South Caroilna Primary « South Carolina Endorsements

South Carolina Endorsements

The 2020 Democratic presidential candidates look for endorsements from federal, statewide and local elected officials as well as former elected officials and prominent figures. Some will be early endorsers, some late endorsers and some non-endorsers.

corrected April 16, 2020

NATIONAL | IOWA | NEW HAMPSHIRE | NEVADA | SOUTH CAROLINA

Federal
U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham (CD-1)
U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn (CD-6) BIDEN 02/26/20

State >
(all nine statewide elected officials are Republicans)

Senate Democrats (46 seats: 27R, 19D) + twitter

Name	Position	District - City/Town	Counties
Nikki Setzler	Minority Leader	26 - West Columbia	Aiken, Calhoun, Lexington, Saluda
John W. Matthews Jr.	Assist. Minority Leader	39 - Bowman	Berkeley, Calhoun, Colleton, Dorchester, Orangeburg	BIDEN	02/23/20
Karl B. Allen		7 - Greenville	Greenville	BIDEN	02/28/20
Mike Fanning		17 - Great Falls	Chester, Fairfield, York
Dick Harpootlian		20 - Columbia	Lexington, Richland	BIDEN	05/06/19
Brad Hutto		40 - Orangeburg	Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, Hampton, Orangeburg	BIDEN	02/23/20
Darrell Jackson		21 - Hopkins	Richland	HARRIS > BIDEN	03/28/19 12/1719
Kevin L. Johnson		36 - Manning	Clarendon, Darlington, Florence, Sumter	BIDEN	06/25/19
Marlon Kimpson		42 - Charleston	Charleston, Dorchester	BIDEN	01/06/20
Gerald Malloy		29 - Hartsville	Chesterfield, Darlington, Lee, Marlboro	BIDEN	02/28/20
Margie B. Matthews		45 - Charleston	Allendale, Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Hampton, Jasper	BIDEN	02/28/20
Thomas McElveen		35 - Sumter	Kershaw, Lee, Richland, Sumter	O'ROURKE > BIDEN	06/20/19> 02/28/20
Mia McLeod		22 - Columbia	Kershaw, Richland
Floyd Nicholson		10 - Greenwood	Abbeville, Greenwood, McCormick, Saluda
Glenn G. Reese		11 - Inman	Spartanburg	BIDEN	02/28/20
Ronnie A. Sabb		32 - Greeleyville	Berkeley, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Williamsburg
John L. Scott Jr.		19 - Columbia	Richland	HARRIS > STEYER	05/03/19> 01/19/20>
Vincent Sheheen		27 - Camden	Chesterfield, Kershaw, Lancaster	BIDEN	09/08/19
Kent M. Williams		30 - Marion	Dillon, Florence, Horry, Marion, Marlboro

Mar. 26, 2019 Special Election in District 6 (Greenville) vacated by William Timmons (R), who was elected to Congress. Dwight Loftis (R) def. Tina Belge (D) by 56% to 44%.

Senate: 13 active endorsements... (13/19 or 68.42%)

BIDEN (13)	STEYER	HARRIS	O'ROURKE
Karl B. Allen Dick Harpootlian Brad Hutto Darrell Jackson* Kevin L. Johnson Gerald Malloy John W. Matthews Margie B. Matthews Thomas McElveen* Marlon Kimpson Glenn Reese Vincent Sheheen Margie B. Matthews	John Scott, Jr.*	Darrell Jackson John Scott, Jr.	Thomas McElween

Sen. Darrell Jackson had endorsed Harris until she withdrew,
Sen. Thomas McElveen had endorsed O'Rourke until he withdrew.
Sen. John Scott, Jr. had endorsed Harris until she withdrew.

