The 1994 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994, to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. The contest featured two politicians from the Upstate and David Beasley narrowly defeated Nick Theodore to become the 113th governor of South Carolina.
The South Carolina Democratic Party held their primary for governor on August 9, 1994. Lieutenant GovernorNick Theodore, from the Upstate, emerged as the winner of the runoff election on August 23 against popular Charleston mayor Joseph P. (Joe) Riley, Jr. and the three-term Attorney General of South Carolina, Thomas T. Medlock.
Democratic Primary
Candidate
Votes
%
Nick Theodore
129,572
49.6
Joseph P. Riley, Jr.
99,967
38.2
Thomas T. Medlock
22,468
8.6
William Holler
9,439
3.6
Democratic Primary Runoff
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Nick Theodore
113,127
50.4
+0.8
Joseph P. Riley, Jr.
111,517
49.6
+11.2
Republican primary[]
The South Carolina Republican Party held their primary on August 9, 1994, and the contest featured state representativeDavid Beasley from the Upstate against two Lowcountry politicians. Beasley cruised to victory and benefited from the campaign of popular Charleston mayor Joe Riley for the Democratic nomination by drawing Lowcountry voters away from the Republican primary and towards the Democratic primary.
Republican Primary
Candidate
Votes
%
David Beasley
119,724
47.2
Arthur Ravenel, Jr.
81,129
32.0
Thomas Hartnett
52,866
20.8
Republican Primary Runoff
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
David Beasley
134,297
57.6
+10.4
Arthur Ravenel, Jr.
98,915
42.4
+10.4
General election[]
Polling[]
Source
Date
Beasley (R)
Theodore (D)
The Greenville News
Nov. 3, 1994
38%
34%
Results[]
The general election was held on November 8, 1994, and David Beasley was elected as the next governor of South Carolina in the closest election percentage wise since the disputed election of 1876. Turnout was higher than the previous gubernatorial election because of the competitive nature of the race between the two parties.
South Carolina Gubernatorial Election, 1994
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
David Beasley
470,756
50.4
-19.1
Democratic
Nick Theodore
447,002
47.9
+20.1
U.S. Taxpayers Party
John R. Peeples, Jr.
8,003
0.9
+0.9
New Alliance Party
Wayne B. Griffin
5,875
0.6
+0.6
No party
Write-Ins
2,214
0.2
-0.2
Majority
23,754
2.5
-39.2
Turnout
933,850
62.3
+6.3
Republicanhold
1994 South Carolina gubernatorial election map, by percentile by county.