Hello REALTORS®,
This week, we continue to update you on the Republican and Democratic party primary elections on June 9. In this report, we tell you about the candidates who have filed for the SC House of Representatives and Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens county councils.
Anderson City Council Update
But first, a follow up on the elections for Anderson City Council on April 7. One of the two contested elections was for council district 5. Councilwoman Beatrice Thompson is retiring from city council after 50 years in office. Tonya Winbush defeated Darryl Thompson 134-68. Following the election, Thompson filed a protest alleging that Winbush does not live in district 5.
Anderson’s Election Commission ruled in Thompson’s favor and invalidated the election. Winbush has appealed their decision. The next step is for the Anderson Election Commission to hear both sides in the appeal and review election records. Possible outcomes include:
- They uphold Thompson’s protest and schedule a new election. However, Winbush could press her appeal in court.
- They reject Thompson’s protest and Winbush joins city council. However, Thompson also could press his protest in court.
In the other races, Mayor Terence Roberts and councilmen Kyle Newton, Jeff Roberts, and Matt Harbin were reelected and will start new 4-year terms in July. Marshall Pickens was elected to complete the remainder of Louis Martinez’s term, which expires in 2028. He was sworn in last week.
SC House Candidates
Like the statewide candidates we covered last week, elections are skewed toward one of the two major political parties, and most elections are settled in the party primaries. However, this election year could be different because many more members of the Democratic Party have filed than in recent elections.
These are the candidates who have filed for either the Republican or Democratic party nomination for SC House and will be on the ballot on June 9.
SC House District 1 (Oconee/Pickens counties)
- Craig A. Diem (R)
- Juni Lynch (D)
- Jasmine Williams (D)
- Rep. Bill Whitmire (R), incumbent
SC House District 2 (Oconee County)
- Rep. Adam Duncan (R), incumbent
- Candace Schutt (D)
SC House District 3 (Pickens County)
- Rep. Phillip Bowers (R), incumbent
- Joe Burgett (R)
- Claiborne Linville (D)
SC House District 6 (Anderson County)
- Jennifer Bachner (D)
- Rep. April Cromer (R), incumbent
- Kyle White (R)
SC House District 7 (Abbeville/Anderson/Greenville counties)
- Elizabeth W. Cooley (D)
- Rep. Lee Gilreath (R), incumbent
SC House District 8 (Anderson County)
- Demetrius Carson (D)
- Rep. Don Chapman (R), incumbent
- Sherry Hodges (R)
- Patrick Orr (R)
SC House District 9 (Anderson County)
- Johnny Estrich (D)
- Blake Sanders (R), incumbent
SC House District 10 (Anderson/Greenville/Pickens counties)
- Rep. Thomas Beach (R), incumbent
- Craig Holcombe (D)
- Thomas Stewart (D)
- Stewart Watson (R)
SC House District 11 (Abbeville/Anderson/Laurens counties)
- Jessica Beasley (D)
- Rep. Craig Gagnon (R), incumbent
- Jesse Turner (R)
Anderson County Council
Anderson County Council members serve two-year terms. That means all seven seats will be on the ballot and theoretically all seven council members could be replaced in one election. That won’t be the case this year because one member, Greg Elgin (Dist. 3), is unopposed. But one incumbent, Vice Chairman Brett Sanders (Dist 4), did not seek reelection, so there will be at least one new face in January.
District 1 (Northeast Anderson)
- Kelly Koonce (R)
- Councilman Chris Sullivan (R), incumbent
District 2 (Central Anderson)
- Councilman Glenn Davis (D), incumbent
- James Hayes (R)
District 3 (Western Anderson County)
- Councilman Greg Elgin (R), incumbent
District 4 (Pendleton)
- Dave Shalaby (R)
- Samuel Whatley (R)
District 5 (West Anderson)
- Chairman Tommy Dunn (R), incumbent
- Joshua Mann (R)
District 6 (Powdersville)
- Ryan Cowsert (R)
- Councilman Jimmy Davis (R), incumbent
District 7 (Williamston/Pelzer)
- Collin Alexander (R)
- Councilwoman Cindy Wilson (R), incumbent
Oconee County Council
Two of the five council seats are on the ballot. Council members serve for four-year terms. Councilman John Elliott (Dist. 1) did not seek reelection.
District 1 (Keowee/Tamassee/Salem)
- John JB Brubacher (D)
- Bill Bull (R)
District 3 (Seneca)
- Devin Clay (D)
- Landon Lyle (R)
- Vice Chairman Don Mize (R), incumbent
- Lee Shehan (D)
Pickens County Council
Two of the six council seats are on the ballot. Council members serve for four-year terms. Councilwoman Claiborne Linvill is running for SC House District 3.
District 1 (Clemson)
- Ensley Feemster (R)
- Erin Goss (D)
- Joseph Sullivan (R)
District 2 (Central/Six Mile/Lake Keowee)
- Vice Chairman Chris Lollis (R), incumbent
- Russell Oglesby (D)
Probate Judge
Each county’s Probate Judge is on the ballot. None are opposed.
- Judge JT Foster (R), Anderson County
- Judge Danny Singleton (R), Oconee County
- Judge David Allison (R), Pickens County
There are several “third-party” candidates who have filed, but they select candidates in party conventions during the summer. Your REALTORS® Association is screening the various candidates over the next several weeks. We will provide you with a Voter Guide in May.
Another Anderson County Moratorium
Anderson County Council enacted a moratorium at their council meeting this week. It took effect April 22 and will last 90 days. It prohibits the acceptance of applications for residential subdivisions under the county’s Conservation Subdivision code.
Realtors Go to Washington
Join REALTORS® from WUAR, South Carolina, and across the United States in Washington, DC, June 13-18, 2026, for the REALTORS® Legislative Meetings. This is your chance to work alongside real estate professionals in our nation’s capital to advocate for private property rights, homeownership, housing affordability, and fair housing. You will join thousands of like-minded Realtors to conduct NAR official business, meet with federal legislators on Capitol Hill, and network with colleagues from around the country. You do not want to miss this opportunity! Click here for more details.
Support RPAC
RPAC is an important element of your Realtors Association’s advocacy program. I encourage you to support RPAC, and we make it easy to do so—we include a voluntary RPAC contribution on your annual dues renewal. Simply pay it and you have support RPAC. If you want to do more than that modest amount, that’s easy too.
Addie Patterson and Michael Dey
Western Upstate Association of REALTORS®