The race in state Senate District 35 was expected to be tight, but neither incumbent Phil Leventis nor challenger Dickie Jones could have imagined it would be this close.

Of more than 30,000 votes cast in Sumter and Lee counties Tuesday, only a few dozen now separate the two candidates.

By state law, that slim margin — in Leventis’ favor — triggers an automatic recount. The recount likely will be ordered by the State Election Commission in a few days. The outcome of the recount can be challenged by either candidate until Nov. 17.

Tuesday’s returns were favoring Democrat Leventis all night. A large number of Republican Jones’ votes weren’t counted until Wednesday morning.

That’s because ballots that included write-in candidates were set aside and counted last. Thousands of those ballots were cast for a write-in candidate — in the Sumter County auditor race — who drew heavy Republican support.

“There was a box sitting there in Sumter, and we knew we would get roughly 75 or 85 percent of those,” said Jay Jones, Jones’ nephew and campaign manager.

The race was closely watched. Leventis, who has served in the Senate since 1981, had been targeted for defeat by Gov. Mark Sanford, who campaigned for Jones, a Sumter attorney.

Leventis successfully fought to gain four-year status for USC Sumter over Sanford’s objections and filibustered a bill that would have allowed a vote on whether bars and restaurants could serve free-pour liquor, as opposed to serving from minibottles.

USC Sumter and economic development were central issues in the campaign. Jones argued the school and county haven’t prospered during Leventis’ tenure.

Reach Stensland at (803) 771-8358 or jstensland@thestate.com