1913 United States Senate election in South Carolina

none March 2026 September 2023 1912 Democratic Senate primary in South Carolina South Carolina presidential no 1907 United States Senate election in South Carolina 1907 1918 United States Senate election in South Carolina 1918 August 27, 1912 x150px File:Tillman crop.jpg Ben Tillman Democratic Party (United States) 73,148 52.7% File:William Jasper Talbert.jpg W. Jasper Talbert Democratic Party (United States) 37,141 26.8% File:Nathaniel B. Dial.jpg Nathaniel B. Dial Democratic Party (United States) 28,476 20.5% 1912 United States Democratic primary in South Carolina results map by county.svg 250px Results by countyTillman: #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80% #3933e5 80–90%Talbert: #e9ddaf 40–50%Dial: #ffe9ff 30–40% U.S. Senator Ben Tillman Democratic Party (United States) Ben Tillman Democratic Party (United States) The 1913 South Carolina United States Senate election was held on January 28, 1913, when the South Carolina legislature met and unanimously ratified the results of the August 27, 1912 primary. Incumbent Senator Ben Tillman was re-elected to a fourth term in office. Prior to the ratification of the 17th Amendment to the United States Constitution, U.S. Senators were elected by the state legislature. However, the Democratic Party of South Carolina organized primary elections for the U.S. Senate beginning in 1896 and the General Assembly would confirm the choice of the Democratic voters. Tillman handily defeated former U.S. Representative W. Jasper Talbert and businessman Nathaniel B. Dial in the primary election. Democratic primary Candidates Benjamin Tillman, incumbent Senator since 1895 W. Jasper Talbert, former U.S. Representative from Parksville Nathaniel B. Dial, businessman and former Mayor of Laurens Campaign Ben Tillman, a Senator since 1895, drew opposition in the Democratic primary for the first time during his career. He had long avoided any opposition because of his influence in the Democratic Party in the state, but by 1912 he had moderated his positions and lost the radical edge that had allowed him to build up a hard core following of support. The radicals in the state electorate had thrown their support to Coleman Livingston Blease in the gubernatorial election of 1910 and the Bleasites were determined to knock his chief opponent, Tillman, out of office. W. Jasper Talbert emerged as the candidate of the Bleasites and Nathaniel B. Dial entered the race as an alternative to the two. The voters of the state split their support between the Tillmanite and Bleasite factions as both Tillman and Blease won their respective primaries. Results Democratic PrimaryCandidateVotes% Benjamin Tillman (incumbent) 73,148 52.7 W. Jasper Talbert 37,141 26.8 Nathaniel B. Dial 28,476 20.5 Election The General Assembly met and ratified the choice of the primary voters, re-electing Tillman for a third term. See also List of United States senators from South Carolina 1912 and 1913 United States Senate elections 1912 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina 1912 South Carolina gubernatorial election References Jordan Frank E The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962 62–63 Tillman Against Blease New York Times August 25, 1912 14 South Carolina 1913 South Carolina Category:Single-candidate United States Senate elections