On Tuesday, March 15, 2022, a photograph captured Sen. Dick Harpootlian during a South Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee meeting held in Columbia, S.C. The image was taken by Travis Bell and was featured in the STATEHOUSE CAROLINA, which is a special to the SC Daily Gazette.
In one of the most closely-watched Democratic contests in South Carolina, the former state Democratic Party chairman, who gained national notoriety as the lawyer to Alex Murdaugh, was ousted by Midlands voters on Tuesday.
The hardline Freedom Caucus-backed challengers dealt a blow to several GOP incumbents during the recent election night. This development is expected to escalate GOP vs. GOP conflicts in the House. Among the casualties were several Republican representatives, including a long-serving Upstate chairman.
Next year, the winners in the Senate will almost certainly push for an all-out ban on abortion, indicating that the issue will remain on the GOP’s agenda.
In the competition to secure control over a newly redrawn Senate district in the Columbia area, Rep. Russell Ott from St. Matthews edged out Sen. Dick Harpootlian from Columbia. The two were competing for the position of Sen. Nikki Setzler, who holds the title of the state’s longest-serving legislator and is retiring after an impressive 48-year tenure in the upper chamber.
After the census, the district lines were redrawn, resulting in the seat being moved further into Calhoun County. This change is significant for both Ott and his father, as they have been representing the county for a combined total of 26 years.
Harpootlian strongly criticized Russell Ott for siding with Republicans on anti-abortion legislation in the past, which is a significant concern for Democrats residing in the staunchly liberal areas of downtown Columbia.
In February 2021, Ott voted in favor of the Legislature’s first law that prohibited abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy. However, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, the law became more than just an ideological exercise. Ott, who was previously painted as a flip-flopper by his opponents, has since voted against Republican-led abortion bans. Additionally, he has been actively working towards expanding women’s access to birth control, highlighting his commitment to women’s reproductive health and rights.
Calhoun County farmer Ott criticized Harpootlian for not representing the entire district and focusing solely on Murdaugh’s case. He pointed out that Harpootlian’s involvement in the trial, which kept him away from the Statehouse for extended periods, had a negative impact on the district’s representation. Ott also disapproved of Harpootlian’s use of colorful language.
Harpootlian expressed that his campaign was able to achieve the desired number of votes in Richland and Lexington counties, where he has a strong presence. However, Ott’s hometown of Calhoun witnessed an unexpectedly high voter turnout in his favor. Ott was able to secure the rural vote, ultimately leading to his victory over Harpootlian by a margin of 120 votes.
According to Harpootlian, the voters in Calhoun County have made it clear that they want a senator. “They certainly expressed that with their votes yesterday,” he stated.
During a press conference held on Wednesday morning, he acknowledged Ott’s victory and extended his support towards him for the upcoming November elections.
Harpootlian acknowledged the process that took place the previous day, admitting that he was not the winner. He clarified that he had no intention of accusing anyone of theft or throwing a fit. He also affirmed that he had complete faith in the system and did not harbor any doubts regarding its fairness.
In 2018, the senator won a special election and turned a Senate seat previously held by a Republican for many years. Before his time in the Senate, he served on the Richland County Council, worked as the solicitor of the Fifth Circuit, which includes Richland and Kershaw counties, and held two separate terms as the state Democratic Party chairman.
His Senate seat was officially sent to the Lowcountry during the post-census redistricting.
According to Harpootlian, he is uncertain about his future plans beyond managing his law firm. It is worth noting that his spouse holds the position of ambassador to Slovenia.
Amidst the sorrowful aftermath of yesterday’s tragedy, a 75-year-old individual made a light-hearted remark about the promising political future that was cut short.
It is yet to be seen who Ott will face in the purple district during the upcoming November elections. A run-off will decide the Republican candidates, including Jason Guerry, who is a construction company owner, and Chris Smith, a retired real estate agent who identifies as a staunch conservative.
Pulling to the right
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In the Upstate region, far-right candidates supported by the House Freedom Caucus managed to win three seats that were previously held by GOP caucus incumbents.
Republican leaders attempted to reduce the caucus that has been relentlessly criticizing them both in the chamber and on social media. However, their efforts backfired as the primary results actually increased the number of caucus members.
Only a slim margin of less than 60 votes separated Rep. Bill Sandifer, a 30-year veteran from Seneca, and Adam Duncan, a wrestling coach from the same town who was supported by the Freedom Caucus and had no prior political experience.
For 16 years, Sandifer has held the position of Chairman of the House Labor, Commerce, and Industry Committee.
Thomas Gilreath, a former National Guardsman and farmer from Belton who runs a grading and paving company, has defeated Assistant Majority Leader Jay West, R-Belton, who had been in office for eight years.
Phillip Bowers defeated Rep. Jerry Carter, R-Clemson, in the election.
In 2020, Carter secured his first election victory by defeating Bowers, who is a former member of the Pickens County School Board, in the GOP primary. It is worth noting that the seat has usually been held by a moderate Republican. Bowers will now be up against Democrat Eunice Lehmacher in the upcoming November elections.
House Majority Leader David Hiott acknowledged the loss of three valuable members, but stated that it is the nature of politics to have turnover during elections.
According to Hiott, R-Pickens, the recent victories of the Freedom Caucus will not bring significant changes to the House Majority Caucus. He acknowledges the decision of the voters in those districts who decided to remove the incumbents. Hiott also believes that the Republicans have a chance of gaining a few seats in the upcoming November elections.
