2000 United States presidential election in South Carolina
← 1996 November 7, 2000 2004 →
 
Nominee George W. Bush Al Gore
Party Republican Democratic
Home state Texas Tennessee
Running mate Dick Cheney Joe Lieberman
Electoral vote 8 0
Popular vote 786,426 566,039
Percentage 56.83% 40.91%
County Results
President before election

Bill Clinton
Democratic

Elected President

George W. Bush
Republican

Elections in South Carolina
Federal government
U.S. President
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
State offices
General elections
Gubernatorial elections
State Senate elections
State House elections
Ballot measures
Charleston
Mayoral elections

The 2000 United States presidential election in South Carolina took place on November 7, 2000, and was part of the 2000 United States presidential election. Voters chose 8 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

South Carolina was won by Governor George W. Bush by a 15.92% margin of victory. As of the 2020 presidential election, this is the last election in which Sumter County voted for a Republican presidential candidate.

Primaries

Republican primary

The Republican primary was held on February 19, 2000, with 37 delegates at stake.[1] South Carolina would prove to be a crucially important state for then-Texas Governor George W. Bush after losing to Arizona Senator John McCain in New Hampshire by 18 points. Bush won the South Carolina primary by an 11.5% margin, and took the lion's share of the delegates at stake.

Candidates

Withdrawn

Results

2000 South Carolina Primary county Map
  George W. Bush
  John McCain
Candidate Votes[2] Percentage Delegates
George W. Bush 305,998 53.39% 34
John McCain 239,964 41.87% 3
Alan Keyes 25,996 4.54% 0
Other 1,144 0.20% 0
Total 573,101 100.00% 37

Democratic Caucuses

The Democratic caucuses were held on March 7, with 43 delegates at stake. As the only major candidate left in the race, Vice President Al Gore easily won all the delegates.

Candidates

Withdrawn

Results

Candidate Votes[3] Percentage Delegates
Al Gore 8,864 91.79% 43
Uncommitted 514 5.32% 0
Bill Bradley 172 1.78% 0
William Kreml 107 1.11% 0
Total 9,657 100% 34

Campaign

Predictions

Source Rating As of
The Orlando Sentinel[4] Certain R September 10, 2000
The Island Packet[5] Likely R September 17, 2000
The News and Observer[6] Likely R October 18, 2000
Richmond Times-Dispatch[7] Safe R October 29, 2000
The State[8] Safe R October 30, 2000
The Central New Jersey Home News[9] Solid R November 2, 2000
Los Angeles Times[10] Safe R November 3, 2000

Results

2000 United States presidential election in South Carolina[11]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Republican George W. Bush 786,426 56.83% 8
Democratic Al Gore 566,039 40.91% 0
United Citizens Ralph Nader 20,279 1.47% 0
Libertarian Harry Browne 4,888 0.35% 0
Reform Pat Buchanan 3,520 0.25% 0
Constitution Howard Phillips 1,682 0.12% 0
Natural Law John Hagelin 943 0.07% 0

