, 20241,241 (RV)± 3.6%53%41%0%0%0%6%1,136 (LV)54%42%0%0%0%4%East Carolina UniversityOctober 18–22, 2024950 (LV)± 3.0%55%42%––1%2% Donald J. Trump vs. Joe Biden

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error Donald J.Trump JoeBiden Other /UndecidedJohn Zogby StrategiesApril 13–21, 2024501 (LV)–52%40%8%Emerson CollegeFebruary 14–16, 20241,197 (RV)± 3.0%51%37%12%The CitadelFebruary 5–11, 20241,000 (RV)± 4.1%54%35%11%Winthrop UniversityFebruary 2–10, 20241,717 (RV)± 2.4%50%35%15%Mainstreet Research/Florida Atlantic University February 1–8, 2024679 (RV)± 3.8%52%34%14%643 (LV)54%36%10%Echelon InsightsAugust 31 – September 7, 2022600 (LV)± 5.1%51%39%10%Blueprint Polling (D)August 24–25, 2022721 (LV)± 3.7%46%34%20%

Donald J. Trump vs. Joe Biden vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vs. Jill Stein vs. Joe Manchin Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error Donald J.Trump JoeBiden Robert F.Kennedy Jr. JillStein JoeManchin Other /UndecidedThe CitadelFebruary 5–11, 20241,000 (RV)± 4.1%49%32%9%3%4%3%

Nikki Haley vs. Joe Biden Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error NikkiHaley JoeBiden Other /UndecidedThe CitadelFebruary 5–11, 20241,000 (RV)± 4.1%50%28%22%Winthrop UniversityFebruary 2–10, 20241,717 (RV)± 2.4%47%29%24%

Nikki Haley vs. Joe Biden vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vs. Jill Stein vs. Joe Manchin Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error NikkiHaley JoeBiden Robert F.Kennedy Jr. JillStein JoeManchin Other /UndecidedThe CitadelFebruary 5–11, 20241,000 (RV)± 4.1%41%25%20%3%4%7%

Donald J. Trump vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error Donald J.Trump Robert F.Kennedy Jr. Other /UndecidedJohn Zogby StrategiesApril 13–21, 2024501 (LV)–47%40%13%

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vs. Joe Biden Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error Robert F.Kennedy Jr. JoeBiden Other /UndecidedJohn Zogby StrategiesApril 13–21, 2024501 (LV)–50%35%15%

Ron DeSantis vs. Joe Biden

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error RonDeSantis JoeBiden Other /UndecidedEchelon InsightsAugust 31 – September 7, 2022600 (LV)± 5.1%42%42%16%

Ballot changes after the primaries On July 21, 2024, Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the presidential race and endorsed Kamala Harris. Harris and running mate Tim Walz replaced Biden on the South Carolina ballot.

On August 23, 2024, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., suspended his presidential campaign and endorsed Donald J. Trump. The Alliance Party of South Carolina removed Kennedy's name from the ballot, fielding no presidential candidate on their ticket for the year.

South Carolina political parties had until September 3 to make final changes and certify their presidential and vice presidential candidates for the state ballot.

