Former Gov. David Beasley and Rep. Jim DeMint emerged from a six-way GOP primary on June 8 to advance to the run-off on June 22.
Beasley took 37 percent of the vote, far short of the 50 percent he would have needed to avoid the run-off. DeMint came in second with 26 percent. Developer Thomas Ravenel, a newcomer to politics who spent nearly $3 million in personal funds in his quest for the nomination and was closing in on DeMint in the final two weeks, placed a close third. He took 25 percent, and was just 4,478 votes behind DeMint. Former Attorney General Charlie Condon finished a distant fourth with 10 percent, followed by Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride with 2 percent and businesswoman Orly Benny Davis with 1 percent.
During the primary, Beasley campaigned on his experience, his record of creating jobs and his conservative credentials. He also talked about the need for fair trade, noting his support for free trade as Governor. His opponents accused him of flip-flopping on the issue. DeMint also highlighted his conservative credentials and
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