South Carolina's 6th congressional district

Coordinates: 33°15′N 80°35′W / 33.25°N 80.59°W / 33.25; -80.59
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

South Carolina's 6th congressional district
Map
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative
  Jim Clyburn
DColumbia
Population (2022)741,110[1]
Median household
income
$51,364[1]
Ethnicity
Cook PVID+14[2]
Created1883

South Carolina's 6th congressional district is in central and eastern South Carolina. It includes all of Allendale, Bamberg, Calhoun, Clarendon, Hampton, and Williamsburg counties and parts of Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Florence, Jasper, Orangeburg, Richland and Sumter counties. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+14, it is the only Democratic district in South Carolina.[2]

The district's current configuration dates from a deal struck in the early 1990s between state Republicans and Democrats in the South Carolina General Assembly to create a majority-black district. The rural counties of the historical black belt in South Carolina make up much of the district, but it sweeps south to include most of the majority-black precincts in and around Charleston, and sweeps west to include most of the majority-black precincts in and around Columbia. It also includes most of the majority black areas near Beaufort (though not Beaufort itself).

From 1993 to 2013, the district stretched from the Pee Dee to the Atlantic Coast. The district borders were shifted south in the 2012 redistricting. It lost its share of the Pee Dee while picking up almost all of the majority-black precincts in the Lowcountry. It now takes in part of the area near the South Carolina-Georgia border, reaching just far enough to the north to grab its share of Columbia itself. In all of its configurations, its politics have been dominated by black voters in the Columbia and Charleston areas.

Following the Reconstruction era, the white Democratic-dominated legislature passed Jim Crow laws, as well as a new constitution in 1895 that effectively disfranchised blacks, crippling the Republican Party in the state. For most of the next 60 years, South Carolina was essentially a one-party state dominated by the Democrats, and blacks were nearly excluded from the political system.

Demographic and political changes have included the Great Migration of blacks out of the state during the Jim Crow era in the first half of the 20th century. At the same time, many white Democrats felt chagrin at the national party's greater support of civil rights for blacks from the 1940s onward, and began splitting their tickets in federal elections. After successes of the Civil Rights Movement in gaining passage of federal legislation in the mid-1960s to enforce their constitutional rights and ability to vote, blacks in South Carolina supported national Democratic candidates. Even before then, white conservatives had begun splitting their tickets and voting for Republicans at the federal level as early as the 1950s, and gradually began moving into the Republican Party in the 1980s.

Since the late 20th century, South Carolina politics have been very racially polarized. Republicans in South Carolina have been mostly white, and most African Americans in the state continue to support the Democrats. In the 21st century, the 6th is considered the only "safe" Democratic district in the state.

From 1883 to 1993, this district included the northeastern part of the state, from Darlington to Myrtle Beach. In this configuration, it was a classic "Yellow Dog" Democratic district; from the end of Reconstruction until 1983, it only elected two Republicans, both for a single term. In 2012, the new 7th congressional district was created; it includes much of the territory that was in the 6th for most of the 20th century.

Jim Clyburn, a Democrat and the Majority Whip from 2019 to 2023, has represented this district since first being elected in 1992.

Counties[edit]

Counties in the 2023–2033 congressional district map:

Election results from presidential races[edit]

Year Office Result
2000 President Gore 63–36%
2004 President Kerry 61–39%
2008 President Obama 70–29%
2012 President Obama 71–28%
2016 President Clinton 67–30%
2020 President Biden 67–31%

List of members representing the district[edit]

Member
(Residence)
Party Years Cong
ress
Electoral history District location
District established March 4, 1793

Andrew Pickens
(Hopewell)
Anti-Administration March 4, 1793 –
March 3, 1795
3rd Elected in 1793.
Retired.
1793–1797
"Pinckney and Washington district"
Samuel Earle
(Pendleton District)
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1795 –
March 3, 1797
4th Elected in 1794.
Retired.
William Smith
(Spartanburg)
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1797 –
March 3, 1799
5th Elected in 1796.
Lost re-election.
1797–1803
"Washington district"
1796 election results by district
Abraham Nott
(Union)
Federalist March 4, 1799 –
March 3, 1801
6th Elected in 1798.
Retired.
Thomas Moore
(Spartanburg)
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1801 –
March 3, 1803
7th Elected in 1800.
Redistricted to the 7th district.
Levi Casey
(Newberry County)
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1803 –
February 3, 1807
8th
9th
Elected in 1803.
Re-elected in 1804.
Re-elected in 1806.
Died.
1803–1813
"Abbeville district"
Vacant February 3, 1807 –
June 2, 1807
9th
10th
Joseph Calhoun
(Calhoun Mills)
Democratic-Republican June 2, 1807 –
March 3, 1811
10th
11th
Elected to finish Casey's term.
Re-elected in 1808.
Retired.