Results

By county CountyDonald TrumpRepublicanKamala HarrisDemocraticVarious candidatesOther partiesMarginTotal#%#%#%#%Abbeville8,50970.63%3,39928.21%1401.16%5,11042.41%12,048Aiken53,59262.25%31,29836.35%1,2011.40%22,29425.90%86,091Allendale81326.89%2,16571.62%451.49%-1,352-44.72%3,023Anderson71,82873.07%25,28125.72%1,1871.21%46,54747.35%98,296Bamberg2,37641.73%3,24556.99%731.28%-869-15.26%5,694Barnwell5,60557.18%4,08241.64%1161.18%1,52315.54%9,803Beaufort59,12356.63%44,00242.15%1,2781.22%15,12114.48%104,403Berkeley64,77757.41%46,41641.14%1,6411.45%18,36116.27%112,834Calhoun4,47456.53%3,33942.19%1011.28%1,13514.34%7,914Charleston99,26546.27%111,42751.94%3,8291.78%-12,162-5.67%214,521Cherokee18,69775.27%5,93923.91%2030.82%12,75851.36%24,839Chester9,03058.05%6,35340.84%1731.11%2,67717.21%15,556Chesterfield11,68263.52%6,52035.45%1891.03%5,16228.07%18,391Clarendon9,06555.55%7,06443.28%1911.17%2,00112.26%16,320Colleton10,69658.52%7,37640.36%2041.12%3,32018.17%18,276Darlington17,01756.10%12,97742.78%3371.11%4,04013.32%30,331Dillon6,52655.02%5,24144.19%940.79%1,28510.83%11,861Dorchester43,83956.37%32,48941.78%1,4361.85%11,35014.60%77,764Edgefield9,09265.32%4,65933.47%1681.21%4,43331.85%13,919Fairfield4,79242.73%6,27755.97%1461.30%-1,485-13.24%11,215Florence32,61553.34%27,70645.32%8191.34%4,9098.03%61,140Georgetown22,32659.14%14,96539.64%4631.23%7,36119.50%37,754Greenville158,54160.21%100,07438.01%4,7011.79%58,46722.20%263,316Greenwood19,71563.83%10,76634.85%4071.32%8,94928.97%30,888Hampton3,80146.17%4,32852.57%1041.26%-527-6.40%8,233Horry141,71968.81%62,32530.26%1,9100.93%79,39438.55%205,954Jasper9,90054.32%8,14444.68%1831.00%1,7569.63%18,227Kershaw21,28963.49%11,82635.27%4181.25%9,46328.22%33,533Lancaster33,62361.78%20,14637.01%6581.21%13,47724.76%54,427Laurens21,11069.87%8,76929.02%3341.11%12,34140.85%30,213Lee3,07838.11%4,50555.78%4936.10%-1,427-17.67%8,076Lexington96,96566.01%47,81532.55%2,1231.45%49,15033.46%146,903Marion5,90644.11%7,31654.65%1661.24%-1,410-10.53%13,388Marlboro4,89648.23%5,13750.60%1191.17%-241-2.37%10,152McCormick3,56557.94%2,51340.84%751.22%1,05217.10%6,153Newberry12,06766.56%5,84132.22%2211.22%6,22634.34%18,129Oconee31,77275.18%9,98723.63%5051.19%21,78551.55%42,264Orangeburg13,75037.19%22,83261.76%3881.05%-9,082-24.57%36,970Pickens45,72875.64%13,89122.98%8321.38%31,83752.67%60,451Richland58,01931.81%121,11066.39%3,2821.80%-63,091-34.59%182,411Saluda6,45271.58%2,45427.22%1081.20%3,99844.35%9,014Spartanburg103,03266.22%50,71032.59%1,8551.19%52,32233.63%155,597Sumter21,21546.97%23,42551.86%5301.17%-2,210-4.89%45,170Union8,10265.93%4,08433.23%1030.84%4,01832.70%12,289Williamsburg5,52438.55%8,63460.25%1721.20%-3,110-21.70%14,330York88,23958.80%59,60039.72%2,2201.48%28,63919.09%150,059Totals1,483,74758.23%1,028,45240.36%35,9411.41%455,29517.87%2,548,140 Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Jasper (largest city: Hardeeville)

By congressional district Trump won six of seven congressional districts. District Trump Harris Representative 55.78% 42.70%Nancy Mace 56.23% 42.28%Joe Wilson 70.89% 27.89%Sheri Biggs 60.97% 37.41%William Timmons 60.71% 37.93%Ralph Norman 37.77% 60.63%Jim Clyburn 62.65% 36.30%Russell Fry

Analysis South Carolina handed Republican Donald Trump a comfortable victory, doing so by a margin of 455,295 votes. Notably, Trump improved his margins in every county and gained significant support across all demographics, performing better in suburban, rural, and urban areas. He flipped Jasper County in the southwest of the state, becoming the first Republican to win it since Richard Nixon in 1972.

See also United States presidential elections in South Carolina 2024 United States presidential election 2024 Democratic Party presidential primaries 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries 2024 South Carolina elections 2024 United States elections

Notes

References