1872 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

General election results

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

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

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

• United States House of Representatives elections, 1872
• South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1872
• South Carolina's congressional districts

References

• "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.