John C. Calhoun
(Willington)
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1811 –
November 3, 1817
12th
13th
14th
15th
Elected in 1810.
Re-elected in 1812.
Re-elected in 1814.
Re-elected in 1816.
Resigned to become U.S. secretary of war.
1813–1823
"Abbeville district"
Vacant November 3, 1817 –
January 24, 1818
15th
Eldred Simkins
(Edgefield)
Democratic-Republican January 24, 1818 –
March 3, 1821
15th
16th
Elected to finish Calhoun's term.
Re-elected in 1818.
Retired.

George McDuffie
(Edgefield)
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1821 –
March 3, 1823
17th Elected in 1820.
Redistricted to the 5th district.
John Wilson
(Golden Grove)
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1823 –
March 3, 1825
18th
19th
Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected in 1823.
Re-elected in 1824.
Lost re-election.
1823–1833
"Pendleton district"
Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –
March 3, 1827
Warren R. Davis
(Pendleton)
Jacksonian March 4, 1827 –
March 3, 1831
20th
21st
22nd
23rd
Elected in 1826.
Re-elected in 1828.
Re-elected in 1830.
Re-elected in 1833.
Re-elected in 1834 but died before next term began.
Nullifier March 4, 1831 –
January 29, 1835
1833–1843
[data missing]
Vacant January 29, 1835 –
September 10, 1835
23rd
24th

Waddy Thompson Jr.
(Greenville)
Anti-Jackson September 10, 1835 –
March 3, 1837
24th
25th
26th
Elected to finish Davis's term.
Re-elected in 1836.
Re-elected in 1838.
Retired.
Whig March 4, 1837 –
March 3, 1841
William Butler
(Greenville)
Whig March 4, 1841 –
March 3, 1843
27th Elected in 1840.
Redistricted to the 2nd district and lost re-election.

Isaac E. Holmes
(Charleston)
Democratic March 4, 1843 –
March 3, 1851
28th
29th
30th
31st
Redistricted from the 1st district and re-elected in 1843.
Re-elected in 1844.
Re-elected in 1846.
Re-elected in 1848.
Lost re-election.
1843–1853
[data missing]

William Aiken Jr.
(Charleston)
Democratic March 4, 1851 –
March 3, 1853
32nd Elected in 1850.
Redistricted to the 2nd district.

William W. Boyce
(Winnsboro)
Democratic March 4, 1853 –
December 21, 1860
33rd
34th
35th
36th
Elected in 1853.
Re-elected in 1854.
Re-elected in 1856.
Re-elected in 1858.
Re-elected in 1860 but retired due to Civil War.
1853–1860
[data missing]
District inactive December 21, 1860 –
March 3, 1867
36th
37th
38th
39th
Civil War and Reconstruction
District dissolved March 3, 1867
District re-established March 4, 1883

George W. Dargan
(Darlington)
Democratic March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1891
48th
49th
50th
51st
Elected in 1882.
Re-elected in 1884.
Re-elected in 1886.
Re-elected in 1888.
Retired.
1883–1893
[data missing]

Eli T. Stackhouse
(Little Rock)
Democratic March 4, 1891 –
June 14, 1892
52nd Elected in 1890.
Died.
Vacant June 14, 1892 –
December 5, 1892

John L. McLaurin
(Bennettsville)
Democratic December 5, 1892 –
May 31, 1897
52nd
53rd
54th
55th
Elected to finish Stackhouse's term.
Also elected to the next full term.
Re-elected in 1894.
Re-elected in 1896.
Resigned when appointed U.S. Senator.
1893–1903
[data missing]
Vacant May 31, 1897 –
December 6, 1897
55th
James Norton
(Mullins)
Democratic December 6, 1897 –
March 3, 1901
55th
56th
Elected to finish McLaurin's term.
Re-elected in 1898.
Retired.

Robert B. Scarborough
(Conway)
Democratic March 4, 1901 –
March 3, 1905
57th
58th
Elected in 1900.
Re-elected in 1902.
Retired.
1903–1913
[data missing]

J. Edwin Ellerbe
(Marion)
Democratic March 4, 1905 –
March 3, 1913
59th
60th
61st
62nd
Elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Lost renomination.

