2022 Primary Investment Summary
CVSC and CVSC-PAC Invest in 24 Primary Elections, Making 381,000 Voter Contacts
In the 2022 primary elections, Conservation Voters of South Carolina (CVSC) and CVSC Political Action Committee (CVSC-PAC) invested in a wide array of direct mail and door-to-door activities – for a total of 381,000 voter contacts – to support candidates committed to a clean energy future and pollution free South Carolina.
CVSC endorsed 24 candidates in House primary elections, including 19 Republicans and 5 Democrats. CVSC-PAC invested in each of the 24 primaries – through targeted mail, door-to-door voter contacts, or direct contributions.
The overarching theme around CVSC’s electoral engagement on June 14 was the election of pragmatic Representatives who will work across the aisle with their colleagues in the House to defend core environmental protections and who support bold land protection and clean energy goals.
While the outcome of these elections won’t be known until Tuesday evening, one thing is clear: CVSC and CVSC-PAC have stepped up in a big way to elect pragmatic leaders who will fight to advance clean air, clean water, and clean energy throughout South Carolina.
The following race summaries provide insight into CVSC’s primary investments.
Open Seats
More than one-third of CVSC and CVSC-PAC’s endorsements focused on winning open seats, including the following:
- House 27 Republican Primary – David Vaughan. 3 direct mail appeals
- House 44 Republican Primary – Mike Neese. 3 direct mail appeals
- House 46 Republican Primary – Heath Sessions. 3 direct mail appeals
- House 48 Republican Primary – Brandon Guffey. 3 direct mail appeals
- House 106 Republican Primary – Val Guest. 3 direct mail appeals
- House 18 Republican Primary – Alan Morgan (recently elected in special). 2 direct mail appeals
- House 97 Republican Primary – Robby Robbins (recently elected in special). 2 direct mail appeals
Contested Races
In two House primary contests, CVSC and CVSC-PAC supported challengers to incumbent Representatives. Each of these challengers recognize the value of common sense conservation efforts and will bring new, energetic leadership to the House. These races include the following and include the incumbent’s most recent score on the CVSC conservation scorecard:
- House 40 Republican Primary – Tammy Johns against Rep. Rick Martin (57% on 2020 scorecard; 32% Lifetime score); 3 direct mail appeals.
- House 52 Republican Primary – Ben Connell against Rep. Vic Dabney (n/a; freshman term); 3 direct mail appeals.
Incumbent Defense
CVSC and CVSC-PAC also invested in defense of bipartisan champions from primary challengers as “our backbone of building a conservation majority in the General Assembly,” including the following:
- House 5 Republican Primary – Rep. Neal Collins; 2 direct mail appeals
- House 10 Republican Primary – Rep. West Cox; 4 direct mail appeals
- House 20 Republican Primary – Rep. Adam Morgan; 1 direct mail appeal
- House 22 Republican Primary – Rep. Jason Elliott; 2 direct mail appeals
- House 33 Republican Primary – Rep. Travis Moore; 1 direct mail appeal
- House 62 Democratic Primary – Rep. Robert Williams; direct contribution
- House 71 Republican Primary – Rep. Nathan Ballentine; 2 direct mail appeals
- House 82 Democratic Primary – Rep. Bill Clyburn; 1 direct mail appeal
- House 89 Republican Primary – Rep. Micah Caskey; 2 direct mail appeals
- House 90 Democratic Primary – Rep. Justin Bamberg; 1 direct mail appeal
- House 91 Democratic Primary – Rep. Lonnie Hosey; direct contribution
- House 98 Republican Primary – Rep. Chris Murphy; 1 direct mail appeal
- House 102 Democratic Primary – Rep. Joe Jefferson; 1 direct mail appeal
- House 112 Republican Primary – Rep. Joe Bustos; 4 direct mail appeals
Copies of mail creative are available upon request from CVSC.
A full list of CVSC endorsed candidates and election results as of 6/15/22 is available at cvsc.org/elections.