According to him, the Freedom Caucus may have gained one or two members, but that does not alter the fact that they are still in the minority.
Rep. Neal Collins, R-Easley, emerged victorious with a significant win of nearly 55% of the vote, which could be his widest margin in recent history. Despite facing challengers from the Freedom Caucus, a dozen other Republicans in the majority caucus managed to retain their seats.
The ultra-conservative caucus not only secured three Upstate seats, but it also retained 15 other seats. There are still two contests going to a run-off, and Freedom Caucus candidates are still in the race, indicating that the group could potentially expand to 20 members.
According to political consultant and Freedom Caucus co-founder Rep. R.J. May, the campaigns he worked on were successful in defeating establishment Republicans.
“Heard last night were the voices of South Carolina voters,” he stated. “Their desire for a more conservative and efficient government was evident and they are exhausted by the politics as usual displayed by the moderate Republicans and liberal Democrats who make up the ruling coalition.”
In South Carolina, the primary elections hold a significant influence on the outcome of most races. The Republican-dominated districts that have been won by Freedom Caucus candidates are no exception. With an eye on further expansion, May aims to extend the influence of the caucus to the state Senate.
He declined to name anyone, but there are several candidates with whom they are in talks and hoping to join their effort. The goal is to make this a bicameral effort, and they plan to have conversations with these candidates to explore this possibility.
Governor Henry McMaster has recently taken a stance in Statehouse GOP primaries for the first time since his election. Unfortunately, all three candidates that he endorsed, who were challenging Freedom Caucus members, were defeated. Furthermore, even the incumbents that he endorsed, namely West and Sandifer, suffered losses in the recent elections.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Governor’s spokesperson Brandon Charochak stated that there is no indication of a change in the historically successful working relationship between the governor and the General Assembly, as evident from the recent returns.
Senate hopefuls
Several House members, apart from Ott, also contested for a Senate seat but failed to secure the required 50%-plus-one votes to win outright. The outcomes of those contests will be decided in the June 26 run-offs.
The upcoming election in Richland County is set to be a showdown between two candidates, Rep. Ivory Thigpen, a Democrat from Columbia, and Richland County councilman Overture Walker. The seat they are vying for was previously held by Democrat-turned-Independent Sen. Mia McLeod, in a heavily Democratic area.
The forthcoming election will see Rep. Jason Elliott, a Republican from Greenville, pitted against Ben Carper, a real estate broker who has a teaching history and is supported by the chancellor of Bob Jones University, a private conservative Christian college located in Greenville. Carper has stated that he intends to collaborate with the Freedom Caucus, as reported by the Greenville News.
It’s worth mentioning the races where South Carolina’s female GOP senators are involved.
Last year, the group of women in the chamber, who referred to themselves as “sister senators”, voted unanimously against the proposed six-week abortion ban. It’s worth noting that at the time, there were only five members in the group, but a sixth member has since been sworn in. Although they weren’t successful in blocking the final version of the bill, they played a key role in defeating the near-total ban that had been passed by House Republicans. This particular bill would have made it illegal to undergo an abortion from the very moment a pregnancy was medically detectable.
Primary challenges were faced by all three Republican female senators, despite their efforts. One of the senators, namely freshman Sen. Penry Gustafson, R-Camden, was defeated by her challenger.
The race between Charleston Senator Sandy Senn and Johns Island House member, Rep. Matt Leber, is fiercely contested and has reached an automatic recount stage. The margin between the two candidates is less than 1% of the total votes cast.
In the South Carolina Senate primary, Sen. Katrina Shealy, the sole chairwoman, emerged as a leading candidate, but fell short of securing the victory. As a result, she is now headed to a runoff against Carlisle Kennedy, who is the son of former state Rep. Ralph Kennedy. In 2016, Ralph Kennedy was removed from his position in a GOP primary. Despite a strong showing, Shealy will now have to compete against Kennedy to secure the nomination.
Harpotlian, in his concession speech, gave a heartfelt shoutout to the “sister senators” and expressed his remorse over the loss of one and the uncertainty faced by two others.
He said, “This indicates the current position of our state, particularly in the Republican primary.”
Comeback attempts
Former legislators seeking to return to office were also present in South Carolina’s primaries.
In his bid to regain his Spartanburg area seat, former Senator Lee Bright, a Republican from Roebuck, will face off in a run-off against Representative Roger Nutt, a Republican from Moore, who is seeking a Senate seat.
Kirkman Finlay emerged victorious in the Republican primary and will now face off against Heather Bauer, the incumbent Democrat from Columbia, in the upcoming 2022 elections. Finlay is looking to reclaim his seat in the House of Representatives. Meanwhile, Vic Dabney, the former Republican representative from Camden, suffered a significant defeat in his bid for a comeback.
Jerry Govan, a former Representative from Orangeburg, is headed to a run-off against Johnny Felder in the race to fill Ott’s seat as he heads to the Senate.
Running for the seat previously occupied by his father, former Rep. John Gressette Felder, for 24 years, Felder brings with him a strong political lineage. He is also the great-nephew of the late state Sen. Marion Gressette, after whom the Senate’s office building on Statehouse grounds is named. Gressette remains one of the state’s longest-serving legislators ever.
The SC Daily Gazette reported that the latest election results showed disappointing news for Harpootlian as he lost his Senate seat. Additionally, the “sister senators” also lost ground, while the Freedom Caucus expanded its reach.