SC3: Congressional Air War Already Underway In Palmetto State

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A congressional air war is already underway in the Palmetto State, although it’s not taking place in the district many expected would see the first six-figure advertising campaigns launched …

Sheri Biggs – one of two announced candidates for South Carolina’s bright red third congressional district – announced on Thursday morning (February 29, 2024) that her campaign had launched a massive introductory advertising buy ahead of the filing period for this open seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Biggs’ opening advertisement insists she is the ideal candidate to represent the third district – highlighting her military and professional service as well as her evangelical beliefs and her support for former U.S. president Donald Trump.

“If we could draw up the best person to represent South Carolina in Congress, she would be a political outsider, a lieutenant colonel in the United States Air National Guard, a medical professional with a doctorate degree,” the ad’s narrator stated. “She would be a Bible-believing, Trump-supporting, conservative Christian who will never back down on issues of life, the economy, immigration, and freedom.”

“Good thing we don’t have to draw her up,” the narrator added. “She’s already running.”

Here is the spot …

(Click to View)

Biggs is one of two announced candidates for this seat – which has been held since January 2011 by congressman Jeff Duncan. A native of Greenville, S.C., Duncan had not been credibly challenged in any election since defeating state senator Richard Cash fourteen years ago. Of course, that was before he became embroiled in a sex scandal  involving a Washington, D.C. lobbyist back in September – which has exposed him to allegations of hypocrisy.

Last month, Duncan announced he would not seek an eighth term in office – thus sparing himself the indignities of what was shaping up to be a bruising GOP primary campaign.

Cash toyed with the idea of campaigning for this seat, but announced last month his intention to endorse 40-year-old state representative Stewart Jones of Greenwood, S.C. Jones is a member of the SC Freedom Caucus who has spent the last five years representing House District 14 in the S.C. General Assembly.

South Carolina’s third district runs along the Georgia and North Carolina borders in the northwestern portion of the state. It includes all of ten counties – Abbeville, Anderson, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Oconee, Pickens, and Saluda – and parts of Anderson and Greenville counties. In 2022, this district had a partisan voting index rating of +21 Republican – making it the most staunchly GOP congressional district in the Palmetto State.

In 2020, Trump received 69 percent of the vote within this district against incumbent president Joe Biden. Trump also pummeled former S.C. governor Nikki Haley in the district during last Saturday’s primary election, drawing 67.48 percent of the vote compared to Haley’s 31.84 percent.

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In 2022, this district had a partisan voting index rating of +21 Republican – making it the most staunchly GOP congressional district in the Palmetto State.

So far, Biggs and Jones are the only two announced candidates for this seat – although that could change over the course of the coming month.

The filing period for partisan primary races in South Carolina begins at 12:00 p.m. EST on March 16, 2024 and closes on April 1, 2024. Partisan primary races will be held on June 11, 2024, and if no candidate receives a majority of ballots in a given race, a runoff election will be held two weeks later – on June 25, 2024.

Biggs’ backers hailed her initial $50,000 digital and television buy – part of a scheduled six-figure advertising run – as evidence she had the resources necessary to mount a competitive campaign for this seat.

“Not only are community and grassroots leaders excited about Sheri’s candidacy, but clearly the campaign has the resources necessary to win,” one of Biggs third district backers told us.

Biggs’ television buy comes just five days after the ‘First in the South’ presidential primary – and, surprisingly, before any advertising runs in the high-profile partisan primary taking place in the Palmetto State’s first congressional district. That race currently pits second-term incumbent Nancy Mace against challenger Catherine Templeton – and is expected to see a deluge of special interest money given the desire of the Washington Swamp to take Mace out.

Count on our media outlet to keep our audience in the loop on the latest developments related to both of these races – as well as the pitched battle for the Palmetto State’s fourth congressional district between scandal-scarred incumbent William Timmons and Freedom Caucus chairman Adam Morgan.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina and before that he was a bass guitarist and dive bar bouncer. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven (soon to be eight) children.

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