Republican Ralph Norman, left, and Democrat Archie Parnell, right, candidates in the South Carolina special election for the 5th Congressional District.
Republican Ralph Norman has won the special election for the 5th Congressional District in South Carolina, defeating Democrat Archie Parnell. The contest was for the seat vacated by Mick Mulvaney, who now serves as the Director for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the Trump Administration.
Mr. Parnell ran a particularly strong race, far outperforming Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. However, with all eyes on the special election in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District, turnout was low.
“This race had low interest and low turnout,” said People’s Pundit Daily (PPD) editor-in-chief Richard D. Baris, who heads up polling and election forecasts. “Democrats may have a lot of regrets in the morning and there is probably going to be a lot of finger pointing. But it’s likely because this race was under the radar that Mr. Parnell did as well as he did.”
Vote As of Call Made by People’s Pundit Daily:
| Candidate | Percent | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Ralph Norman (Republican) | 51.2% | 42,798 |
| Archie Parnell (Democratic) | 47.8% | 40,021 |
| Josh Thornton (American) | 0.4% | 307 |
| Victor Kocher (Libertarian) | 0.3% | 256 |
| David Kulma (Green) | 0.3% | 230 |
| Write In (Unaffiliated) | 0.1% | 58 |
Vote As of 99% of Precincts Reporting:
| Candidate | Percent | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Ralph Norman (Republican) | 51.2% | 44,312 |
| Archie Parnell (Democratic) | 47.8% | 41,404 |
| Josh Thornton (American) | 0.4% | 317 |
| Victor Kocher (Libertarian) | 0.3% | 269 |
| David Kulma (Green) | 0.3% | 237 |
| Write In (Unaffiliated) | 0.1% | 64 |
