1970 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

The 1970 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 3, 1970, to select six Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. The primary elections were held on June 9 and the runoff elections were held two weeks later on June 23. All five incumbents who ran were re-elected and the open seat in the 2nd district was retained by the Republicans. The composition of the state delegation remained five Democrats and one Republican.

1970 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

← 1968 November 3, 1970 (1970-11-03)[1] 1972 →

All 6 South Carolina seats to the United States House of Representatives
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election 5 1
Seats won 5 1
Seat change Steady Steady
Popular vote 309,487 115,531
Percentage 72.49% 27.06%
Swing Increase 6.20% Decrease 5.42%

District results
South Carolina congressional districts, 1962 to 1970
  1st district
  2nd district
  3rd district
  4th district
  5th district
  6th district

1st congressional district

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Incumbent Democratic Congressman L. Mendel Rivers of the 1st congressional district, in office since 1941, was unopposed in his bid for re-election.

General election results

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South Carolina's 1st congressional district election results, 1970
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic L. Mendel Rivers (incumbent) 63,891 100.0 0.0
Majority 63,891 100.0 0.0
Turnout 63,891
Democratic hold

2nd congressional district

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Incumbent Republican Congressman Albert Watson of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1963, chose to run for Governor instead of re-election. Floyd Spence, a Republican state senator who had unsuccessfully run for the seat in the 1962 elections, defeated Democratic challenger Heyward McDonald.

General election results

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South Carolina's 2nd congressional district election results, 1970
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Floyd Spence 48,093 53.1 −4.5
Democratic Heyward McDonald 42,005 46.4 +4.0
Independent Donald Cole 486 0.5 +0.5
Majority 6,088 6.7 −8.5
Turnout 90,584
Republican hold

3rd congressional district

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Incumbent Democratic Congressman William Jennings Bryan Dorn of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1951, defeated Republican challenger Grady Ballard.

General election results

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South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election results, 1970
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic William J.B. Dorn (incumbent) 60,708 75.2 +9.1
Republican Grady Ballard 19,981 24.8 −6.9
Majority 40,727 50.4 +16.0
Turnout 80,689
Democratic hold

4th congressional district

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Incumbent Democratic Congressman James R. Mann of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1969, was unopposed in his bid for re-election.

General election results

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South Carolina's 4th congressional district election results, 1970
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic James R. Mann (incumbent) 52,175 100.0 +38.8
Majority 52,175 100.0 +77.6
Turnout 52,175
Democratic hold

5th congressional district

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Incumbent Democratic Congressman Thomas S. Gettys of the 5th congressional district, in office since 1964, defeated Republican challenger B. Leonard Phillips.

General election results

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South Carolina's 5th congressional district election results, 1970
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Thomas S. Gettys (incumbent) 43,712 65.9 −8.8
Republican B. Leonard Phillips 21,911 33.1 +11.3
Independent James B. Sumner 688 1.0 −2.5
Majority 21,801 32.8 −20.1
Turnout 66,311
Democratic hold

6th congressional district

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Incumbent Democratic Congressman John L. McMillan of the 6th congressional district, in office since 1939, won the Democratic primary and defeated Republican Edward B. Baskin in the general election.

Democratic primary

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Democratic primary
Candidate Votes %
John L. McMillan 26,192 49.6
Claude L. Stephens 11,534 21.8
Bill R. Craig 11,047 20.9
Olin Sansbury Jr. 4,042 7.7
Democratic primary runoff
Candidate Votes % ±%
John L. McMillan 46,030 71.2 +21.6
Claude L. Stephens 18,620 28.8 +7.0

General election results

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South Carolina's 6th congressional district election results, 1970
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic John L. McMillan (incumbent) 46,926 64.1 +5.8
Republican Edward B. Baskin 25,546 34.9 −5.0
Independent Charles H. Smith 773 1.0 −0.8
Majority 21,380 29.2 +10.8
Turnout 73,245
Democratic hold

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 3, 1970" (PDF). clerk.house.gov. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  • State Election Commission (1973). Report of the South Carolina State Election Commission. Columbia, SC: State Election Commission. pp. 299, 578.