South Carolina Democrats Tap Keishan Scott for State House Special Election
District 50 has been vacant since State Representative Will Wheeler (D) resigned in January 2025.
The Democratic and Republican primaries occurred today in South Carolina to select candidates for the special election filling a vacancy in the State House. The state requires a candidate to obtain a 50%+1 majority to obtain their party’s nomination. That was guaranteed to happen in both primaries given the number of qualified candidates on the ballot.
The special election for South Carolina State House District 50 was called after State Representative Will Wheeler, a Democrat, retired to run for the South Carolina Circuit Court in 2026. He represented this district from November 2016 to January 2025. He was re-elected unopposed in November 2024.
South Carolina State House District 50 covers all of Lee County and also features parts of Kershaw and Sumter Counties.
In the Democratic primary, Keishan Scott won with 50.2% (1,435) against Carl Whetsel with 49.8% (1,425). 2,860 votes counted.
Since June 2023, Scott has served on the Bishopville City Council. He also works as a paralegal in Sumter.
Meanwhile, William Oden won the Republican primary unopposed.
Oden served in the South Carolina State Guard from November 1999 to December 2024.
The South Carolina House of Representatives currently features 88 Republicans and 35 Democrats. This is the chamber’s sole vacancy. The special election in District 50 will occur on June 3, 2025. All 124 seats will next be up for regular two-year terms in November 2026.