Pascoe defeats challenger; Ott wins; Govan, Felder in runoff

First Circuit Solicitor David Pascoe easily defeated his challenger in the Democratic primary.

Pascoe received 11,446 votes to Austin Drake Nichols’ 3,193 votes.

“I want to thank the voters of the 1st Circuit for their trust in me for the past almost 20 years,” Pascoe said Tuesday night. “It means so much to me.”

“I’m both grateful and humbled by the margin of victory,” Pascoe said. “It’s a testament to my staff and their exemplary service to our community.”

He said, “It’s also a testament against the negative politics of (Rep.) Todd Rutherford and Austin Nichols, who spent thousands of dollars in dark money and money from Rutherford’s personal campaign account to attack me. Look what it got them, 20% of the vote.

“Today, the voters have overwhelmingly rejected the selfish politics of Columbia, rejected the politics of deceit and race-baiting. Instead, they embraced service above self, truth and justice. The Rutherford-Nichols brand of campaigning has no home in the 1st Circuit.”

House District 93

Former House member Jerry Govan of Orangeburg and St. Matthews attorney Johnny Felder will face each other in a June 25 Democratic primary runoff for the House District 93 seat.

Govan received 2,064 votes, or 45.89%, to Felder’s 1,445 votes, or 32.13%.

Phillip Ford received 506 votes and Chris Roland received 483.

The winner of the runoff between Govan and Felder will face Republican Krista Hassell and Workers Party candidate Harold Geddings in the Nov. 5 general election.

The seat is currently held by Rep. Russell Ott, D-St. Matthews, who did not run for re-election. Instead, he is running for Senate District 26.

Senate District 26

Ott defeated Sen. Dick Harpootlian, D-Richland, in the Democratic primary for Senate District 26.

Ott had 2,414 votes, or 51.27%, to Harpootlian’s 2,294 votes.

On the Republican side, there will be a runoff between Chris Smith and Jason Guerry.

Smith received 1,825 votes, or 38.21%, to Guerry’s 1,687, or 35.32%.

Billy Oswald received 1,264 votes.

The winners will face Workers Party candidate Harold Geddings in the Nov. 5 general election.

Senate District 36

In the Democratic primary for Senate District 36, incumbent Sen. Kevin L. Johnson of Manning received 5,718 votes, or 77.41%. Eleazer Carter received 1,669 votes.

In the Republican primary, Jeff Zell won with 3,049 votes to Leon Winn’s 840.

Senate District 40

Incumbent Sen. Brad Hutto of Orangeburg defeated challenger Kendrick Brown in the Democratic primary for the Senate District 40 seat. Hutto received 5,133 votes, or 71.53%, while Brown received 28.47%.

Hutto will face Republican Sharon Carter in November.

House District 91

Ben Kinlaw defeated Demaris Johnson in the Republican primary for House District 91. Kinlaw received 1,242 votes, or 67.43%, while Johnson received 600 votes.

Kinlaw will face incumbent Rep. Lonnie Hosey, D-Barnwell, in November.