S.C. Senate 41 Republican Runoff Set for Tuesday

Sen. Walter Hundley and challenger Paul Thurmond will square off one more time Tuesday in a runoff election for the Republican nomination for the S.C. Senate District 41 race.

Thurmond won the most votes in a second primary held for the seat last month with approximately 41 percent of the vote. Hundley placed second with around 39 percent of the vote. Wally Burbage finished third with close to 20 percent of the vote. Since no candidate got more than 50 percent of the vote Thurmond and Hundley headed to Tuesday's runoff election.

Hundley won an earlier election to finish out the remainder of the term Lt. Gov. Glenn McConnell's term in the office in July. McConnell took over the office when former Lt. Gov. Ken Ard resigned amid an ethics scandal; as President Pro Tem of the S.C. Senate McConnell was constitutionally obligated to succeed Ard to the office when he resigned.

Thurmond was not eligible to run for the office during the special election in July because the seat was still representing the old Senate District 41 lines. Those changed with the redrawing of the district lines for the 2012 election based on new Census data following the 2010 Census. The new district, which includes Thurmond's home address, also added eight Dorchester County precincts.

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The election has also been a source of controversy and court fights as former Charleston Democratic Party Chair George Tempel sued to have Thurmond removed from the ballot for failing to follow the filing guidelines. A Circuit Court judge eventually sided with Tempel throwing out the results of an earlier primary and ordering the Charleston County Republican Party to hold a new primary. The portion of the ruling ordering a new primary, which also allowed Thurmond and other decertified candidates from the earlier primary another shot at the seat, was appealed, but the S.C Supreme court upheld the new primary requirement.

Last week another lawsuit was filed in the case, this time to the Federal Court system under the 1965 Voting Rights Act, though so far it is not clear if the federal courts will intervene.

Charleston County Board of Elections and Voter Registration Director Joe Debney said the vote is scheduled to move forward Tuesday with both Thurmond and Hundley on the ballot. The winner will face Democrat, and former Charleston City Council member, Paul Tinkler in November.

Know Where to Vote

The following West Ashley voting precincts will be open 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Tuesday for the election: