Will Wes Climer, lone GOP candidate for Ralph Norman’s SC seat, cruise to victory?
Republican state Sen. Wes Climer appears poised to cruise into Congress next year, with political observers viewing South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District as firmly Republican even as Democrats argue the race is more competitive than many assume.
With early voting now underway and already breaking records for South Carolina’s primary elections, Climer has emerged as the only Republican candidate to replace longtime U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, who is leaving the seat to run for governor. Climer faces no Republican primary opponent and will advance directly to the general election, where Democrats Mallory Dittmer and Andrew Clough are competing in a primary for the chance to challenge him in November.
The district stretches across much of northern South Carolina along the North Carolina border and includes all of Cherokee, Chester, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lee, Union and York counties, as well as portions of Spartanburg and Sumter counties. It has become a Republican stronghold in recent years after decades of Democratic representation under former U.S. Rep. John Spratt.
“The fifth congressional district was a stalwart classic Democratic seat for the longest time,” said Scott Huffmon, politics professor at Winthrop University and director of the Center for Public Opinion & Policy Research.
But rapid growth in York County and surrounding areas, particularly from conservative voters who moved to South Carolina to be near Charlotte, helped transform the district politically, he said. Now, Democrats face a “massive disadvantage” in the district regardless of candidate quality.
“It’s solidly in Republican hands at this point in history. I can’t imagine any way they could redraw this district and make it winnable by Democrats, even if it were Democrats drawing the district line,” Huffmon said. “You can pick your cliches, but it’s an uphill climb for any Democrat.”
The district’s boundaries won’t change this election cycle after efforts to redraw the state’s congressional districts died in the state Senate Tuesday.
In 2024, Norman defeated his opponent with 63.5% of the vote.
Who is Wes Climer?
Climer, a York County Republican who has served in the South Carolina Senate since 2016, announced his congressional campaign last summer after Norman launched his gubernatorial bid. At his campaign launch in Rock Hill, Climer positioned himself as an ally to President Donald Trump and pledged to advance an “America First” agenda in Washington.
Climer previously chaired the York County Republican Party and has built a reputation in Columbia as a staunch conservative focused on tax cuts, school choice and limiting government spending. On his campaign website, Climer describes himself as “one of the most effective and conservative voices in Columbia” and highlights his support for constitutional carry legislation, opposition to legislative pay raises and efforts to reduce state spending.
Huffmon said Climer entered the race with substantial political advantages even before the Republican primary field failed to materialize.
“He was chair of the York County Republican Party, so he made his connections there,” Huffmon said. “He is just a very known quantity in the most populous part of the 5th District.”
Huffmon also said Climer has largely maintained a positive reputation among Republicans and politically engaged voters in the region.
“The only things I’ve ever heard people say about Wes Climer, at least that I’m aware of, are that he is respected,” Huffmon said.
Climer did not respond to requests for an interview.
Democratic primary
Still, Democrats running in the district argue Republicans are underestimating changing political dynamics in York County and surrounding areas.
Dittmer, a York County activist and Democratic candidate in the race, said she believes the idea that the 5th District is unwinnable for Democrats is “the myth of the fifth.”
“I live here, I’ve been in advocacy here for four years, I’ve been running campaigns for four years, and it is so much more moderate than people give it credit for,” Dittmer said. “People are ready for something new.”
She pointed specifically to York County, where she said changing demographics and dissatisfaction with the Republican Party could create an opening for Democrats in an open-seat race without Norman on the ballot. Dittmer said affordability issues have dominated conversations with voters as she campaigns throughout the district, including rising gas prices, grocery costs, utilities and health care expenses.
“Gas is the number one thing that I’m hearing over and over again,” Dittmer said. “Utilities are outrageous, groceries are outrageous, childcare continues to be such a huge burden on families.”
She also said her campaign has built an unusually broad coalition for a Democrat running in the district, including people across the political spectrum who want to see change.
“We have built the most incredible coalition of just community members,” Dittmer said.
Clough, another Democratic primary candidate, similarly centered his campaign around economic concerns and working-class voters.
“I work a regular job loading planes, and I see firsthand what people are dealing with,” Clough said in an email to the Observer. “Inflation, long hours, and the feeling that they’re working harder but falling behind.”
Clough said affordability is the issue he hears about most frequently from voters across the district, citing concerns about grocery prices, housing costs and health care expenses. Unlike Climer, Clough emphasized his lack of political experience as a strength.
“Voters want leaders who are focused on their lives, not endless partisan fights,” Clough said. “I’m not a career politician, I’m someone who goes to work, punches a clock, and lives many of the same struggles people in this district face every day.”
Despite Democrats’ optimism, Huffmon said the district’s long-term political trajectory still heavily favors Republicans, particularly as population growth in South Carolina differs from trends seen in neighboring North Carolina.
“You look at how the district is growing, and it is growing in a way that makes it lean more Republican,” Huffmon said.
Rapidly urbanizing areas in other Southern states have trended Democratic. Huffmon said much of South Carolina’s recent growth has come from wealthier and more conservative newcomers moving into areas like York County and the state’s coastal regions. For now, he said, that leaves Republicans with a firm advantage in the race to succeed Norman, even in an open-seat election.
