United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina, 1970

frame|300px|right|South Carolina Congressional Districts, 1962 to 1970

The 1970 South Carolina United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 3, 1970 to select six Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. The primary elections were held on June 9 and the runoff elections were held two weeks later on June 23. All five incumbents who ran were re-elected and the open seat in the 2nd district was retained by the Republicans. The composition of the state delegation remained five Democrats and one Republican.

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 = 63,891
percentage = 100.0
change = 0.0Election box majority
votes = 63,891
percentage = 100.0
change = 0.0Election box turnout
votes = 63,891
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Democratic hold
-

2nd Congressional District

Incumbent Republican Congressman Albert Watson of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1963, chose to run for Governor instead of re-election. Floyd Spence, a Republican state senator who had unsuccessfully ran for the seat in the 1962 elections, defeated Democratic challenger Heyward McDonald.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Floyd Spence
votes = 48,093
percentage = 53.1
change = -4.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Heyward McDonald
votes = 42,005
percentage = 46.4
change = +4.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Donald Cole
votes = 486
percentage = 0.5
change = +0.5Election box majority
votes = 6,088
percentage = 6.7
change = -8.5Election box turnout
votes = 90,584
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Republican hold
-

3rd Congressional District

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

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = William J.B. Dorn (incumbent)
votes = 60,708
percentage = 75.2
change = +9.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Grady Ballard
votes = 19,981
percentage = 24.8
change = -6.9Election box majority
votes = 40,727
percentage = 50.4
change = +16.0Election box turnout
votes = 80,689
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Democratic hold
-

4th Congressional District

Incumbent Democratic Congressman James R. Mann of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1969, was unopposed in his bid for re-election.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = James R. Mann (incumbent)
votes = 52,175
percentage = 100.0
change = +38.8Election box majority
votes = 52,175
percentage = 100.0
change = +77.6Election box turnout
votes = 52,175
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Democratic hold
-

5th Congressional District

Incumbent Democratic Congressman Thomas S. Gettys of the 5th congressional district, in office since 1964, defeated Republican challenger B. Leonard Phillips.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Thomas S. Gettys (incumbent)
votes = 43,712
percentage = 65.9
change = -8.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = B. Leonard Phillips
votes = 21,911
percentage = 33.1
change = +11.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = James B. Sumner
votes = 688
percentage = 1.0
change = -2.5Election box majority
votes = 21,801
percentage = 32.8
change = -20.1Election box turnout
votes = 66,311
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Democratic hold
-

6th Congressional District

Incumbent Democratic Congressman John L. McMillan of the 6th congressional district, in office since 1939, won the Democratic primary and defeated Republican Edward B. Baskin in the general election.

Democratic primary

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = John L. McMillan (incumbent)
votes = 46,926
percentage = 64.1
change = +5.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Edward B. Baskin
votes = 25,546
percentage = 34.9
change = -5.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Charles H. Smith
votes = 773
percentage = 1.0
change = -0.8Election box majority
votes = 21,380
percentage = 29.2
change = +10.8Election box turnout
votes = 73,245
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Democratic hold
-

ee also

*United States House elections, 1970
*South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1970
*South Carolina's congressional districts

References

*cite book | last = State Election Commission | title = Report of the South Carolina State Election Commission | year = 1973 | publisher = State Election Commission | location = Columbia, SC | pages = pp. 299, 578