Three huge South Carolina legislative primaries wrapped up in November that resulted in a clean sweep of victories for anti-establishment candidates in Lexington, Greenville, and Spartanburg. However, these candidates still have a general election ahead of them scheduled for December 23rd, some facing write-in campaigns.
Former senator Lee Bright won SC Senate District 12 with 50.9% of the vote on October 21, 2025, beating former Spartanburg County clerk of court Hope Blackley and attorney Justin Bradley in the GOP primary for the seat that opened up after the resignation of senator Roger Nutt.
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Lee Bright at his watch party shortly after it was announced that Bright won the State Senate race.
Democrat Steve Evered has launched a write-in campaign against Republican candidate Lee Bright and is coordinating an grassroots campaign in the upstate.
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Steve Evered (right) with Meghan Blanton Smith (middle) and democrat Kathryn Harvey (left) who was defeated in her run for Spartanburg County Council against incumbent Paul Abbott on November 4, 2025.
SC House District 21 was pushed into a special election race after Representative Bobby Cox abruptly announced his resignation in August and suspended his campaign for Nutt’s Senate seat after receiving Nutt’s endorsement. Several filed to run for District 21’s house seat, but ended in a close race between Upstate attorney Steve Nail with 862 votes (38.97%) and conservative activist Dianne Mitchell with 818 votes (36.98%). Nail and Mitchell went into a runoff in the beginning of November, with Mitchell coming out on top with 1,536 votes (50.36%) compared to Nail’s 1,514 votes (49.64%).
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Dianne Mitchell and her husband, Todd, on the day of the runoff, November 4, 2025.
Former representative RJ May’s seat (SC House District 88) was also up for grabs and went into a runoff between establishment-backed county recreation commissioner Brian Duncan and Freedom Caucus pick Paster John Lastinger. Lastinger came out on top with 1,370 votes (52.43%) versus Duncan’s 1,243 votes (47.57%).
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John Lastinger’s Facebook post following his runoff win on November 4th.
Joseph “Chuck” Hightower is running as the democrat candidate against John Lastinger and is being heavily supported by members of the Republican establishment like former “sister senator” Katrina Shealy.
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Chuck Hightower filing to run as a candidate in the SC House District 88 race.
The Republican establishment lost all three big special elections this fall, despite attacks from “the same status quo dark money group loyal” to republican leadership according to FITSNews. The group attacked Lastinger’s candidacy by claiming that “John Lastinger is backed by convicted pedophile RJ May’s shady network including a state representative who owes RJ May money”.
This time, South Carolina voters were not buying what was being spoon-fed to them by the uniparty. But will voters continue to deliver for Freedom Caucus-style candidates?
The elections are not over yet. The general election for all three of these races are scheduled for December. Early voting takes place between December 8th-19th with the final day of special election schedule two days before Christmas on December 23, 2025.
State House District 88 Special Election (Lexington)
Early voting period: December 8 - December 19 (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.) at the Lexington County Voter Registration Office: 605 West Main Street, Suite C, Lexington, SC 29072
Day of Special Election: December 23, 2025
State House District 21 Special Election (Greenville)
Early voting period: December 8 - December 19 (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.) at McAlister Square (Back Entrance): 225 S. Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville, SC 29607
Day of Special Election: December 23, 2025
State Senate District 12 Special Election (Greenville & Spartanburg)
Early voting period: December 8 - December 19 (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.)
Early voting locations:
- Spartanburg County - County Office: 366 N Church Street, Suite 1630, Spartanburg, SC 29303
- Greenville County - McAlister Square (Back Entrance): 225 S. Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville, SC 29607
Day of Special Election: December 23, 2025
