The Titans: Thurmond and Hollings
The 1990s began with South Carolina represented by two political legends who seemed to embody the state's past and future. On one side was Strom Thurmond, the iconic and long-serving Republican who had famously switched parties in 1964. On the other was Ernest 'Fritz' Hollings, a powerful Democratic voice who had been in the Senate since 1966. Together, they represented a state in transition. In 1990, Thurmond easily won re-election. Hollings followed suit with a victory in 1992. But the ground was shifting. By the time Thurmond, then in his 90s, won his final term in 1996, the Republican revolution was in full swing. Hollings secured one last victory in 1998, but it was the end of an era. For his entire 36-year tenure alongside Thurmond, Hollings served
as the junior senator, a testament to Thurmond's incredible longevity.
The Republican Lock Takes Hold
The new millennium marked a decisive turning point. When Strom Thurmond announced his retirement, the 2002 race to succeed him was a battle for the state's new identity. Republican Lindsey Graham, then a U.S. Representative, won the seat, and he has held it ever since. Two years later, in 2004, Fritz Hollings retired, leaving the state's other seat open. Republican Jim DeMint, another congressman, defeated his Democratic opponent to claim it. For the first time since Reconstruction, both of South Carolina's senators were Republicans. This completed a political realignment that had been building for decades, transforming the state from a Democratic stronghold into a GOP fortress. Subsequent elections in 2008 and 2010 saw Graham and DeMint easily win re-election, cementing the party's dominance.
The Tea Party and a Historic Appointment
Jim DeMint became a highly influential figure in the national Tea Party movement, but his tenure came to a surprising end in 2012 when he resigned to lead The Heritage Foundation. This created an opportunity for Governor Nikki Haley to make a historic choice. She appointed Tim Scott, then a U.S. Representative, to fill the vacancy. With that, Scott became South Carolina's first-ever African American senator and the first Black Republican in the Senate since the 1970s. The appointment was a landmark moment. Scott went on to win a special election in 2014 to serve the remainder of DeMint's term and then won full terms in 2016 and 2022.
The Modern Era: Graham and Scott
For the last decade, South Carolina's Senate delegation has been defined by Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott. Both have successfully navigated a changing Republican party, securing their positions through multiple election cycles. Graham won re-elections in 2014 and 2020, with his 2020 race against Jaime Harrison attracting national attention and record-breaking fundraising. Scott, meanwhile, has become a prominent national figure, even launching a brief presidential campaign in 2023. The consistent, often landslide, victories for both men throughout the 2010s and into the 2020s illustrate just how deeply Republican the state has become at the federal level. What was once a state represented by two different parties has become a one-party powerhouse in the U.S. Senate.
