South Carolina's 3rd congressional district

"SC-03" redirects here. For other uses, see SC3.

South Carolina's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district in western South Carolina bordering both Georgia and North Carolina. It includes all of Abbeville, Anderson, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Oconee, Pickens, and Saluda counties and portions of Greenville and Newberry counties. The district is mostly rural, but much of the economy revolves around the manufacturing centers of Anderson and Greenwood. Clemson University, the state's second largest by enrollment, is also in the district.

South Carolina's 3rd congressional district
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative	Sheri Biggs R–Salem
Population (2023)	768,137[1]
Median household income	$61,412[1]
Ethnicity	71.7% White 17.0% Black 5.8% Hispanic 3.8% Two or more races 1.1% Asian 0.6% other
Cook PVI	R+21[2]

With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+21, it is the most Republican district in South Carolina.^[2]

History

Historically, the district was a Democratic stronghold, and Democrats continued to hold most local offices well into the 1990s. However, most residents share the socially conservative views of their counterparts in the 4th district and the district has elected Republicans since 1994. Republicans now dominate the district's politics at all levels, usually scoring margins rivaling those in the 4th. Indeed, no Democrat has cleared the 40 percent mark in the district in almost a quarter-century.

South Carolina's senior Senator, Lindsey Graham, held this seat from 1995 to 2003. He was succeeded by J. Gresham Barrett, who gave up the seat in order to run for governor.^[3] State Rep. Jeff Duncan won the seat in 2010.

From 2003 to 2013, the district included all of Abbeville, Anderson, Edgefield, Greenwood, McCormick, Oconee, Pickens and Saluda counties and most of Aiken and Laurens counties.

Composition

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:^[4]

Abbeville County (9)

All 9 communities

Anderson County (19)

All 19 communities

Edgefield County (5)

All 5 communities

Greenville County (4)

Fountain Inn (shared with Laurens County), Golden Grove (part; also 4th), Piedmont (shared with Anderson County), Ware Place

Greenwood County (9)

All 9 communities

Laurens County (11)

All 11 communities

McCormick County (7)

All 7 communities

Newberry County (8)

All 8 communities

Oconee County (13)

All 13 communities

Pickens County (11)

All 11 communities

Saluda County (5)

All 5 communities

Recent election results from statewide races

Year	Office	Results[5]
2008	President	McCain 63% - 35%
2012	President	Romney 66% - 34%
2016	President	Trump 67% - 29%
	Senate	Scott 71% - 27%
2018	Governor	McMaster 66% - 33%
	Secretary of State	Hammond 69% - 30%
	Treasurer	Loftis 68% - 29%
	Attorney General	Wilson 68% - 30%
2020	President	Trump 68% - 31%
	Senate	Graham 67% - 31%
2022	Senate	Scott 75% - 25%
	Governor	McMaster 71% - 28%
	Secretary of State	Hammond 75% - 25%
2024	President	Trump 71% - 28%