Results by county

County[12] George W. Bush
Republican 		Al Gore
Democratic 		Ralph Nader
United Citizens 		Harry Browne
Libertarian 		Pat Buchanan
Reform 		Howard Phillips
Constitution 		John Hagelin
Natural Law 		Margin Total
# % # % # % # % # % # % # % # %
Abbeville 4,450 53.14% 3,766 44.97% 66 0.79% 11 0.13% 70 0.84% 8 0.10% 3 0.04% 684 8.17% 8,374
Aiken 33,203 65.38% 16,409 32.31% 676 1.33% 178 0.35% 235 0.46% 42 0.08% 39 0.08% 16,794 33.07% 50,782
Allendale 967 28.95% 2,338 70.00% 17 0.51% 4 0.12% 7 0.21% 4 0.12% 3 0.09% -1,371 -41.05% 3,340
Anderson 35,827 63.21% 19,606 34.59% 777 1.37% 176 0.31% 216 0.38% 41 0.07% 38 0.07% 16,221 28.62% 56,681
Bamberg 2,047 36.88% 3,451 62.17% 19 0.34% 12 0.22% 12 0.22% 6 0.11% 4 0.07% -1,404 -25.29% 5,551
Barnwell 4,521 54.63% 3,661 44.24% 43 0.52% 10 0.12% 29 0.35% 6 0.07% 6 0.07% 860 10.39% 8,276
Beaufort 25,561 57.90% 17,487 39.61% 846 1.92% 135 0.31% 68 0.15% 24 0.05% 27 0.06% 8,074 18.29% 44,148
Berkeley 24,796 57.24% 17,707 40.88% 464 1.07% 182 0.42% 85 0.20% 54 0.12% 28 0.06% 7,089 16.36% 43,316
Calhoun 3,216 50.46% 3,063 48.06% 60 0.94% 21 0.33% 9 0.14% 1 0.02% 3 0.05% 153 2.40% 6,373
Charleston 58,229 52.23% 49,520 44.42% 2,631 2.36% 714 0.64% 154 0.14% 149 0.13% 79 0.07% 8,709 7.81% 111,476
Cherokee 9,900 60.65% 6,138 37.60% 144 0.88% 52 0.32% 55 0.34% 16 0.10% 18 0.11% 3,762 23.05% 16,323
Chester 4,986 47.80% 5,242 50.25% 98 0.94% 39 0.37% 34 0.33% 14 0.13% 19 0.18% -256 -2.45% 10,432
Chesterfield 6,266 50.02% 6,111 48.79% 105 0.84% 16 0.13% 16 0.13% 6 0.05% 6 0.05% 155 1.23% 12,526
Clarendon 5,186 45.93% 5,999 53.14% 64 0.57% 13 0.12% 12 0.11% 13 0.12% 3 0.03% -813 -7.21% 11,290
Colleton 6,767 50.54% 6,449 48.16% 104 0.78% 22 0.16% 19 0.14% 22 0.16% 7 0.05% 318 2.38% 13,390
Darlington 11,290 51.64% 10,253 46.90% 166 0.76% 54 0.25% 47 0.21% 36 0.16% 17 0.08% 1,037 4.74% 21,863
Dillon 3,975 44.22% 4,930 54.84% 46 0.51% 14 0.16% 8 0.09% 16 0.18% 1 0.01% -955 -10.62% 8,990
Dorchester 20,734 61.63% 12,168 36.17% 476 1.41% 151 0.45% 65 0.19% 28 0.08% 19 0.06% 8,566 25.46% 33,641
Edgefield 4,760 53.88% 3,950 44.71% 65 0.74% 20 0.23% 29 0.33% 5 0.06% 5 0.06% 810 9.17% 8,834
Fairfield 3,011 35.85% 5,263 62.67% 70 0.83% 18 0.21% 12 0.14% 14 0.17% 10 0.12% -2,252 -26.82% 8,398
Florence 23,678 57.14% 17,157 41.41% 394 0.95% 85 0.21% 71 0.17% 33 0.08% 19 0.05% 6,521 15.73% 41,437
Georgetown 10,535 51.77% 9,445 46.41% 270 1.33% 50 0.25% 20 0.10% 16 0.08% 15 0.07% 1,090 5.36% 20,351
Greenville 92,714 66.09% 43,810 31.23% 2,388 1.70% 584 0.42% 485 0.35% 223 0.16% 89 0.06% 48,904 34.86% 140,293
Greenwood 12,193 58.45% 8,139 39.02% 263 1.26% 104 0.50% 59 0.28% 83 0.40% 19 0.09% 4,054 19.43% 20,860
Hampton 2,798 36.06% 4,896 63.10% 39 0.50% 3 0.04% 8 0.10% 11 0.14% 4 0.05% -2,098 -27.04% 7,759
Horry 40,300 56.55% 29,113 40.85% 1,405 1.97% 181 0.25% 145 0.20% 78 0.11% 43 0.06% 11,187 15.70% 71,265
Jasper 2,414 37.32% 3,646 56.36% 134 2.07% 14 0.22% 245 3.79% 14 0.22% 2 0.03% -1,232 -19.04% 6,469
Kershaw 11,911 60.53% 7,428 37.75% 211 1.07% 49 0.25% 53 0.27% 11 0.06% 14 0.07% 4,483 22.78% 19,677
Lancaster 11,676 56.39% 8,782 42.41% 161 0.78% 51 0.25% 31 0.15% 4 0.02% 0 0.00% 2,894 13.98% 20,705
Laurens 12,102 59.29% 7,920 38.80% 213 1.04% 50 0.24% 90 0.44% 23 0.11% 12 0.06% 4,182 20.49% 20,410
Lee 2,675 40.27% 3,899 58.70% 32 0.48% 10 0.15% 17 0.26% 4 0.06% 5 0.08% -1,224 -18.43% 6,642
Lexington 58,095 69.93% 22,830 27.48% 1,444 1.74% 373 0.45% 211 0.25% 84 0.10% 44 0.05% 35,265 42.45% 83,081
McCormick 1,704 46.54% 1,896 51.79% 53 0.44% 14 0.12% 11 0.09% 22 0.18% 4 0.03% -192 -5.25% 3,661
Marion 4,687 38.58% 7,358 60.56% 52 0.66% 12 0.15% 16 0.20% 18 0.23% 26 0.33% -2,671 -21.98% 12,149
Marlboro 2,699 34.24% 5,060 64.19% 38 1.04% 6 0.16% 8 0.22% 2 0.05% 7 0.19% -2,361 -29.95% 7,883
Newberry 7,492 60.56% 4,428 35.79% 210 1.70% 65 0.53% 53 0.43% 77 0.62% 47 0.38% 3,064 24.77% 12,372
Oconee 15,364 65.17% 7,571 32.11% 451 1.91% 80 0.34% 60 0.25% 25 0.11% 24 0.10% 7,793 33.06% 23,575
Orangeburg 12,657 38.67% 19,802 60.49% 170 0.52% 41 0.13% 30 0.09% 21 0.06% 13 0.04% -7,145 -21.82% 32,734
Pickens 24,681 71.37% 8,927 25.81% 606 1.75% 189 0.55% 97 0.28% 49 0.14% 33 0.10% 15,754 45.56% 34,582
Richland 50,164 43.07% 63,179 54.24% 2,277 1.97% 414 0.36% 157 0.14% 144 0.12% 53 0.05% -13,015 -11.17% 116,481
Saluda 4,098 59.47% 2,682 38.92% 56 0.81% 16 0.23% 31 0.45% 2 0.03% 6 0.09% 1,416 20.55% 6,891
Spartanburg 52,114 62.37% 29,559 35.38% 1,150 1.38% 280 0.34% 247 0.30% 136 0.16% 67 0.08% 22,555 26.99% 83,553
Sumter 15,915 51.89% 14,365 46.83% 270 0.88% 38 0.12% 38 0.12% 22 0.07% 24 0.08% 1,550 5.06% 30,672
Union 5,768 54.47% 4,662 44.03% 90 0.85% 23 0.22% 34 0.32% 5 0.05% 7 0.07% 1,106 10.44% 10,589
Williamsburg 4,524 39.93% 6,723 59.33% 46 0.41% 12 0.11% 5 0.04% 17 0.15% 4 0.04% -2,199 -19.40% 11,331
York 33,776 62.14% 19,251 35.42% 840 1.55% 290 0.53% 115 0.21% 53 0.10% 26 0.05% 14,525 26.72% 54,351
Totals 786,426 56.83% 566,039 40.91% 20,200 1.46% 4,876 0.35% 3,519 0.25% 1,682 0.12% 942 0.07% 220,387 15.93% 1,383,777

