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1936 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

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The 1936 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 2, 1936, to select six Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. All five incumbents who ran were re-elected and the open seat in the 4th congressional district was retained by the Democrats. The composition of the state delegation thus remained solely Democratic.

There was a split in the South Carolina Republican Party between the Tolbert and Seabrook factions because each side wanted to be the arbiter of the spoils system should a national Republican victory occur. Therefore, they both offered their own slate of candidates for the federal contests and they were competing against each other, not the Democrats, to show the national Republican Party that they held more sway in the state.

1st congressional district

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Incumbent Democratic Congressman Thomas S. McMillan of the 1st congressional district, in office since 1925, defeated two Republican challengers.

General election results

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South Carolina's 1st congressional district election results, 1936
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Thomas S. McMillan (incumbent) 15,772 96.9 −0.8
Republican (Tolbert) B.L. Hendrix 314 1.9 -0.4
Republican (Seabrook) Ben Felman 193 1.2 +1.2
Majority 15,458 95.0 −0.4
Turnout 16,279
Democratic hold

2nd congressional district

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Incumbent Democratic Congressman Hampton P. Fulmer of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1921, defeated Gary Paschal in the Democratic primary and defeated two Republicans in the general election.

Democratic primary

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Democratic primary
Candidate Votes %
Hampton P. Fulmer 33,578 62.5
Gary Paschal 20,172 37.5

General election results

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South Carolina's 2nd congressional district election results, 1936
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Hampton P. Fulmer (incumbent) 21,653 98.3 −0.9
Republican Leaphart 249 1.1 +0.3
Republican L.A. Black 130 0.6 +0.6
No party Write-Ins 4 0.0 0.0
Majority 21,404 97.2 −1.2
Turnout 22,036
Democratic hold

3rd congressional district

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Incumbent Democratic Congressman John C. Taylor of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1933, defeated J. Wade Drake in the Democratic primary and two Republicans in the general election.

Democratic primary

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Democratic primary
Candidate Votes %
John C. Taylor 39,370 68.7
J. Wade Drake 17,923 31.3

General election results

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South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election results, 1936
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic John C. Taylor (incumbent) 18,983 99.0 −0.4
Republican O.B. Menees 116 0.6 0.0
Republican A.F. Earnes 73 0.4 +0.4
No party Write-Ins 1 0.0 0.0
Majority 18,867 98.4 −0.4
Turnout 19,173
Democratic hold

4th congressional district special election

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Incumbent Democratic Congressman John J. McSwain of the 4th congressional district died on August 6, 1936, and a special election was called for November 3 to be held simultaneously with the regular election. The South Carolina Democratic Party held a primary election that would choose their candidate for both the special and regular election. Gabriel H. Mahon, Jr. won the primary and was unopposed in the special election to serve out the remainder of the term.

Democratic primary

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Democratic primary
Candidate Votes %
Gabriel H. Mahon, Jr. 19,268 29.7
Joseph R. Bryson 17,510 27.0
J.G. Leatherwood 14,557 22.5
Claude A. Taylor 13,449 20.8
Democratic primary runoff
Candidate Votes % ±%
Gabriel H. Mahon, Jr. 31,370 53.8 +24.1
Joseph R. Bryson 26,947 46.2 +19.2

General election results

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South Carolina's 4th congressional district special election results, 1936
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Gabriel H. Mahon, Jr. 24,715 100.0 +0.6
Majority 24,715 100.0 +1.2
Turnout 24,715
Democratic hold

4th congressional district

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Gabriel H. Mahon, Jr., winner of the Democratic primary for both the special and regular election of the 4th congressional district, defeated two Republicans in the general election to win the term for the 75th Congress.

General election results

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South Carolina's 4th congressional district election results, 1936
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Gabriel H. Mahon, Jr. 25,468 98.9 −1.1
Republican W.E. Murray 162 0.6 +0.6
Republican Frank W. Faux 121 0.5 +0.5
Majority 25,306 98.3 −1.7
Turnout 25,751
Democratic hold

5th congressional district

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Incumbent Democratic Congressman James P. Richards of the 5th congressional district, in office since 1933, defeated two Republican challengers.

General election results

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South Carolina's 5th congressional district election results, 1936
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic James P. Richards (incumbent) 15,748 99.2 +0.5
Republican C.F. Pendleton 110 0.7 −0.6
Republican A.B. McCraw 23 0.1 +0.1
Majority 15,638 98.5 +1.1
Turnout 15,881
Democratic hold

6th congressional district

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Incumbent Democratic Congressman Allard H. Gasque of the 6th congressional district, in office since 1923, won the Democratic primary and defeated two Republicans in the general election.

Democratic primary

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Democratic primary
Candidate Votes %
Allard H. Gasque 28,470 62.9
James R. Turner 14,505 32.0
R.G. Blackburn 2,318 5.1

General election results

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South Carolina's 6th congressional district election results, 1936
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Allard H. Gasque (incumbent) 16,027 99.3 0.0
Republican T.J. Karnes 71 0.5 −0.2
Republican C.R. Davis 36 0.2 +0.2
No party Write-Ins 1 0.0 0.0
Majority 15,956 98.8 +0.2
Turnout 16,135
Democratic hold

See also

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References

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  • Jordan, Frank E. The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962. pp. 106, 111, 120, 124.
  • "Supplemental Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina." Reports of State Officers Boards and Committees to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume I. Columbia, SC: 1937, pp. 7–9.