South Carolina Secretary of State Hammond wins GOP primary; to face Butler

Secretary of State Mark Hammond won the Republican primary Tuesday by defeating Keith Blanford, who wanted to take the role of overseeing elections away from a board appointed by the governor and give it to the Secretary of State’s Office.

A bill that would make that transition was proposed in the General Assembly this year but never got a hearing. The Republican-dominated Legislature did overhaul election laws to allow early voting.

Hammond faces Democrat Rosemounda Peggy Butler in the fall.