The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, and elected the seven U.S. representatives from the state of South Carolina. This was increase of one seat as a result of reapportionment due to the increase of population in South Carolina as reported in the 2010 United States census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election. The people of South Carolina elected six Republicans and one Democrat to represent the state in the 113th United States Congress.
On July 26, 2011, the South Carolina House of Representatives and Senate passed a compromise redistricting bill which would place the new 7th district in the Pee Dee region. The bill was signed into law by Governor Nikki Haley on August 1.
Under the 1965 Voting Rights Act, South Carolina's congressional redistricting had to be pre-cleared by the U.S. Department of Justice or the United States District Court for the District of Columbia before it could be enacted. The Department of Justice precleared the map in October 2011; a subsequent lawsuit brought by six voters for discrimination under the new lines was dismissed by the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina in March 2012.
In redistricting, the 1st district was moved south along the coast to include Hilton Head and parts of Charleston County, and was expected to remain favorable to Republicans. Republican Tim Scott, who represented the 1st district since January 2011, sought re-election.
In redistricting, Hilton Head and surrounding areas as well as counties on the state's southern border were removed from the 2nd district, which afterwards included all of Aiken County. Republican Joe Wilson, who represented the 2nd district since 2001, sought re-election.
No candidate filed to run on the Democratic side.
Redistricting added parts of Newberry and Greenville counties to the 3rd district as parts of Aiken County were removed. The district was expected to continue to favor Republicans. Republican Jeff Duncan, who represented the 3rd district since January 2011, sought re-election.
The redrawn 4th district maintained a balance between the counties of Greenville and Spartanburg, and was expected to continue to favor Republicans. Republican Trey Gowdy, who represented the 4th district since January 2011, sought re-election.
The 5th district, which extended from the border of North Carolina to the outskirts of Sumter, was made more favorable to Republicans in redistricting. Republican Mick Mulvaney, who represented the 5th district since January 2011, sought re-election.
The 6th district was expected to continue to strongly favor Democrats. Democrat Jim Clyburn, the Assistant Democratic Leader of the U.S. House who represented the 6th district since 1993, faced no Republican opposition, although Green Party candidate Nammu Muhammad still ran against Clyburn.
The newly established 7th district contained most of the Pee Dee region, including the counties of Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Georgetown, Horry, Marion, and Marlboro, along with a part of Florence County, and was expected to favor Republicans. Indeed, in 2013, the Cook Partisan Voting Index gave this district a rating of R+7.
Ted Vick was considered to be the frontrunner until he was arrested in Columbia on the night of the May 14 on the Statehouse grounds and was charged with driving under the influence, speeding, and carrying a handgun without a permit. An officer had seen Vick stumbling as he walked into a parking garage, before getting into his car and hitting a cone before the officer could catch up. Vick smelled of alcohol but refused to take a breathalyzer test. Columbia Police Department officials indicated that Vick had been at a local bar prior to his arrest. A 21-year-old female USC student was in the car with Vick.
Vick would drop out of the race 10 days after his arrest.