J. Willard Ragsdale
(Florence)
Democratic March 4, 1913 –
July 23, 1919
63rd
64th
65th
66th
Elected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Died.
1913–1923
[data missing]
Vacant July 23, 1919 –
October 7, 1919
66th

Philip H. Stoll
(Kingstree)
Democratic October 7, 1919 –
March 3, 1923
66th
67th
Elected to finish Ragsdale's term.
Re-elected in 1920.
Lost renomination.

Allard H. Gasque
(Florence)
Democratic March 4, 1923 –
June 17, 1938
68th
69th
70th
71st
72nd
73rd
74th
75th
Elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Re-elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Died.
1923–1933
[data missing]
1933–1943
[data missing]
Vacant June 17, 1938 –
September 13, 1938
75th

Elizabeth H. Gasque
(Florence)
Democratic September 13, 1938 –
January 3, 1939
Elected to finish her husband's term.
Retired.

John L. McMillan
(Florence)
Democratic January 3, 1939 –
January 3, 1973
76th
77th
78th
79th
80th
81st
82nd
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
88th
89th
90th
91st
92nd
Elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Re-elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Lost renomination.
1943–1953
[data missing]
1953–1963
[data missing]
1963–1973
[data missing]

Edward Lunn Young
(Florence)
Republican January 3, 1973 –
January 3, 1975
93rd Elected in 1972.
Lost re-election.
1973–1983
[data missing]

John Jenrette
(North Myrtle Beach)
Democratic January 3, 1975 –
December 10, 1980
94th
95th
96th
Elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Lost re-election and resigned early as a result of the ABSCAM scandal.

John L. Napier
(Bennettsville)
Republican January 3, 1981 –
January 3, 1983
97th Elected in 1980.
Lost re-election.

Robin Tallon
(Florence)
Democratic January 3, 1983 –
January 3, 1993
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
Elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Retired following redistricting.
1983–1993
[data missing]

Jim Clyburn
(Columbia)
Democratic January 3, 1993 –
present
103rd
104th
105th
106th
107th
108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
113th
114th
115th
116th
117th
118th
Elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022.
1993–2003
[data missing]
2003–2013
2013–2023
2023–2033

Past election results[edit]

2012[edit]

2012 South Carolina's 6th congressional district election[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Clyburn (incumbent) 218,717 93.6
Green Nammu Y. Muhammad 12,920 5.5
Write-in 1,978 0.9
Total votes 233,615 100.0
Democratic hold

2014[edit]

2014 South Carolina's 6th congressional district election[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Clyburn (incumbent) 125,747 72.5
Republican Anthony Culler 44,311 25.6
Libertarian Kevin Umbaugh 3,176 1.8
Write-in 198 0.1
Total votes 173,432 100.0
Democratic hold

2016[edit]

2016 South Carolina's 6th congressional district election[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Clyburn (incumbent) 177,947 70.1
Republican Laura Sterling 70,099 27.6
Libertarian Rich Piotrowski 3,131 1.2
Green Prince Charles Mallory 2,499 1.0
Write-in 225 0.1
Total votes 253,901 100.0
Democratic hold

2018[edit]

2018 South Carolina's 6th congressional district election[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Clyburn (incumbent) 144,765 70.1
Republican Gerhard Gressmann 58,282 28.2
Green Bryan Pugh 3,214 1.6
Write-in 172 0.1
Total votes 206,433 100.0
Democratic hold

2020[edit]

2020 South Carolina's 6th congressional district election[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Clyburn (incumbent) 197,477 68.2
Republican John McCollum 89,258 30.8
Constitution Mark Hackett 2,646 0.9
Write-in 272 0.1
Total votes 289,653 100.0
Democratic hold

2022[edit]

2022 South Carolina's 6th congressional district election[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Clyburn (incumbent) 130,923 62.04
Republican Duke Buckner 79,879 37.85
Write-in 226 0.11
Total votes 211,028 100.0
Democratic hold

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "My Congressional District". census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau Center for New Media and Promotion (CNMP).
  2. ^ a b "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  3. ^ "Election Statistics - US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives". Karen Haas, Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  4. ^ "South Carolina Election Commission Official Results". West Virginia Secretary of State. November 4, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  5. ^ "2016 Statewide General Election official results". South Carolina State Election Commission. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  6. ^ Johnson, Cheryl L. (February 28, 2019). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 2018". Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  7. ^ "2020 Statewide General Election Night Reporting - Results". South Carolina Election Commission. November 10, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  8. ^ "2022 Statewide General Election". www.enr-scvotes.org. November 11, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2023.

33°15′N 80°35′W / 33.25°N 80.59°W / 33.25; -80.59