The 1978 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 7, 1978, to select six Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. The primary elections for the Democrats and the Republicans were held on June 13. All five incumbents who ran were re-elected, but the open seat in the 4th congressional district was taken by the Republicans from the Democrats. The composition of the state delegation after the elections was four Democrats and two Republicans.
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Mendel Jackson Davis of the 1st congressional district, in office since 1971, defeated Benjamin Frasier in the Democratic primary and Republican C.C. Wannamaker in the general election.
Democratic primary[]
Democratic primary
Candidate
Votes
%
Mendel Jackson Davis
48,541
86.4
Benjamin Frasier
7,631
13.6
General election results[]
South Carolina's 1st congressional district election results, 1978
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Democratic
Mendel J. Davis (incumbent)
65,835
60.6
-8.3
Republican
C.C. Wannamaker
42,811
39.4
+8.3
Majority
23,024
21.2
-16.6
Turnout
108,646
Democratichold
2nd congressional district[]
Incumbent Republican Congressman Floyd Spence of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1971, defeated Democratic challenger Jack Bass.
Democratic primary[]
Democratic primary
Candidate
Votes
%
Jack Bass
34,630
57.6
B.E. Hadley
25,520
42.4
General election results[]
South Carolina's 2nd congressional district election results, 1978
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Floyd Spence (incumbent)
71,208
57.3
-0.2
Democratic
Jack Bass
53,021
42.7
+0.9
No party
Write-Ins
4
0.0
0.0
Majority
18,187
14.6
-1.1
Turnout
124,233
Republicanhold
3rd congressional district[]
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Butler Derrick of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1975, defeated Republican challenger Anthony J. Panuccio.
General election results[]
South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election results, 1978
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Democratic
Butler Derrick (incumbent)
81,638
81.9
-18.1
Republican
Anthony J. Panuccio
17,973
18.1
+18.1
No party
Write-Ins
24
0.0
0.0
Majority
63,665
63.8
-36.2
Turnout
99,635
Democratichold
4th congressional district[]
Incumbent Democratic Congressman James R. Mann of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1969, opted to retire. Carroll A. Campbell Jr., a Republican state senator from Greenville, defeated Robert Watkins in the Republican primary and Democrat Max M. Heller in the general election.
Democratic primary[]
Democratic primary
Candidate
Votes
%
Max M. Heller
25,295
53.1
Nick Theodore
22,319
46.9
Republican primary[]
Republican primary
Candidate
Votes
%
Carroll A. Campbell Jr.
6,808
88.3
Robert Watkins
899
11.7
General election results[]
South Carolina's 4th congressional district election results, 1978
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Carroll A. Campbell, Jr.
51,377
52.1
+25.6
Democratic
Max M. Heller
45,484
46.2
-27.3
Independent
Don W. Sprouse
1,693
1.7
+1.7
No party
Write-Ins
34
0.0
0.0
Majority
5,893
5.9
-41.1
Turnout
98,588
Republicangain from Democratic
5th congressional district[]
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Kenneth Lamar Holland of the 5th congressional district, in office since 1975, defeated Colleen H. Yates in the Democratic primary and Independent Harold Hough in the general election.
Democratic primary[]
Democratic primary
Candidate
Votes
%
Ken Holland
46,247
65.0
Colleen H. Yates
24,853
35.0
General election results[]
South Carolina's 5th congressional district election results, 1978
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Democratic
Ken Holland (incumbent)
63,538
82.6
+31.1
Independent
Harold Hough
13,251
17.2
+17.0
No party
Write-Ins
175
0.2
+0.2
Majority
50,287
65.4
+62.2
Turnout
76,964
Democratichold
6th congressional district[]
Incumbent Democratic Congressman John Jenrette of the 6th congressional district, in office since 1975, defeated Jeryl Best in the Democratic primary and was unopposed in the general election.
Democratic primary[]
Democratic primary
Candidate
Votes
%
John Jenrette
58,320
76.9
Jeryl Best
17,541
23.1
General election results[]
South Carolina's 6th congressional district election results, 1978
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Democratic
John Jenrette (incumbent)
69,372
99.7
+44.2
No party
Write-Ins
222
0.3
+0.3
Majority
69,150
99.4
+87.9
Turnout
69,594
Democratichold
See also[]
1978 United States House of Representatives elections