WALTERBORO--All but a few of the votes were counted in the House District 121 special election Tuesday when Democrat Kenneth Hodges' campaign manager turned to him and shook his hand.

"Congratulations," Ed Williams told him. "It's over. It's over."

Williams was right. Hodges, 53, cruised to victory over Republican Jennifer Bailey by winning 1,179 of the 1,878 votes cast, according to unofficial reports.

"It sounds like I won," Hodges said, while waiting for the last precincts to report. "I'm just looking forward to serving Colleton and Beaufort counties."

Hodges will take over for Rep. Walter Lloyd, who died in April after an extended illness. Lloyd was Colleton County's only resident legislator.

Hodges, a minister at Tabernacle Baptist Church who also owns a downtown Beaufort art gallery, owns homes in both Beaufort and Colleton counties.

A graduate of Walterboro High School, Hodges said he will represent both counties equally.

Hodges said he knew he had the support of voters who crossed party, racial and geographic lines and wasn't surprised at the margin of victory.

"No, I didn't expect it to be real close," he said.

He said he didn't count on doing so well in Colleton County, where he came in second to candidate Reaves McLeod during a four-way primary.

On Tuesday, he won there 438 votes to 324.

"I was shocked," he said.

The House of Representatives seat will be his second time holding political office. He was a Bennettsville city councilman for five years.

Bailey, 35, came up short in her first shot at political office. A former Marine, she faced an uphill battle in a district that is predominantly black and historically votes Democratic.

"We ran a good race," she said. "We did everything we could to get the voters out."

Bailey, who was endorsed by Gov. Mark Sanford and was strongly supported by Rep. Catherine Ceips of Beaufort, had her strongest showing in Colleton County at Edisto Beach, a traditionally Republican district. She captured 128 of the 138 votes cast there.

Bailey said she's still confident a Republican can win the district.

"I think we really stirred it up, and we're hopeful next time will be a lot different," she said.