Elliott, Nutt, Sanders, Huff, Edgerton win South Carolina statehouse races, what to know

Upstate voters decided the winners in the five Republican primaries for the South Carolina Senate and House of Representatives.

Two-and-a-half hours after polls closed, 100% of Spartanburg and Greenville's precincts fully reported bringing the majority of the state Senate and House races to a close, with most candidates keeping their early leads. However, as final results came in from Anderson County, the likely outcome for state House District 9 changed, with Blake Sanders surpassing James Galyean's early lead.

Voter turnout was low statewide, with only 87,170 voters casting a ballot, about 5.8% of registered voters. According to the South Carolina Elections Commission, Greenville County saw a 10.48% voter turnout, Spartanburg County saw a 7.57% voter turnout, and Anderson County saw a 12.11% voter turnout.

Five races from the Republican primaries on June 11—Senate Districts 6 and 12 and House Districts 9, 28, and 34—ultimately resulted in runoff elections. The new seat holders for Senate District 6 and House Districts 9 and 34 were determined tonight since no candidates from other parties filed to run against them.

Two races, those of state Senate District 12 and state House District 28, will continue in November as the Republican primary runoff winners face Democratic opponents.

State Senate District 6

With 100% of precincts reporting, unofficial results show Jason Elliott's win with 4,542 votes. Ben Carper received 4,249 votes.

On June 11, incumbent Elliott received 6,887 votes, and Carper received 4,467 votes, leading to a runoff. A third contender, Dan Nickles, received 2,886 votes.

Elliott has held the District 6 seat since 2016. Carper is a real estate broker and lives in Greenville.

Elliott will replace Dwight A. Loftis, who has held the seat since 2019 and is retiring at the end of his term.

State Senate District 12

With 100% of precincts reporting, unofficial results show a tight race, but a win for Roger Nutt, who received 3,163 votes, closely followed by Lee Bright with 3,020 votes.

Bright led the four-candidate race for state Senate District 12 on June 11 with 4,186 votes, followed by Nutt with 2,656 votes.

Candidates Hope Blackley and Skip Davenport received 2,520 and 2,091 votes, respectively.

The candidates were vying to fill the seat left by Sen. Scott Talley, who will retire at the end of his term. Bright held the seat from 2009-2017, when he was unseated by Talley, who held it for two terms. Nutt has held the state House District 34 seat since 2020.

Nutt will face Democrat Octavia Amaechi, who was unopposed in the primary, in the November general election.

State House District 9

With 100% of precincts reporting, Blake Sanders overtook James Galyean's early lead with 1,970 votes. Galyean had 1,674 votes.

On June 11, Sanders received 1,853 votes, Galyean received 1,726, and Rick Bradshaw, the third candidate, received 871 votes.

Sanders is a landscape architect, Clemson University lecturer, and former mayor of West Pelzer. Galyean is the Chief Executive Officer of Icelaven Development Group, a former Assistant United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina, and has founded charter schools in Anderson and Laurens counties.

The runoff winner will take the seat of Anne J. Thayer, who has held the seat since 2010. She will be retiring at the end of her term.

State House District 28

With 100% of precincts reporting, unofficial results show Chris Huff's win with 1,771 votes, followed by Kerri Smith's 894 votes.

On June 11, Huff led the five-candidate race for House District 28 with 1,493 votes, followed by Smith and Allen Kellet with 749 and 742 votes, respectively. A recount was held June 14, resulting in a runoff between Huff and Smith, who was determined to have received 749 votes, while Kellet received 741.

Huff is a retired pastor who lives in Pelzer. Smith is the South Carolina regional president for Self-Help Credit Union and lives in Simpsonville.

Huff will face Democrat J Fritz Wiebel, who was unopposed in the primary, in the November general election to fill the seat held by Freedom Caucus member Ashley Trantham, who will retire at the end of her term. The state House District 28 race is among the most highly contested races statewide.

State House District 34

With 100% of precincts reporting, unofficial results show a win for Sarita Edgerton, who received 1,713 votes. JoAnne LaBounty received 1,035 votes.

On June 11, Edgerton received 1,670 votes, followed by LaBounty, who received 1,394 votes, and Henry Ross, the third candidate, who received 1,065.

Both Edgerton and LaBounty are first-time political candidates. Edgerton is a real estate agent and former teacher, and LaBounty is the president and chief executive officer of Spartanburg Meat Processing Company.

Edgerton will take the seat left by Roger Nutt, who is running for state Senate in District 12.

Samantha Swann covers city news, development and culture in Spartanburg. She is a University of South Carolina Upstate and Greenville Technical College alumna. Contact her at sswann@shj.com or on Instagram at @sam_on_spartanburg.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Elliott, Nutt, Sanders, Huff, Edgerton win South Carolina statehouse races, what to know