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Results by congressional district

Bush won five of six congressional districts, including a district held by a Democrat.

District Bush Gore Representative
1st 59% 38% Mark Sanford
Henry E. Brown Jr.
2nd 58% 39% Floyd Spence
3rd 63% 35% Lindsey Graham
4th 64% 33% Jim DeMint
5th 56% 42% John Spratt
6th 36% 63% Jim Clyburn

Electors

Main article: List of 2000 United States presidential electors

The electors of each state and the District of Columbia met on December 18, 2000[11] to cast their votes for president and vice president. The Electoral College itself never meets as one body. Instead the electors from each state and the District of Columbia met in their respective capitols.

The following were the members of the Electoral College from the state. All were pledged to and voted for George Bush and Dick Cheney:[13]

  1. Cynthia F. Costa
  2. Danny R. Faulkner
  3. Thomas H. McLean
  4. William B. Prince
  5. Dan Richardson
  6. Douglas L. Wavle
  7. Cecil F. Windham Sr.
  8. Buddy Witherspoon

See also

References

  1. ^ "2000 Republican Presidential Primary Results — South Carolina". Retrieved February 27, 2009.
  2. ^ "FEC 2000 Republican Presidential Primary Results — South Carolina". Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  3. ^ "2000 South Carolina Democratic Caucus Results". Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  4. ^ Brown, Peter A. (September 10, 2000). "Electoral College Analysis Shows the Race Is a Dead Heat: Florida Could Be Decisive This November". The Orlando Sentinel. pp. G1, G4.
  5. ^ Miller, Karin (September 17, 2000). "Gore, Bush Fight for Votes in Battleground Home Turf — Regional Credentials, Changing Makeup Could Be Key to Race". The Island Packet. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Associated Press. p. 15-A.
  6. ^ "The Prize Is Still out There". The News and Observer. Raleigh, North Carolina. October 18, 2000. p. 14A.
  7. ^ "Bush Has Small Electoral Lead". Richmond Times-Dispatch. The Associated Press. October 29, 2000. p. A8.
  8. ^ "S.C Presidential Poll". The State. Rasmussen Research. October 20, 2000. p. A6.
  9. ^ Raasch, Chuck (November 2, 2000). "Vote May Be Closest in 40 Years: Presidential Outcome Expected to Hinge on Swing States". The Central New Jersey Home News. New Brunswick, New Jersey. pp. A1, A6.
  10. ^ Brownstein, Ronald. "Popular-Vote Winner Could End Up a Loser — NUMBERS: Pollsters See Visions of 1888 Cleveland Victorywork=Los Angeles Timesdate=November 3, 2000". Los Angeles, California. pp. A1, A5.
  11. ^ a b "2000 Presidential General Election Results — South Carolina". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
  12. ^ "SC US President Race, November 07, 2000". Our Campaigns.
  13. ^ "President Elect ± 2000". Archived from the original on February 12, 2012. Retrieved May 10, 2011.
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