South Carolina's 4th congressional district

South Carolina's 4th congressional district
State	South Carolina
Representative	William Timmons
Party	Republican
Residence	Greenville
Established	March 4, 1789
Region	Upstate South Carolina
Population	769,221
Population year	2020
Median income	$66,274
Ethnicity	75.8% White, 13.1% Black, 5.8% Hispanic, 2.9% Asian, 2.4% other
Cpvi	R+15

South Carolina's 4th congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in the Upstate region of South Carolina. Currently represented by Republican William Timmons, the district is anchored by the city of Greenville and includes most of Greenville County and all of Spartanburg County. Historically competitive, the district has become a Republican stronghold in recent decades, consistently electing conservative members of the Republican Party.

History

The district was one of the original five congressional districts established for South Carolina following the Constitution's ratification, with its first representative, Aedanus Burke, taking office in 1789. Throughout the 19th century, the district's boundaries shifted across the state, with representatives like John C. Calhoun and Wade Hampton III playing prominent roles in national debates over slavery and states' rights. Following Reconstruction, the district was a bastion of the Democratic Party under the Solid South system, electing figures such as Joseph T. Johnson. A significant political shift began in the mid-20th century, influenced by the Civil Rights Movement and the rise of the Republican Revolution. The election of Republican Carroll A. Campbell Jr. in 1978 marked a turning point, and the district has remained in Republican hands since, with later representatives including Bob Inglis and Trey Gowdy. The district's boundaries were substantially redrawn following the 2010 United States Census and again after the 2020 United States Census, solidifying its Republican lean by incorporating more of Greenville County and all of Spartanburg County.

Election results

Election results for the district have demonstrated its evolution from a Democratic to a Republican stronghold. Key transitional elections include the 1978 victory of Carroll A. Campbell Jr., who unseated longtime Democrat James R. Mann. The district saw a competitive period in the 1990s, with Democrat Elizabeth J. Patterson holding the seat for one term before Republican Bob Inglis reclaimed it. Since 2000, Republican candidates have consistently won by large margins, with notable victories by Trey Gowdy in 2010 and William Timmons in 2018. The 2022 election saw Timmons defeat Democratic challenger Kathleen Cunningham by over 30 percentage points, reflecting the district's current R+15 partisan rating.

List of representatives

Representatives of the district have included prominent national figures. Early representatives were Anti-Administration and Democratic-Republican, such as Thomas Sumter and John C. Calhoun. In the antebellum and Civil War periods, the seat was held by Democrats like William F. Colcock and Milledge L. Bonham. Post-Reconstruction, Democrats John H. Evins and Joseph T. Johnson held the seat for decades. The modern Republican era began with Carroll A. Campbell Jr., followed by Bob Inglis (who served non-consecutive terms), Jim DeMint, Trey Gowdy, and the current representative, William Timmons.

Recent election results

Recent elections have been non-competitive landslides for Republican candidates. In the 2018 election, William Timmons won the open seat with 63.2% of the vote against Democrat Brandon P. Brown. The 2020 election saw Timmons re-elected with 64.8% against Democrat Kim Nelson. Most recently, in the 2022 election, Timmons defeated Democrat Kathleen Cunningham 66.3% to 33.7%. These results align with the district's strong performance for Republican presidential candidates, including Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020.

Demographics

According to the 2020 United States Census, the district has a population of 769,221. The racial and ethnic composition is 75.8% White, 13.1% Black or African American, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 2.9% Asian, and 2.4% identifying as other or multiracial. The district's median household income is $66,274, above the state average, with a poverty rate of 12.1%. Major educational institutions include Furman University, Wofford College, and the University of South Carolina Upstate.

Geography

The district encompasses the core of the Upstate economic and population center. It includes all of Spartanburg County and the majority of Greenville County, excluding its far northern reaches. Major municipalities within the district are Greenville, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Simpsonville, and Greer. The district's geography ranges from the urban centers of Greenville and Spartanburg to suburban communities and rural areas in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is bisected by major interstate highways including Interstate 85 and Interstate 385.

Category:South Carolina's congressional districts