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1872 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

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The 1872 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 5, 1872, to select five Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. The three incumbents who ran were re-elected and the two open seats were retained by the Republicans. The composition of the state delegation thus remained solely Republican.

1st congressional district

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Incumbent Republican Congressman Joseph Rainey of the 1st congressional district, in office since 1870, was unopposed in his bid for re-election.

General election results

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South Carolina's 1st congressional district election results, 1872
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Joseph Rainey (incumbent) 19,765 100.0 +36.5
No party Write-Ins 3 0.0 0.0
Majority 19,762 100.0 +73.0
Turnout 19,768
Republican hold

2nd congressional district

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Incumbent Republican Congressman Robert C. De Large of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1871, declined to run for re-election. Alonzo J. Ransier was nominated by the Republicans and defeated Independent Republican challenger William Gurney in the general election.

General election results

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South Carolina's 2nd congressional district election results, 1872
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Alonzo J. Ransier 20,061 75.4 −20.9
Independent Republican William Gurney 6,549 24.6 +24.6
No party Write-Ins 11 0.0 −1.1
Majority 13,512 50.8 −47.9
Turnout 26,621
Republican hold

3rd congressional district

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Incumbent Republican Congressman Robert B. Elliott of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1871, defeated two Democratic candidates in the general election.

General election results

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South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election results, 1872
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Robert B. Elliott (incumbent) 20,564 92.5 +33.0
Democratic W.H. McCaw 1,094 4.9 +4.9
Democratic Samuel McGowan 411 1.9 +1.9
No party Write-Ins 166 0.7 +0.7
Majority 18,893 87.6 +68.6
Turnout 22,235
Republican hold

4th congressional district

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Incumbent Republican Congressman Alexander S. Wallace of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1870, defeated Democratic challenger Benjamin Franklin Perry.

General election results

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South Carolina's 4th congressional district election results, 1872
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Alexander S. Wallace (incumbent) 14,590 53.1 −2.2
Democratic Benjamin Franklin Perry 12,879 46.9 +2.5
No party Write-Ins 3 0.0 −0.3
Majority 1,711 6.2 −4.7
Turnout 27,472
Republican hold

At-large district

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The state unsuccessfully applied to have a fifth member seated in 1871 in the House of Representatives. Following apportionment from the 1870 census, the state was granted an extra seat and an At-large election was used to decide the fifth member. Republican Richard H. Cain defeated Independent Republican L.E. Johnson in the election and became the only member from South Carolina to be elected from an At-large district.

General election results

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South Carolina's at-large congressional district election results, 1872
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Richard H. Cain 71,321 72.0 −28.0
Independent Republican Lewis E. Johnson 26,394 26.6 +26.6
No party Write-Ins 1,404 1.4 +1.4
Majority 44,927 45.4 +45.4
Turnout 99,119
Republican gain

See also

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References

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  • "Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina." Reports and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina at the Regular Session, 1871-'72. Columbia, SC: Republican Printing Company, 1872, pp. 62, 64–67.