United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina, 1956

frame|300px|right|South Carolina Congressional Districts, 1952 to 1960

The 1956 South Carolina United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 6, 1956 to select six Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. All five incumbents who ran were re-elected and the open seat in the 5th congressional district was retained by the Democrats. The composition of the state delegation thus remained solely Democratic.

1st Congressional District

Incumbent Democratic Congressman L. Mendel Rivers of the 1st congressional district, in office since 1941, was unopposed in his bid for re-election.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = L. Mendel Rivers (incumbent)
votes = 31,112
percentage = 100.0
change = +2.3Election box candidate
party = "No party"
candidate = Write-Ins
votes = 2
percentage = 0.0
change = 0.0Election box majority
votes = 31,110
percentage = 100.0
change = +4.6Election box turnout
votes = 31,114
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Democratic hold
-

2nd Congressional District

Incumbent Democratic Congressman John J. Riley of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1951, was unopposed in his bid for re-election.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = John J. Riley (incumbent)
votes = 49,284
percentage = 100.0
change = +2.3Election box candidate
party = "No party"
candidate = Write-Ins
votes = 3
percentage = 0.0
change = 0.0Election box majority
votes = 49,281
percentage = 100.0
change = +4.6Election box turnout
votes = 49,287
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Democratic hold
-

3rd Congressional District

Incumbent Democratic Congressman William Jennings Bryan Dorn of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1951, defeated Republican challenger Maka Knox.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = William J.B. Dorn (incumbent)
votes = 39,270
percentage = 92.9
change = -6.4Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Maka Knox
votes = 2,885
percentage = 6.8
change = +6.2Election box candidate
party = "No party"
candidate = Write-Ins
votes = 127
percentage = 0.3
change = +0.2Election box majority
votes = 36,385
percentage = 86.1
change = -12.6Election box turnout
votes = 42,282
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Democratic hold
-

4th Congressional District

Incumbent Democratic Congressman Robert T. Ashmore of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1953, defeated Republican challenger Dan H. Wallace, Jr.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Robert T. Ashmore (incumbent)
votes = 53,722
percentage = 85.1
change = -14.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Dan H. Wallace, Jr.
votes = 9,393
percentage = 14.9
change = +14.1Election box majority
votes = 44,329
percentage = 70.2
change = -28.2Election box turnout
votes = 63,115
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Democratic hold
-

5th Congressional District

Incumbent Democratic Congressman James P. Richards of the 5th congressional district, in office since 1933, opted to retire. Robert W. Hemphill defeated Thomas S. Gettys in the Democratic primary and was unopposed in the general election.

Democratic primary

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Robert W. Hemphill
votes = 36,454
percentage = 100.0
change = 0.0Election box majority
votes = 36,454
percentage = 100.0
change = 0.0Election box turnout
votes = 36,454
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Democratic hold
-

6th Congressional District

Incumbent Democratic Congressman John L. McMillan of the 6th congressional district, in office since 1939, was unopposed in his bid for re-election.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = John L. McMillan (incumbent)
votes = 39,749
percentage = 100.0
change = +1.1Election box candidate
party = "No party"
candidate = Write-Ins
votes = 3
percentage = 0.0
change = 0.0Election box majority
votes = 39,746
percentage = 100.0
change = +2.2Election box turnout
votes = 39,752
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Democratic hold
-

ee also

*United States House of Representatives elections, 1956
*United States Senate election in South Carolina, 1956
*United States Senate special election in South Carolina, 1956
*South Carolina's congressional districts

References

*cite book | last = Jordan | first = Frank E | title = The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962 | pages = p. 116
*"Supplemental Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina." "Reports and Resolutions of South Carolina to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina". Volume I. Columbia, SC: 1957, pp. 10-12.