Sheheen captures Senate seat

Voters Tuesday returned a Kershaw County Democrat to the state Senate .

State Rep. Vincent Sheheen, who has served less than one term in the State House, was voted the new senator for District 27 to replace the late Sen. Donald Holland.

“I felt really honored by the confidence that the people of the area put in me,” Sheheen said.

Sheheen attributed the win to his hard work on the campaign and his hard work in the S.C. House.

He said he will take that same hard work to the state Senate. Sheheen, 32, beat out Republican candidate Steve Kelly, chairman of Kershaw County Council. Sheheen took roughly 61 percent of the vote in the four-county district.

Sheheen will face opposition from Kelly in the November general election, when the term expires.

Kelly congratulated Sheheen on his win but said he made a pledge to run in the November race before Holland died last October and he that would honor the commitment.

In Kershaw County, which has the most voters in the district and is home to both candidates, Sheheen won 59 percent of the vote, with 4,467 votes to Kelly’s 3,082.

In Chesterfield County, with 25 of 29 precincts reporting, Sheheen won by a larger margin, taking 2,360 votes to Kelly’s 1,181 votes.

Kelly edged Sheheen in Lancaster County’s five participating precincts with a 293-283 margin. But Sheheen won Marlboro county, which had one precinct reporting, by a 115-12 vote.

Sheheen, an attorney from Camden, has pledged to continue his efforts on economic development, tax and school funding reform and preserving natural areas in the state.

Sheheen said he would be following in large footsteps by filling Holland’s seat and would try to serve in the same manner as Holland.

“That’s the same kind of independent and practical approach I take to serving,” Sheheen said.

Reach Rupon at (803) 771-8622 or krupon@thestate.com.