United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina, 1878

frame|300px|right|South Carolina Congressional Districts, 1878 to 1880

The 1878 South Carolina United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 5, 1878 to select five Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. Two Democratic incumbents were re-elected, two Republican incumbents were defeated and the open seat was picked up by the Democrats. The composition of the state delegation after the election was solely Democratic.

1st Congressional District

Incumbent Republican Congressman Joseph Rainey of the 1st congressional district, in office since 1870, was defeated by Democratic challenger John S. Richardson.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = John S. Richardson
votes = 22,707
percentage = 61.7
change = +13.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Joseph Rainey (incumbent)
votes = 14,096
percentage = 38.3
change = -13.9Election box majority
votes = 8,611
percentage = 23.4
change = +19.0Election box turnout
votes = 36,803
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Democratic gain from Republican
-

2nd Congressional District

Incumbent Republican Congressman Richard H. Cain of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1877, declined to seek re-election. Democrat Michael P. O'Connor, a contestant in the 1876 election, defeated Republican Edmund William McGregor Mackey in the general election.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Michael P. O'Connor
votes = 20,568
percentage = 60.9
change = +23.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Edmund W.M. Mackey
votes = 13,182
percentage = 39.1
change = -23.0Election box candidate
party = "No party"
candidate = Write-Ins
votes = 11
percentage = 0.0
change = 0.0Election box majority
votes = 7,386
percentage = 21.8
change = -2.4Election box turnout
votes = 33,761
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Democratic gain from Republican
-

3rd Congressional District

Incumbent Democratic Congressman D. Wyatt Aiken of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1877, defeated Republican challenger J.F. Ensor.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = D. Wyatt Aiken (incumbent)
votes = 24,533
percentage = 79.1
change = +21.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = J.F. Ensor
votes = 6,348
percentage = 20.5
change = -21.5Election box candidate
party = "No party"
candidate = Write-Ins
votes = 138
percentage = 0.4
change = +0.4Election box majority
votes = 18,185
percentage = 58.6
change = +42.6Election box turnout
votes = 31,019
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Democratic hold
-

4th Congressional District

Incumbent Democratic Congressman John H. Evins of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1877, defeated Republican challenger Alexander S. Wallace.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = John H. Evins (incumbent)
votes = 22,702
percentage = 96.8
change = +39.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Alexander S. Wallace
votes = 741
percentage = 3.2
change = -39.2Election box majority
votes = 21,961
percentage = 93.6
change = -78.4Election box turnout
votes = 23,443
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Democratic hold
-

5th Congressional District

Incumbent Republican Congressman Robert Smalls of the 5th congressional district, in office since 1875, was defeated by Democratic challenger George D. Tillman.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = George D. Tillman
votes = 26,409
percentage = 71.2
change = +23.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Robert Smalls (incumbent)
votes = 10,664
percentage = 28.8
change = -23.1Election box candidate
party = "No party"
candidate = Write-Ins
votes = 3
percentage = 0.0
change = 0.0Election box majority
votes = 15,745
percentage = 42.4
change = +38.6Election box turnout
votes = 37,076
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Democratic gain from Republican
-

ee also

*United States House of Representatives elections, 1878
*South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1878
*South Carolina's congressional districts

References

*"Annual Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina." "Reports and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina at the Regular Session of 1878". Columbia, SC: Calvo and Patton, 1878, pp. 440-444.