1970 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina 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 Popular vote 309,487 115,531 Percentage 72.49% 27.06% Swing 6.20% 5.42%
District results
Democratic
60–70%
70–80%
90–100%
Republican
50–60%
South Carolina congressional districts, 1962 to 1970 1st district
2nd district
3rd district
4th district
5th district
6th district
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.
1st congressional district 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 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 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 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 Incumbent Democratic Congressman William Jennings Bryan Dorn of the 3rd congressional district , in office since 1951, defeated Republican challenger Grady Ballard.
General election results 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 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 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 Incumbent Democratic Congressman Thomas S. Gettys of the 5th congressional district , in office since 1964, defeated Republican challenger B. Leonard Phillips.
General election results 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 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 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 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 References ^ "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.
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