United States Senate election in South Carolina, 1908

The 1908 South Carolina United States Senate election was a Democratic Party primary election held on August 25, 1908 and September 8 to select the U.S. Senator from the state of South Carolina. Prior to the ratification of the 17th Amendment to the United States Constitution, U.S. Senators were elected by the state legislature and not through the direct election by the people of the state.

"Cotton Ed" Smith

However, the Democratic Party of South Carolina organized primary elections for the U.S. Senate beginning in 1896 and the General Assembly would confirm the choice of the Democratic voters. Democrat Ellison D. Smith won the Democratic primary and was elected by the General Assembly for a six-year term.

Democratic primary

Ellison D. Smith, an official in the Cotton Association and often called "Cotton Ed", entered the Democratic primary but found himself in early trouble when he promised that cotton would rise to eighteen cents and it did not occur. However, his rhetorical skills allowed him to take command of the stump and attract voters to his campaign. Former Governor John Gary Evans was making his fourth straight attempt for the Senate seat and received the private support of Senator Ben Tillman. The tide of Tillmanism had receded in the state and the public endorsement by Tillman would doom a candidate's prospects. Smith and Evans emerged as the top two candidates were to face each other in a runoff election on September 8. Evans once again failed to carry the day and Smith scored a resounding victory.

South Carolina U.S. Senate Primary Election, 1908
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Ellison D. Smith 30,012 28.2
Democratic John Gary Evans 27,589 26.0
Democratic R. Goodwin Rhett 22,422 21.1
Democratic George Johnstone 13,656 12.8
Democratic O.B. Martin 6,802 6.4
Democratic William W. Lumpkin 4,361 4.1
Democratic John P. Grace 1,497 1.4


South Carolina U.S. Senate Primary Runoff Election, 1908
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Ellison D. Smith 69,318 63.6 +35.4
Democratic John Gary Evans 39,655 36.4 +10.4

See also

References

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