Democrat Graham wins S.C. Senate 35 seat; Zell flips S.C. Senate 36 seat, ousting 12-year Sen. Johnson

According to unofficial tallies, Democrat Jeffrey Graham has secured the position of state senator for District 35 after all precincts were reported Wednesday afternoon.

The district covers parts of Sumter, Lee, Kershaw and Richland counties. Graham, a Camden resident, earned 52.18% of the vote, or 25,279 votes, over Republican opponent Mike Jones, who got 47.66%, or 23,093 votes. There were 17 write-ins.

Sumter County supported Graham by 56.06%, or 9,964 votes, over voters who chose Jones at 43.79%, or 7,782 votes.

Lee County supported Jones by 56.72%, or 1,835 votes, over voters who chose Graham at 43.18%, or 1,397 votes.
The results were unofficial until certified on Friday.

The candidates were vying to succeed Sen. Thomas McElveen, who announced earlier this year he would not run for reelection for a fourth term. When he first ran and won in 2012, he was the youngest South Carolina senator at the time.

Republican Jeff Zell has ousted longtime S.C. Sen. Kevin Johnson for the District 36 seat, which represents parts of Clarendon, Sumter, Calhoun and Orangeburg counties.

It was a close race. Zell, who is currently the Area 8 trustee on Sumter County’s school board, secured 50.6% of the vote, or 25,609 votes, over Johnson’s 49.28%, or 24,943 votes. There were 61 write-ins.

Sumter County voters almost split even on their support for the candidates, with 49.99% voting for Zell, or 12,512 votes, and 49.9% voting for Johnson, or 12,489. There were 26 write-in votes.

In Clarendon County, voters chose Zell by 55.32%, or 8,787 votes, while 44.56% voted for Johnson, or 7,078 votes. There were 20 write-ins for the race across the county.

Zell said he is happy with the campaign he and his team ran that “maintained a positive approach and never resorted to negativity.”

“I want to thank my family and friends for all their support and encouragement, as well as my supporters, both open and silent. I also want to express my gratitude to Sen. Johnson for his long service to the community. I promise to build on his successes for all our citizens,” Zell told The Item Wednesday. “My goal is to represent our district fairly and honorably. I work for God and the people of the 36th District, not for lobbyists or special interests. I will always remember that. Thank you to all the citizens who voted for me. For those who didn’t, I will spend the next years proving to you that I am serious about positively affecting our community. We will address the persistent problems in this area and work with anyone of good faith to find meaningful and lasting solutions, from education reform to reducing violent crime and creating economic pathways to success. Without question, the status quo is no longer acceptable, and I will pursue real change with vigor! I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to help our neighbors to the fullest extent of my capabilities. That is my promise.”

Johnson said he and his team felt like he had a “good shot, but we’ll move on.”

“We ran a good race, but the voters have spoken, and we respect that. I don’t have a problem with that,” Johnson said.

He said though he wasn’t planning for this, he has been a public official almost “all my adult life, so maybe it’s time for me to get some rest.” He said he has enjoyed serving in various positions amid its ups and downs.

He posted on Facebook on Tuesday night, “Well, after serving on several boards and commissions, 12 years on the school board, six years on city council, 11 years as mayor, one term in the S.C. House and 12 years in the Senate, we came up short in the election today. The voters have spoken, and I respect that. I am thankful for all of the support that I had over the last almost 40 years, and I am proud of the work that I/we did. I am even more thankful to have had the opportunity to work with some great people, especially ‘Team Johnson’. Now it’s time to catch up on some rest and enjoy some me time.”

The Item will provide coverage of how Zell’s school board seat will be filled.

Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn, a Sumter native, won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing South Carolina on Tuesday. The sole Democrat in the state’s congressional delegation, Clyburn is also its dean. He has represented the district stretching from Charleston to Columbia, including majority Black rural areas, since 1993. Clyburn is credited with delivering Democrat Joe Biden a key endorsement that sparked his 2020 primary victory and eventual White House victory. The Associated Press declared Clyburn the winner at 10:01 p.m. Tuesday.

Republican Rep. Ralph Norman also won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing South Carolina on Tuesday. The district stretches from Rock Hill just south of Charlotte, North Carolina, south and east to Sumter. Norman, a former real estate developer, has held this seat since 2017. He won it in a special election to replace Mick Mulvaney, who joined the Trump administration and eventually became White House chief of staff. Norman defeated Democrat Evangeline Hundley, who has worked in real estate and construction. The Associated Press declared Norman the winner at 8:55 p.m. Tuesday.