List of members representing the district

Member (Residence)	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history	District location
District established March 4, 1789
Daniel Huger (Charleston)	Pro-Administration	March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1793	1st 2nd	Elected in 1788. Re-elected in 1790. Retired.	1789–1793 "Georgetown-Cheraw district"       1st district: Charleston       2nd district: Beaufort-Orangeburg       3rd district: Georgetown-Cheraw       4th district: Camden       5th district: Ninety-Six
Lemuel Benton (Stoney Hill Farm)	Anti-Administration	March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795	3rd 4th 5th	Elected in 1793. Re-elected in 1794. Re-elected in 1796. Lost re-election.	1793–1795 "Georgetown-Cheraw district"
	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1799
					1795–1799 "Georgetown district" 1796 election results by district
Benjamin Huger (Georgetown)	Federalist	March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1805	6th 7th 8th	Elected in 1798. Re-elected in 1800. Re-elected in 1803. Retired.	1799–1833 "Georgetown district"
David R. Williams (Society Hill)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1805 – March 3, 1809	9th 10th	Elected in 1804. Re-elected in 1806. Retired.
Robert Witherspoon (Mayesville)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1809 – March 3, 1811	11th	Elected in 1808. Retired.
David R. Williams (Society Hill)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813	12th	Elected in 1810. Retired.
Theodore Gourdin (Pineville)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1815	13th	Elected in 1812. Lost re-election.
Benjamin Huger (Georgetown)	Federalist	March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817	14th	Elected in 1814. Lost re-election.
James Ervin (Darlington)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1821	15th 16th	Elected in 1816. Re-elected in 1818. Retired.
Thomas R. Mitchell (Georgetown)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1821 – March 3, 1823	17th	Elected in 1820. Lost re-election.
Robert B. Campbell (Brownsville)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825	18th	Elected in 1823. Retired.
Thomas R. Mitchell (Georgetown)	Jacksonian	March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1829	19th 20th	Elected in 1824. Re-elected in 1826. Lost re-election.
John Campbell (Brownsville)	Jacksonian	March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1831	21st	Elected in 1828. Lost re-election.
Thomas R. Mitchell (Georgetown)	Jacksonian	March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833	22nd	Elected in 1830. Lost re-election.
Thomas Singleton (Kingstree)	Nullifier	March 4, 1833 – November 25, 1833	23rd	Elected in 1833. Died.	1833–1843 [data missing]
Vacant		November 25, 1833 – February 27, 1834	23rd
Robert B. Campbell (Brownsville)	Nullifier	February 27, 1834 – March 3, 1837	23rd 24th	Elected to finish Singleton's term. Re-elected in 1834. Retired.
John Campbell (Parnassus)	Nullifier	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839	25th 26th 27th	Elected in 1836. Re-elected in 1838. Re-elected in 1840. Redistricted to the 4th district.
	Democratic	March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1843
Joseph A. Woodward (Winnsboro)	Democratic	March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1853	28th 29th 30th 31st 32nd	Elected in 1843. Re-elected in 1844. Re-elected in 1846. Re-elected in 1848. Re-elected in 1850. Retired.	1843–1853 [data missing]
Laurence M. Keitt (Orangeburg)	Democratic	March 4, 1853 – July 15, 1856	33rd 34th	Elected in 1853. Re-elected in 1854. Resigned to gain constituents' support following the caning of Charles Sumner.	1853–1860 [data missing]
Vacant		July 15, 1856 – August 6, 1856	34th
Laurence M. Keitt (Orangeburg)	Democratic	August 6, 1856 – December 1860	34th 35th 36th	Re-elected to finish his own term. Re-elected in 1856. Re-elected in 1858. Retired early due to Civil War.
District inactive		December 1860 – July 25, 1868	36th 37th 38th 39th 40th	Civil War and Reconstruction
Manuel S. Corley (Lexington)	Republican	July 25, 1868 – March 3, 1869	40th	Elected to finish the short term. Retired.	1868–1873 [data missing]
Solomon L. Hoge (Columbia)	Republican	April 8, 1869 – March 3, 1871	41st	Elected in 1868 (Successfully contested election of J.P. Reed). Retired.
Robert B. Elliott (Columbia)	Republican	March 4, 1871 – November 1, 1874	42nd 43rd	Elected in 1870. Re-elected in 1872. Resigned to become sheriff.
					1873–1883 [data missing]
Vacant		November 1, 1874 – November 3, 1874	43rd
Lewis C. Carpenter (Columbia)	Republican	November 3, 1874 – March 3, 1875		Elected to finish Elliott's term. Retired.
Solomon L. Hoge (Columbia)	Republican	March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877	44th	Elected in 1874. Retired.
D. Wyatt Aiken (Cokesbury)	Democratic	March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1887	45th 46th 47th 48th 49th	Elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Re-elected in 1882. Re-elected in 1884. Retired.
					1883–1893 [data missing]
James S. Cothran (Abbeville)	Democratic	March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1891	50th 51st	Elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. Retired.
George Johnstone (Newberry)	Democratic	March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893	52nd	Elected in 1890. Lost renomination.
Asbury C. Latimer (Belton)	Democratic	March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1903	53rd 54th 55th 56th 57th	Elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Retired.	1893–1903 [data missing]
Wyatt Aiken (Abbeville)	Democratic	March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1917	58th 59th 60th 61st 62nd 63rd 64th	Elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Lost renomination.	1903–1913 [data missing]
					1913–1933 Abbeville, Anderson, Greenwood, Newberry, Oconee, and Pickens counties.[6]
Frederick H. Dominick (Newberry)	Democratic	March 4, 1917 – March 3, 1933	65th 66th 67th 68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd	Elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Lost renomination.
John C. Taylor (Anderson)	Democratic	March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1939	73rd 74th 75th	Elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Lost renomination.	1933–1943 [data missing]
Butler B. Hare (Saluda)	Democratic	January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1947	76th 77th 78th 79th	Elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Retired.
1943–1953 [data missing]
	W.J. Bryan Dorn (Greenwood)	Democratic	January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1949	80th	Elected in 1946. Retired to run for U.S. senator.
	James Butler Hare (Saluda)	Democratic	January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1951	81st	Elected in 1948. Lost renomination.
	W.J. Bryan Dorn (Greenwood)	Democratic	January 3, 1951 – December 31, 1974	82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd 93rd	Elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Retired to run for governor and resigned following defeat.
1953–1963 [data missing]
1963–1973 [data missing]
1973–1983 [data missing]
	Vacant		December 31, 1974 – January 3, 1975	93rd
	Butler Derrick (Edgefield)	Democratic	January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1995	94th 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd 103rd	Elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Retired.
1983–1993 [data missing]
1993–2003 [data missing]
	Lindsey Graham (Seneca)	Republican	January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2003	104th 105th 106th 107th	Elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Retired to run for U.S. senator.
Gresham Barrett (Westminster)	Republican	January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2011	108th 109th 110th 111th	Elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Retired to run for governor.	2003–2013 All of Abbeville, Anderson, Edgefield, Greenwood, McCormick, Oconee, Pickens and Saluda counties and most of Aiken and Laurens counties.
Jeff Duncan (Laurens)	Republican	January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2025	112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th	Elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Retired.
					2013–2023
					2023–2033
Sheri Biggs (Salem)	Republican	January 3, 2025 – present	119th	Elected in 2024.

