2017 South Carolina's 5th congressional district special election explained

Election Name:	2017 South Carolina's 5th congressional district special election
Country:	South Carolina
Type:	by-election
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	2016 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina#District 5
Previous Year:	2016
Election Date:	June 20, 2017
Next Election:	2018 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina#District 5
Next Year:	2018
Seats For Election:	South Carolina's 5th congressional district
Turnout:	18.34%
Image1:	File:Ralph Norman official photo cropped.jpg
Nominee1:	Ralph Norman
Party1:	Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:	45,076
Percentage1:	51.0%
Nominee2:	Archie Parnell
Party2:	Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:	42,341
Percentage2:	47.9%
Map Size:	250px
U.S. Representative
Before Election:	Mick Mulvaney
Before Party:	Republican Party (United States)
After Election:	Ralph Norman
After Party:	Republican Party (United States)

A special election was held on June 20, 2017, to determine the member of the United States House of Representatives for South Carolina's 5th congressional district. Representative Mick Mulvaney was nominated by President Donald Trump as director of the Office of Management and Budget and confirmed by the United States Senate on February 16, 2017, necessitating his resignation from the House of Representatives.^{[1] [2]}

State Representative Ralph Norman narrowly defeated Archie Parnell, a senior advisor for Goldman Sachs, 51.0% to 47.9%, in a low-turnout election.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Chad Connelly, former chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party^[3]
• Ray Craig, international ministry aid worker
• Sheri Few, education activist, candidate for Superintendent of Education in 2014 and state house candidate in 2006, 2008 and 2010^[4]
• Tom Mullikin, attorney and commander of the South Carolina State Guard^[5]
• Ralph Norman, state representative^[6]
• Tommy Pope, state representative^[7]
• Kris Wampler, attorney^[8]

Declined

• Penry Gustafson, former businesswoman and community advocate of Camden, SC^[9]
• Gary Simrill, state representative^[10]

First round

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	class=small	Sample size	Margin of error	Chad Connelly	Sheri Few	Tom Mullikin	Ralph Norman	Tommy Pope	Kris Wampler	Other	Undecided
Atlantic Research and Media of North Carolina^[11]	February 25, 2017	239	± 6.2%	1%	9%	8%	align=center	11%	align=center	19%	0%	—	align=center	51%
Remington Research Group^[12]	January 7–8, 2017	778	± 3.4%	align=center	9%	—	—	align=center	9%	align=center	25%	—	6%^[13]	align=center	52%

*Internal survey for the Sheri Few campaign

Results

Runoff

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	class=small	Sample size	Margin of error	Ralph Norman	Tommy Pope	Undecided
Trafalgar Group^[14]	May 8–10, 2017	1000+	± 3.1%	align=center	46%	45%	9%

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Alexis Frank, recent college graduate and army veteran^[15]
• Les Murphy, United States Marine Corps veteran^[16]
• Archie Parnell, Goldman Sachs senior adviser^[17]

Declined

• Thomas McElveen, state senator^[18]
• John King, state representative^[18]
• Mandy Powers Norrell, state representative^[18]
• Fran Person, nominee for this seat in 2016^[18]
• Vincent Sheheen, state senator and nominee for governor in 2010 and 2014^[19]

Results

Libertarian Party

Candidates

Nominated

• Victor Kocher^[20]

Eliminated at convention

The Libertarian Party nominating convention was held April 1, 2017.^[21]

• Bill Bledsoe
• Nathaniel Cooper

Green Party

Candidates

Nominated

• David Kulma, professor at Winthrop University and musician^[22]

General election

Candidates

• Ralph Norman (Republican)
• Archie Parnell (Democratic)
• Victor Kocher (Libertarian)
• David Kulma (Green)
• Josh Thornton (American)

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	class=small	Sample size	class=small	Margin of error	Ralph Norman (R)	Archie Parnell (D)	Other	Undecided
Change Research^[23]	June 14–18, 2017	872	± 3%	align=center	53%	44%	3%	–
Gravis Marketing^[24]	May 19–22, 2017	746	± 3.6%	align=center	47%	34%	3%	16%
Victory Enterprises/Rampart PAC (R)^[25]	May 17–18, 2017	629	± 3.9%	align=center	53%	36%	–	11%

