GOP District 41 runoff set for Tuesday
Republican voters in parts of James Island, West Ashley, North Charleston and Summerville will go to the polls Tuesday to choose their candidate for the Senate District 41 seat.
Where to vote
James Island 6 James Island Charter High 1000 Fort Johnson Road
James Island 8A Fort Johnson Middle 1825 Camp Road
James Island 8B Fort Johnson Middle 1825 Camp Road
James Island 9 Fort Johnson Middle 1825 Camp Road
James Island 10 James Island Charter High 1000 Fort Johnson Road
James Island 11 Stiles Point Elementary 883 Mikell Drive
James Island 12 Stiles Point Elementary 883 Mikell Drive
James Island 13 Stiles Point Elementary 883 Mikell Drive
James Island 14 James Island Recreation Complex 1088 Quail Drive
James Island 15 James Island Middle 1484 Camp Road
James Island 17 Harbor View Elementary 891 Mikell Drive
James Island 19 Harbor View Elementary 891 Mikell Drive
James Island 20 Murray-Lasaine Elementary 691 Riverland Drive
James Island 22 Murray-Lasaine Elementary 691 Riverland Drive
Johns Island 2 St. John’s High 1518 Main Road
Johns Island 3A Haut Gap Middle 1861 Bohicket Road
North Charleston 3 Miner Crosby Bldg. 3901 Paramount Drive
North Charleston 20 W.B. Goodwin Elementary 5501 Dorchester Road
North Charleston 23 Hunley Park Elementary 1000 Michigan Ave.
St Andrews 1 Stono Park Elementary 1699 Garden St.
St Andrews 4 Stono Park Elementary 1699 Garden St.
St Andrews 5 Stono Park Elementary 1699 Garden St.
St Andrews 6 Charleston Tennis Center 19 Farmfield Ave.
St Andrews 7 Stono Park Elementary 1699 Garden St.
St Andrews 10 Pinecrest Baptist Church 1285 Ashley Hall Road
St Andrews 11 Charleston Masonic Center 1285 Orange Grove Road
St Andrews 12 Charleston Masonic Center 1285 Orange Grove Road
St Andrews 13 Charleston Masonic Center 1285 Orange Grove Road
St Andrews 14 Pinecrest Baptist Church 1285 Ashley Hall Road
St Andrews 16 Stono Park Elementary 1699 Garden St.
St Andrews 17 Oakland Elementary 2728 Arlington Ave.
St Andrews 18 St Andrews Middle 721 Wappoo Road
St Andrews 20 West Ashley Middle 1776 William Kennerty Drive
St Andrews 21 Charleston Masonic Center 1285 Orange Grove Road
St Andrews 22 West Ashley Middle 1776 William Kennerty Drive
St Andrews 23 West Ashley Middle 1776 William Kennerty Drive
St Andrews 24 West Ashley Middle 1776 William Kennerty Drive
St Andrews 26 Charleston Baptist Church 13 San Miguel Road
St Andrews 27 C E Williams Middle 640 Butte St.
St Andrews 28 Grace on the Ashley Church 2014 Bees Ferry Road
St Andrews 29 West Ashley High 4060 Wildcat Blvd.
St Andrews 30 West Ashley Middle 1776 William Kennerty Drive
St Andrews 31 West Ashley High 4060 Wildcat Blvd.
St Andrews 32 Springfield Elementary 2741 Clover St.
St Andrews 33 West Ashley High 4060 Wildcat Blvd.
St Andrews 34 Drayton Hall Elementary 3183 Ashley River Road
St Andrews 35 Drayton Hall Elementary 3183 Ashley River Road
St Andrews 36 Drayton Hall Elementary 3183 Ashley River Road
St Andrews 37 Grace on the Ashley Church 2014 Bees Ferry Road
Archdale Fort Dorchester High School 8500 Patriot Blvd.
Archdale 2 Fort Dorchester High School 8500 Patriot Blvd.
Saul Dam Beech Hill Elementary 1001 Beech Hill Road
Kings Grant Oakbrook Middle School 286 Old Fort Road
Kings Grant 2 Oakbrook Middle School 286 Old Fort Road
Ashborough W Old Fort Baptist Church 10505 Dorchester Road
Ashborough W 2 Old Fort Baptist Church 10505 Dorchester Road
Ashley River River Oaks Middle School 8642 River Oaks Drive
The race has undergone two twists since former Charleston County Councilman Paul Thurmond and incumbent Sen. Walter Hundley qualified for this runoff in a primary Sept. 18.
Last week, Hundley announced he has suspended his campaign, although his name still will appear on the ballot Tuesday.
Also, a federal lawsuit is challenging whether any Republican candidate should appear on the general election ballot Nov. 6. Specifically, it questions whether the S.C. Supreme Court’s decision to allow a special District 41 primary should have been pre-cleared by the U.S. Justice Department.
A hearing on that lawsuit won’t be held until Oct. 16, so it’s not expected to affect Tuesday’s runoff. Both Thurmond and Hundley and former GOP District 41 candidate Wally Burbage are defendants, as well as state and local election officials.
Meanwhile, Thurmond has remained on the campaign trail, showing up at events and buying political advertisements. He said his message has remained the same: He is running on his record as a conservative member of County Council.
Thurmond, son of the late U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond, won 43 percent of the vote two weeks ago, short of the 50 percent-plus-one threshold needed to avoid a runoff.
Thurmond said Hundley’s decision not to campaign wouldn’t change his strategy. “There are only two ways to run for office: scared or unopposed,” he said.
In July, Hundley won a special election to fill the remaining months left in the District 41 Senate term formerly held by Glenn McConnell. McConnell had to resign to become lieutenant governor after Lt. Gov. Ken Ard resigned and pleaded guilty to ethics violations.
Hundley originally said he would not seek the full four-year term, but he changed his mind because he thought his bid might be necessary to ensure there was a Republican on the ballot this fall, particularly in light of all the legal action swirling in the race.
But just four days after the Sept. 18 primary, he suspended his campaign, saying, “It appears that there is a consensus among Republican Party officials and Mr. Thurmond that he has been qualified to run in the special primary runoff.”
Hundley said Friday he has stayed in the race because he remains the only District 41 Republican candidate who has never been disqualified.
“How could I possibly stand down now? Then there would be no opponent, potentially,” he said. “I’ve never had the luxury of knowing how the courts are going to rule.”
The winner of Tuesday’s runoff will face Democrat and former Charleston City Councilman Paul Tinkler on Nov. 6 — unless the courts step in again.
Reach Robert Behre at 937-5771.
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