Past election results

2012

2012 South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jeff Duncan (incumbent)	169,512	66.5
	Democratic	Bryan Ryan B. Doyle	84,735	33.3
	Write-in		516	0.2
Total votes			254,763	100.0
	Republican hold

2014

2014 South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jeff Duncan (incumbent)	116,741	71.2
	Democratic	Barbara Jo Mullis	47,181	28.8
	Write-in		87	0.0
Total votes			164,009	100.0
	Republican hold

2016

2016 South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jeff Duncan (incumbent)	196,325	72.8
	Democratic	Hosea Cleveland	72,933	27.1
	Write-in		282	0.1
Total votes			269,540	100.0
	Republican hold

2018

2018 South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jeff Duncan (incumbent)	153,338	67.8
	Democratic	Mary Geren	70,046	31.0
	American	Dave Moore	2,697	1.2
	Write-in		123	0.0
Total votes			226,204	100.0
	Republican hold

2020

2020 South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jeff Duncan (incumbent)	237,544	71.2
	Democratic	Hosea Cleveland	95,712	28.7
	Write-in		308	0.1
Total votes			333,564	100.0
	Republican hold

2022

2022 South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jeff Duncan (incumbent)	189,971	97.64
	Write-in		4,598	2.36
Total votes			194,569	100%
	Republican hold

2024

2022 South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Sheri Biggs	248,451	71.7
	Democratic	Bryon Best	87,735	25.3
	Alliance	Michael Bedenbaugh	9,918	2.9
	Write-in		609	0.2
Total votes			346,713	100.0
	Republican hold

See also

• United States portal
• South Carolina portal

• List of United States congressional districts
• South Carolina's congressional districts