County results

Vote breakdown by county

	Ralph Norman Republican		Archie Parnell Democrat		Total
County	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes
Cherokee	3,367	61.86%	2,031	37.31%	5,443
Chester	1,940	45.20%	2,301	53.61%	4,292
Fairfield	1,125	32.33%	2,314	66.49%	3,480
Kershaw	3,720	52.53%	3,299	46.59%	7,081
Lancaster	6,237	55.07%	4,985	44.02%	11,325
Lee	632	25.54%	1,825	73.74%	2,475
Newberry	1,627	51.07%	1,519	47.68%	3,186
Spartanburg	763	70.98%	302	28.09%	1,075
Sumter	3,757	39.64%	5,671	59.84%	9,477
Union	1,436	50.35%	1,397	48.98%	2,852
York	20,472	54.44%	16,697	44.33%	37,630

See also

• List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives

External links

Official campaign websites

• David Kulma (G) for Congress
• Ralph Norman (R) for Congress
• Archie Parnell (D) for Congress

Notes and References

1. Web site: Senate Narrowly Confirms Mulvaney As Trump's OMB Director. NPR. February 16, 2017.
2. Web site: U.S. House of Representatives District 5. South Carolina Election Commission. February 16, 2017. February 16, 2017. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170217204551/https://www.scvotes.org/us-house-representatives-district-5. February 17, 2017. mdy-all.
3. Web site: Former SC GOP chairman running for Congress. The State. Marchant. Bristow. February 13, 2017. February 16, 2017.
4. Web site: Common Core opponent enters SC race for Congress. The State. Marchant. Bristow. January 25, 2017. February 16, 2017.
5. Web site: SC State Guard commander enters Fifth District race. The State. Marchant. Bristow. February 1, 2017. February 16, 2017.
6. Web site: Ralph Norman to run for Congress – if Mick Mulvaney takes Trump's budget job. The State. Dys. Andrew. December 22, 2016. February 16, 2017.
7. Web site: Former prosecutor, SC GOP legislator to run for Congress. The State. Marchant. Bristow. Self. Jamie. February 6, 2017. February 16, 2017.
8. Web site: Indian Land attorney running in SC congressional race. The State. Marchant. Bristow. January 26, 2017. February 16, 2017.
9. Web site: Camden woman jumps into crowded 5th District race. The State. Marchant. Bristow. February 27, 2017. March 4, 2017.
10. Web site: Rock Hill's Republican Simrill says no to run for Congress. The Herald. February 16, 2017.
11. https://web.archive.org/web/20170227150241/http://www.sherifewforcongress.com/sc-5-poll-indicates-there-will-definitely-be-a-runoff/ Atlantic Research and Media of North Carolina
12. http://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article126488914.html Remington Research Group
13. Gary Simrill 6%
14. http://mailchi.mp/4ab681f17684/new-poll-norman-pope-virtually-tied Trafalgar Group
15. News: In SC Congress race, Goldman Sachs executive faces student. thestate. March 17, 2017. en.
16. News: New candidate in SC Congress race; another drops out. thestate. March 17, 2017. en.
17. News: Sumter Democrat to enter 5th District race. thestate. March 12, 2017. en.
18. Web site: Mick Mulvaney's White House Appointment Is Official. FITS News. December 18, 2016. February 16, 2017.
19. Web site: SC Sen. Sheheen says he won't run for Congress. The State. February 16, 2017.
20. Web site: Candidate Listing for the 6/20/2017 US House of Rep Dist 5 Special Election. sc.gov. South Carolina Election Commission. April 1, 2017. April 7, 2017.
21. Web site: Convention Recalled. sclibertarians.net. South Carolina Libertarian Party. March 1, 2017. April 7, 2017.
22. Web site: Goldman Sachs vs Adjunct Professor. greenpartywatch.org. Green Party Watch. March 16, 2017. June 3, 2017.
23. Web site: South Carolina 5th District Election Survey Data - Change Research (changeresearch.org) . 2017-09-27.
24. Web site: . Gravis Marketing . Ru.scribd.com . 2017-09-27.
25. Web site: . Victory Enterprises/Rampart PAC . Scribd.com . 2017-09-27.