1940 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

The 1940 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 5, 1940, to select six Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. All five incumbents who ran were re-elected and the open seat in the 1st congressional district was retained by the Democrats. The composition of the state delegation thus remained solely Democratic.

1st congressional district

Incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Clara G. McMillan of the 1st congressional district succeeded her husband, Thomas S. McMillan, in office upon his death in 1939. She did not seek re-election and L. Mendel Rivers defeated Alfred von Kolnitz in the Democratic primary and Republican Mrs. John E. Messervy in the general election.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary
Candidate	Votes	%
L. Mendel Rivers	18,253	54.2
Alfred von Kolnitz	15,413	45.8

General election results

South Carolina's 1st congressional district election results, 1940

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	L. Mendel Rivers	16,626	98.3	+0.1
	Republican	Mrs. John E. Messervy	278	1.6	−0.2
	No party	Write-Ins	14	0.1	+0.1
Majority			16,348	96.7	+0.3
Turnout			16,918
	Democratic hold

2nd congressional district

Incumbent Democratic Congressman Hampton P. Fulmer of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1921, defeated former Lieutenant Governor Andrew J. Bethea in the Democratic primary and Republican M.B. Cross in the general election.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary
Candidate	Votes	%
Hampton P. Fulmer	39,945	76.8
Andrew J. Bethea	12,078	23.2

General election results

South Carolina's 2nd congressional district election results, 1940

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Hampton P. Fulmer (incumbent)	14,920	98.6	−0.2
	Republican	M.B. Cross	206	1.4	+1.1
Majority			14,714	97.2	−1.3
Turnout			15,126
	Democratic hold

3rd congressional district

Incumbent Democratic Congressman Butler B. Hare of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1939, defeated former Representative John C. Taylor in the Democratic primary and Republican A.F. Ernest in the general election.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary
Candidate	Votes	%
Butler B. Hare	44,713	67.2
John C. Taylor	21,787	32.8

General election results

South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election results, 1940

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Butler B. Hare (incumbent)	15,977	99.3	−0.3
	Republican	A.F. Ernest	108	0.7	+0.3
Majority			15,869	98.6	−0.6
Turnout			16,085
	Democratic hold

4th congressional district

Incumbent Democratic Congressman Joseph R. Bryson of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1939, defeated Virgil Evans in the Democratic primary and Republican J.D. McCullough in the general election.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary
Candidate	Votes	%
Joseph R. Bryson	65,812	85.7
Virgil Evans	10,971	14.3

General election results

South Carolina's 4th congressional district election results, 1940

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Joseph R. Bryson (incumbent)	23,825	97.3	−2.1
	Republican	J.D. McCullough	657	2.7	+2.1
Majority			23,168	94.6	−4.2
Turnout			24,482
	Democratic hold

5th congressional district

Incumbent Democratic Congressman James P. Richards of the 5th congressional district, in office since 1933, defeated Roy C. Cobb in the Democratic primary and Republican C.F. Pendleton in the general election.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary
Candidate	Votes	%
James P. Richards	33,262	72.3
Roy C. Cobb	12,748	27.7

General election results

South Carolina's 5th congressional district election results, 1940

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	James P. Richards (incumbent)	14,754	99.2	−0.6
	Republican	C.F. Pendleton	120	0.8	+0.6
	No party	Write-Ins	4	0.0	0.0
Majority			14,634	98.4	−1.2
Turnout			14,878
	Democratic hold

6th congressional district

Incumbent Democratic Congressman John L. McMillan of the 6th congressional district, in office since 1939, defeated James P. "Spot" Mozingo in the Democratic primary and Republican C.B. Ruffin in the general election.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary
Candidate	Votes	%
John L. McMillan	34,969	65.3
James P. "Spot" Mozingo	18,576	34.7

General election results

South Carolina's 6th congressional district election results, 1940

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	John L. McMillan (incumbent)	12,074	99.0	−0.2
	Republican	C.B. Ruffin	123	1.0	+0.2
Majority			11,951	98.0	−0.4
Turnout			12,197
	Democratic hold

See also

• United States House of Representatives elections, 1940
• South Carolina's congressional districts

References

• Jordan, Frank E. The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962. pp. 99, 106, 111, 116, 120, 125.
• "Supplemental Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina." Report of the State Officers Boards and Committees to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume I. Columbia, SC: 1941, pp. 7–9.