David Stumbo wins GOP primary for SC Attorney General

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Upstate solicitor David Stumbo has won the Republican runoff for South Carolina Attorney General, defeating state Sen. Stephen Goldfinch in a closely watched contest that came down to turnout and late momentum.

Stumbo’s victory Tuesday comes just two weeks after he trailed Goldfinch in the initial primary. The race, widely seen as the tightest statewide runoff, was the final statewide contest called.

Stumbo built an early lead on election night that Goldfinch was unable to overcome, despite narrowing the gap in some areas as results came in. The win secures Stumbo the GOP nomination heading into the November general election.

In his victory speech, Stumbo struck a celebratory tone while emphasizing the work ahead.

“I think what I bring to this office is an in-the-trenches approach,” he said. “I’ve been in the trenches with law enforcement in the courtrooms getting convictions and making sure that bad guys go to prison and that our people are safe, fighting for crime victims, and that we’re fighting for law enforcement.”

Stumbo’s path to victory included flipping several Midlands and Lowcountry counties that Goldfinch had carried during the primary, helping shift the map in his favor.

Goldfinch, who represents Georgetown and Horry counties in the state Senate, conceded and pointed to regional turnout differences as a deciding factor.

“This is all about turnout,” Goldfinch said. “If you look at the map, it’s all about upstate versus coastal. Horry and the Pee Dee came out really heavy for us, and I’m proud of the support we had there.”

Goldfinch added that he learned from the campaign experience and thanked his supporters. He will continue serving in the Senate and is not up for reelection until 2028.

Stumbo will now face Democratic nominee Richard Hricik, a Lowcountry attorney who ran unopposed in his party’s primary, in the November election.

“It didn’t matter if we had the most money, it didn’t matter if we were not in the highest profile area in the state, all that mattered is we were following God’s will, and we were right at the center of it, and that’s the way we ran this race everyday win lose or draw we knew we were doing what god wanted us to do,” Stumbo said.

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