House Democrats (124 seats: 80R, 44D) +

Name	Position	District - City/Town	Counties
Todd Rutherford	Minority Leader	74 - Columbia	Richland	BLOOMBERG	02/20/20
Russell L. Ott	Assist. Min. Leader	93 - St. Matthews	Calhoun, Lexington, Orangeburg	STEYER	11/07/19
Chandra E. Dillard	Dep. Min. Leader	23 - Greenville	Greenville	STEYER	02/18/20
Cezar McKnight	Chief Min. Whip	101 - Lake City	Clarendon, Williamsburg	SANDERS	04/18/19
Roger Kirby	Dep. Min. Whip	61 - Lake City	Florence, Marion	BIDEN	02/28/20
Justin Bamberg	Minority Whip	90 - Bamberg	Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton	SANDERS	04/18/19
John R. King	Minority Whip	49 - Rock Hill	York	BOOKER > STEYER	03/22/19
Terry Alexander		59 - Florence	Darlington, Florence	SANDERS	04/18/19
Carl L. Anderson		103 - Georgetown	Georgetown, Horry, Williamsburg	BIDEN	06/25/19
Frank "Lucas" Atkinson		57 - Marion	Dillon, Horry, Marion
Jimmy C. Bales		80 - Eastover	Kershaw, Richland	BIDEN	05/06/19
Beth E. Bernstein		78 - Columbia	Richland	BIDEN	06/25/19
Wendy Brawley		70 - Hopkins	Richland, Sumter	WARREN	07/03/19
Robert Brown		116 - Hollywood	Charleston, Colleton	BIDEN	05/06/19
William "Bill" Clyburn		82 - Aiken	Aiken, Edgefield, Saluda	BIDEN	05/06/19
Gilda Cobb-Hunter		66 - Orangeburg	Orangeburg	STEYER <<	02/12/20
L. Slade Funderburk		52 - Camden	Kershaw
Kambrell H. Garvin		77 - Columbia	Richland	WARREN	07/03/19
Wendell G. Gilliard		111 - Charleston	Charleston	SANDERS	04/18/19
Jerry N. Govan, Jr.		95 - Orangeburg	Orangeburg	STEYER	10/04/19
Christopher R. Hart		73 - Columbia	Richland
Jackie E. Hayes		55 - Dillon	Darlington, Dillon, Horry, Marlboro
R. Henderson-Myers		31 - Spartanburg	Spartanburg
Pat Henegan		54 - Bennettsville	Chesterfield, Darlington, Marlboro	HARRIS > STEYER	03/28/19 02/16/20
Lonnie Hosey		91 - Barnwell	Allendale, Barnwell, Orangeburg
Leon Howard		76 - Columbia	Richland	SANDERS	06/06/19
Joe Jefferson		102 - Pineville	Berkeley, Dorchester	BIDEN	05/06/19
David J. Mack III		109 - North Charleston	Charleston, Dorchester	BIDEN	05/06/19
Annie E. McDaniel		41 - Winnsboro	Chester, Fairfield, Richland	BOOKER > STEYER	04/18/19
JA Moore		15 - North Charleston	Berkeley, Charleston	HARRIS > BUTTIGIEG	03/28/19
Mandy Powers Norrell		44 - Lancaster	Lancaster
J. Anne Parks		12 - Greenwood	Greenwood, McCormick
Marvin Pendarvis		113 - North Charleston	Charleston, Dorchester	O'ROURKE > BiDEN	04/13/19 12/03/19
Robert Ridgeway III		64 - Manning	Clarendon, Sumter
Michael F. Rivers, Sr.		121 - Beaufort	Beaufort, Colleton	SANDERS	06/10/19
Loela C. Robinson-Simpson		25 - Greenville	Greenville	BOOKER > STEYER	04/18/19 12/23/19
Seth C. Rose		72 - Columbia	Richland
Krystle N. Simmons		117 - Ladson	Berkeley, Charleston	SANDERS	04/18/19
Leon Stavrinakis		119 - Charleston	Charleston	BIDEN	02/28/20
Ivory Torry Thigpen		79 - Columbia	Richland	SANDERS	04/18/19
J. David Weeks		51 - Sumter	Sumter	BIDEN	02/28/20
Will Wheeler III		50 - Bishopville	Kershaw, Lee, Sumter	BIDEN	06/25/19
Robert Q. Williams		62 - Darlington	Darlington, Florence	BIDEN	09/12/19
Shedron D. Williams		122 - Hampton	Beaufort, Hampton, Jasper	SANDERS switched to STEYER	04/18/19 11/07/19

Oct. 1, 2019 Special Election n District 84 (Aiken Co.) after Rep. Ronnie Young (R) passed away. Melissa Oremus (R) won with 97% of the vote, unchallenged.
Aug. 20, 2019 Special Election in District 19 (Greenville Co.) after Rep. Dwight Loftis (R) elected to the State Senate Patrick Haddon (R) defeated Carrie Counton (D). by 60.99% to 39.01%
April 23, 2019 Special Election in District 14 (Greenwood and Laurens Cos.) after Rep. Michael Pitts (R) resigned due to health reasons. Stewart Jones (R) def. Garrett McDaniel (D) by 56.4% to 43.5%.

House: 34 active* endorsements... (34/44 or 77.27%)

BIDEN (13)	BUTTIGIEG (1)	SANDERS (98)	STEYER (9)	WARREN (2)	BLOOMBERG (1)
Carl Anderson Jimmy Bales Beth Bernstein Robert Brown Bill Clyburn Joseph Jefferson Roger Kirby David Mack III Marvin Pendarvis* Leon Stavrinakis J. David Weeks Will Wheeler III Robert Williams	JA Moore*	Terry Alexander Justin Bamberg Wendell Gilliard Leon Howard Cezar McKnight Michael F. Rivers, Sr. Krystle Simmons Ivory Thigpen Sheldron Williams	Gilda Cobb-Hunter Chandra Dillard Jerry N. Govan Jr. John King* Pat Hennegan* Annie E. McDaniel* Russell L. Ott Leola Robinson-Simpson* Shedron Williams*	Wendy Brawley Kambrell Garvin	Todd Rutherford
former endorsements:
O'ROURKE (1)	HARRIS (2)	BOOKER (3)
Marvin Pendarvis	Pat Hennegan JA Moore	John R. King Annie E. McDaniel Leola Robinson-Simpson

*O'Rourke ended his campaign on Nov. 1, 2019; Pendarvis endorsed Biden on Dec. 3.
*Harris ended her campaign on Dec. 3, 2020; Moore endorsed Buttigieg on Feb. 12. Hennegan endorsed Steyer on Feb. 16.
*Leola Robinson-Simpson, Annie E. McDaniel and John King all initially backed Booker, who ended his camapign on Jan. 13, by Feb. they were supporting Steyer.
*Shedron Williams endorsed Sanders on Apr. 18, but switched to Steyer as reported by The State's Maayan Schechter on Nov. 7.

Non-endorser quote from Rep. Mandy Powers Norrell (Lancaster): “I have not endorsed a candidate, and I don’t plan to, primarily because I want to be able to bring as many as possible to Lancaster to meet our amazing people." Emily Pollok. "Jill Biden to speak Friday in Lancaster." Carolina Gateway, Dec. 12, 2019.