2014 South Carolina gubernatorial election
← 2010 November 4, 2014 2018 →
 
Nominee Nikki Haley Vincent Sheheen
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 696,645 516,166
Percentage 55.9% 41.4%
Haley:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Sheheen:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Governor before election

Nikki Haley
Republican

Elected Governor

Nikki Haley
Republican

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The 2014 South Carolina gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014, to elect the Governor of South Carolina, concurrently with the regularly-scheduled election and special election to both of South Carolina's U.S. Senate seats, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

Incumbent Republican Governor Nikki Haley ran for re-election to a second term in office. She faced Democratic State Senator Vincent Sheheen in the general election. Republican-turned-Independent Tom Ervin had been running, but he withdrew from the race and endorsed Sheheen.

Haley defeated Sheheen again in 2014, as she won nearly 56 percent of the vote to his 41 percent.[1]

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Withdrew

Declined

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size 		Margin of
error 		Nikki
Haley 		Someone
else 		Undecided
Public Policy Polling December 7–9, 2012 506 ± 4.4% 53% 37% 10%
Hypothetical polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size 		Margin of
error 		Nikki
Haley 		Curtis
Loftis 		Undecided
Public Policy Polling December 7–9, 2012 506 ± 4.4% 66% 18% 17%
Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size 		Margin of
error 		Nikki
Haley 		Glenn
McConnell 		Undecided
Public Policy Polling December 7–9, 2012 506 ± 4.4% 58% 26% 17%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Endorsements

Vincent Sheheen
Elected Officials

Independent and third parties

Candidates

Declared

Withdrew

Declined

General election

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[22] Likely R November 3, 2014
Sabato's Crystal Ball[23] Likely R November 3, 2014
Rothenberg Political Report[24] Likely R November 3, 2014
Real Clear Politics[25] Likely R November 3, 2014

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size 		Margin of
error 		Nikki
Haley (R) 		Vincent
Sheheen (D) 		Tom
Ervin (I) 		Other Undecided
Daily Journal October 27–30, 2014 139 — 46% 45% 2% 4%[26] 3%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov October 16–23, 2014 1,566 ± 4% 50% 33% — 1% 16%
Susquehanna October 2014 917 ± 3.24% 51% 31% 11% 3%[27] 4%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov September 20–October 1, 2014 2,663 ± 2% 53% 36% — 1% 10%
Crantford Research September 29, 2014 688 ± 3% 41% 37% 7% — 15%
Winthrop University September 21–28, 2014 1,082 ± 3% 44% 34% 4% 4%[28] 15%
Public Policy Polling^ September 4–5, 2014 793 ± 3.5% 50% 45% — — 5%
American Research Group September 2–4, 2014 600 ± 4% 43% 33% 18% 1%[29] 5%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov August 18–September 2, 2014 833 ± 5% 56% 35% — 1% 9%
Rasmussen Reports August 25–26, 2014 750 ± 4% 51% 36% — 6% 7%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov July 5–24, 2014 1,186 ± 5.4% 55% 38% — 2% 5%
Palmetto Politics Poll July 22, 2014 1,000 ± 4% 53% 40% — — 7%
650 ± 4% 46% 42% 3% 5%[29] 6%
Public Policy Polling^ June 20–22, 2014 698 ± 3.7% 49% 46% — — 5%
Rasmussen Reports April 14–15, 2014 750 ± 4% 52% 37% — 3% 7%
Harper Polling October 27–28, 2013 676 ± 3.77% 48% 39% — — 13%
Clarity Campaign Labs October 15–16, 2013 760 ± 3.53% 44% 40% — — 16%
Public Policy Polling December 7–9, 2012 520 ± 4.3% 44% 46% — — 10%
Hypothetical polling
With Loftis
Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size 		Margin of
error 		Curtis
Loftis (R) 		Vincent
Sheheen (D) 		Undecided
Public Policy Polling December 7–9, 2012 520 ± 4.3% 37% 46% 17%
With McConnell
Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size 		Margin of
error 		Glenn
McConnell (R) 		Vincent
Sheheen (D) 		Undecided
Public Policy Polling December 7–9, 2012 520 ± 4.3% 41% 44% 15%

