State Representative Jason Elliott has clinched the Republican nomination for a Greenville State Senate seat after a competitive runoff against real estate broker and religious radio host Ben Carper. Elliott secured 51.67% of the votes, while Carper received 48.33%, with the unofficial election results indicating that a total of 8,791 votes were cast.
With no other candidates running in the upcoming general election in November, Elliott is poised to take his place in the state Legislature next year, marking a significant step in his political career as a four-term representative.
Elliott expressed gratitude for the support he received, stating, “A winning campaign is the result of the team effort and hard work of family, friends, neighbors, supporters, and voters. I’m thankful to be the Republican nominee for State Senate and look forward to making a positive impact in Greenville County and across South Carolina.”
The recent primary contest set the stage for a heated runoff to fill the position left vacant by retiring state Senator Dwight Loftis. In the aftermath of the primary, Elliott’s team raised concerns about Carper’s eligibility, leading to the hiring of a private investigator. Allegations emerged that Carper had altered his residency details to qualify for voting in District 6 while reportedly living in District 7.
Carper, when confronted with these allegations, denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he had complied with the laws governing residency in South Carolina, which considers a person’s declared address on their driver’s license as a confirmation of residency.
Elliott’s legal team subsequently called on the State Law Enforcement Division to investigate Carper’s claims. Though inquiries were made following these allegations, officials confirmed that no active investigation was currently underway. “When someone registers to vote and files for office, we expect them to be truthful and to follow the law,” Elliott remarked.
In a further boost to Elliott’s campaign, former Greenville County Councilman Nickles backed him, urging the 2,883 voters who supported Nickles to switch their votes to Elliott in the runoff. This campaign strategy proved effective.
In another political development on June 11, retired official Paul Wickensimer endorsed Stan Tzouvelekas to take over Elliott’s House seat in District 22, indicating ongoing changes in local political leadership.
