South Carolina doesn't do "purple" very well. If you’ve spent any time driving between the flashy, crane-filled skyline of Greenville and the moss-draped, slow-moving streets of Beaufort, you’ve seen the signs. Literally. The 2024 election cycle didn't just whisper the state's political identity; it screamed it from the rooftops of the Upstate to the shores of the Lowcountry.
So, is South Carolina red or blue 2024? Honestly, it’s about as red as a ripe Palmetto tomato.
Donald Trump didn't just win here. He crushed it. He pulled in 1,483,747 votes, which is a staggering number when you realize it’s the most any single candidate has ever received in the history of the state. He walked away with 58.2% of the popular vote, leaving Kamala Harris with 40.4%. That 17.8% gap is the widest margin a Republican has enjoyed in South Carolina since the 1980s.
It wasn't even close.
The Red Wall That Just Won't Crack
People keep talking about "shifting demographics" and the "New South," but the Palmetto State is playing by its own rules. You've got places like Pickens County where the GOP margin looks like a typo—Trump took over 75% of the vote there. In Oconee and Anderson, it’s a similar story. These aren't just "leans Republican" areas; they are the engine room of the state's GOP dominance.
The state has voted Republican in every single presidential election since 1980. That’s a forty-four-year streak. While Georgia next door is busy being a "swing state" and making everyone nervous every four years, South Carolina is essentially a fortress for the right.
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Why the 2024 Margin Surprised Some Folks
A lot of the pre-election chatter centered on whether the "Nikki Haley effect" would dampen Trump’s numbers. Remember, she was the governor here. She knows the terrain. But in the February primary, Trump took 47 out of 50 delegates, even in her home turf. By the time November rolled around, the GOP base had completely consolidated.
- Total Trump Votes: 1,483,747
- Total Harris Votes: 1,028,452
- The Gap: Over 455,000 votes
That’s not a rounding error. That’s a mandate.
Where the Blue Dots Still Live
If you look at the map, it isn't solid crimson. There are blue islands, but they’re getting smaller or staying isolated. Richland County (home to Columbia) and Charleston County are the big ones. In Richland, Harris pulled about 66% of the vote. It’s a college town vibe—lots of state workers, students, and a large Black population that remains the backbone of the South Carolina Democratic Party.
Charleston is more interesting. It’s wealthier, more "cosmopolitan," and went for Harris by about 6 points. But even there, the surrounding areas like Berkeley and Dorchester are deep, deep red.
Then you have the "Black Belt" counties—Orangeburg, Williamsburg, Bamberg. These are rural, predominantly Black areas that have stayed blue for decades. But here’s the kicker: turnout in these areas often struggles compared to the surging GOP turnout in the suburbs. In 2024, the rural blue vote just couldn't keep pace with the massive numbers coming out of Spartanburg or Horry County.
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Is South Carolina Red or Blue 2024: The Down-Ballot Reality
If you want to know how a state really feels, look at the people who represent the small towns. The 2024 results for the State House and Senate were a bloodbath for Democrats. Republicans didn't just keep their majority; they expanded it into "supermajority" territory.
Take State Senate District 29, for example. JD Chaplin flipped a seat that had been held by a Democrat, Gerald Malloy, for over twenty years. When long-term incumbents start losing in the Pee Dee region, you know the tide is moving.
The U.S. House Breakdown
The congressional map is a 6-1 split. Jim Clyburn, the legendary Democrat from the 6th District, is the lone blue dot in Washington for South Carolina. Everyone else—Nancy Mace, Joe Wilson, William Timmons—they all won their 2024 races by double digits. Mace, specifically, was a target for national Democrats, but she sailed through with 58% of the vote.
It tells you that the "moderate" voter in the coastal 1st District is still much more comfortable with a Republican than a Democrat.
The Demographic Myth
We often hear that more people moving to the coast or the Greenville area will turn the state blue. Basically, the idea is that "outsiders" bring liberal ideas.
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Actually, the opposite seems to be happening.
Many people moving to South Carolina from places like New York, New Jersey, or Ohio are specifically looking for a more conservative environment. They aren't moving here to change the politics; they’re moving here because they like the politics. This "political migration" is a huge reason why Horry County (Myrtle Beach) has become a GOP powerhouse. It’s one of the fastest-growing areas in the country, and it went 68.8% for Trump.
What the Future Actually Looks Like
Don't expect a "Purple South Carolina" anytime soon. The state’s Democratic Party is in a tough spot. They have a core group of loyal voters, but they are struggling to appeal to the white suburban voters in the Upstate or the working-class voters in the rural Midlands.
The state’s leadership is firmly in Republican hands, from Governor Henry McMaster down to the local county councils. Unless there is a massive shift in how the parties talk about the economy or social issues, the GOP’s grip on the Palmetto State is likely to tighten rather than loosen.
Actionable Insights for Following SC Politics:
- Watch the Suburbs: The real battle isn't in the cities; it's in the suburbs of Greenville, Spartanburg, and Rock Hill. If the GOP starts losing ground there, the state could shift. But in 2024, they actually gained ground.
- Follow the Primaries: In a state this red, the real "election" often happens in the June primaries. That’s where the different factions of the Republican party fight for the soul of the state.
- Register Early: South Carolina recently introduced more robust early in-person voting. Over 60% of voters used this in 2024. If you're moving here, get your paperwork done at the DMV early—the lines get long before November.
- Don't Ignore Local Races: While the President gets the headlines, the 2024 flips in the State Senate will have a much bigger impact on your daily life, from taxes to school choice.
South Carolina isn't just red; it’s a deep, historic shade of it that survived the 2024 cycle stronger than ever. Whether you love that or hate it, it’s the reality on the ground.