South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1994

The 1994 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994 to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. The contest featured two politicians from the Upstate and David Beasley narrowly defeated Nick Theodore to become the 113th governor of South Carolina.

Democratic primary

The South Carolina Democratic Party held their primary for governor on August 9, 1994. Lieutenant Governor Nick Theodore, from the Upstate, emerged as the winner of the runoff election on August 23 against popular Charleston mayor Joseph P. (Joe) Riley, Jr..

Democratic Primary
Candidate	Votes	%
Nick Theodore	129,572	49.6
Joseph P. Riley, Jr.	99,967	38.2
T. Travis Medlock	22,468	8.6
William Holler	9,439	3.6

Democratic Primary Runoff
Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Nick Theodore	113,127	50.4	+0.8
Joseph P. Riley, Jr.	111,517	49.6	+11.2

Republican primary

The South Carolina Republican Party held their primary on August 9, 1994 and the contest featured state representative David Beasley from the Upstate against two Lowcountry politicians. Beasley cruised to victory and benefited from the campaign of popular Charleston mayor Joe Riley for the Democratic nomination by drawing Lowcountry voters away from the Republican primary and towards the Democratic primary.

Republican Primary
Candidate	Votes	%
David Beasley	119,724	47.2
Arthur Ravenel, Jr.	81,129	32.0
Thomas Hartnett	52,866	20.8

Republican Primary Runoff
Candidate	Votes	%	±%
David Beasley	134,297	57.6	+10.4
Arthur Ravenel, Jr.	98,915	42.4	+10.4

General election

The general election was held on November 8, 1994 and David Beasley was elected as the next governor of South Carolina in the closest election percentage wise since the disputed election of 1876. Turnout was higher than the previous gubernatorial election because of the competitive nature of the race between the two parties.

South Carolina Gubernatorial Election, 1994
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	David Beasley	470,756	50.4	-19.1
	Democratic	Nick Theodore	447,002	47.9	+20.1
	U.S. Taxpayers Party	John R. Peeples, Jr.	8,003	0.9	+0.9
	New Alliance Party	Wayne B. Griffin	5,875	0.6	+0.6
	No party	Write-Ins	2,214	0.2	-0.2
Majority			23,754	2.5	-39.2
Turnout			933,850	62.3	+6.3
	Republican hold

1994 South Carolina gubernatorial election map, by percentile by county.

  60%-64% won by Beasley

  55%-59% won by Beasley

  50%-54% won by Beasley

  <50% won by Beasley

  <50% won by Theodore

  50%-54% won by Theodore

  55%-59% won by Theodore

  60%-64% won by Theodore

  65+% won by Theodore

See also

• Governor of South Carolina
• List of Governors of South Carolina
• South Carolina gubernatorial elections

References

• State Election Commission (1995). South Carolina Election Report 1994-1995. Columbia, SC: The Commission. p. 26. 

External links

• SCIway Biography of Governor David Muldrow Beasley

Preceded by 1990

South Carolina gubernatorial elections

Succeeded by 1998