Results

South Carolina gubernatorial election, 2014[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Nikki Haley (incumbent) 696,645 55.90% +4.53%
Democratic Vincent Sheheen 516,166 41.42% -5.49%
Libertarian Steve French 15,438 1.24% N/A
Independent Tom Ervin 11,496 0.92% N/A
United Citizens Morgan B. Reeves 5,622 0.45% -1.05%
Write-in 934 0.07% -0.16%
Total votes 1,246,301 100.00% N/A
Republican hold

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

References

  1. ^ "Democratic nominee for 2018? It's anybody's guess | The Buzz | The State". Archived from the original on November 13, 2014. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  2. ^ Kopan, Tal (August 12, 2013). "Aide: Nikki Haley running for reelection". Politico. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  3. ^ "Nikki Haley Draws a Primary Opponent". FITSNews. March 29, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2014.
  4. ^ "Nikki Haley Challenger to Run as Independent". FITSNews. April 11, 2014. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  5. ^ Smith, Gina (February 1, 2013). "EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Tom Davis will not run for U.S. Senate, governor's office". The Island Packet. Archived from the original on February 8, 2013. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  6. ^ a b c d West, Bill (August 16, 2012). "Will Governor Haley survive 2014 gubernatorial race?" (PDF). Lexington County Chronicle and The Dispatch-News. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 21, 2014. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  7. ^ McGinnis, Tim (January 25, 2013). "SC State Treasurer won't run for governor". WPDE. Archived from the original on December 6, 2013. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
  8. ^ Moredock, Will (March 28, 2012). "Will Glenn McConnell go after Nikki Haley's job?". Charleston City Paper. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  9. ^ Hutchins, Corey (October 23, 2013). "Haley ally Pat McKinney to challenge Glenn McConnell for lieutenant governor | Features". Charleston City Paper. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  10. ^ Drury, Shawn (May 31, 2013). "Dems Eyeing Challenge to Mulvaney in 2014, GOP Not Worried - Government". Columbia, SC Patch. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  11. ^ "Alan Wilson Sitting Pretty For Reelection". FITSNews. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  12. ^ Shain, Andrew (April 10, 2013). "Sheheen announces another run for governor". Herald Online. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
  13. ^ "Steve Benjamin Plotting Gubernatorial Bid". FITSNews. February 26, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  14. ^ "Steve Benjamin To Announce Reelection Bid". FITSNews. May 10, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  15. ^ Beam, Adam (June 26, 2013). "Former SC House Democratic leader accepts Obama Administration job". The State. Archived from the original on July 31, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "SC Mayors Endorse Vincent Sheheen for Governor | Vincent Sheheen for Governor, South Carolina". Vincentsheheen.com. August 21, 2013. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
  17. ^ Shain, Andrew (March 15, 2014). "Libertarian joins SC governor's race". The State. Archived from the original on March 16, 2014. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  18. ^ "SC politics: GOP governors take another shot at Democrat Sheheen". The State. March 31, 2014. Archived from the original on April 3, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  19. ^ GRANDPA FOR GOVERNOR!, retrieved August 11, 2023
  20. ^ "Ervin drops out of SC governor's race, backs Sheheen". The State. October 28, 2014. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  21. ^ Andrew Shain (7 December 2013). "Sunday Buzz: Andre Bauer not putting brakes on possible SC governor's run". The State. Archived from the original on 10 December 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  22. ^ "2014 Governor Race Ratings for November 3, 2014". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  23. ^ "The Crystal Ball's Final 2014 Picks". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  24. ^ "2014 Gubernatorial Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  25. ^ "2014 Elections Map - 2014 Governors Races". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  26. ^ Steve French (L) 2%, Morgan Bruce Reeves (UCP) 1%, Write-in 1%
  27. ^ Steve French (L) 2%, Morgan Bruce Reeves (UCP) 1%
  28. ^ Steve French (L) 2%, Morgan Bruce Reeves (UCP) 1%, Other 0%
  29. ^ a b Steve French (L)
  30. ^ "South Carolina Election Results". South Carolina Board of Elections. November 13, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2014.

External links

Official campaign websites
Elections in South Carolina
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