1888 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

none February 2026 September 2023 The 1888 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 6, 1888, to select seven Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. All seven incumbents were initially reported as re-elected, and the composition of the state delegation remained solely Democratic, however Thomas E. Miller successfully contested the result in the 7th congressional district, claiming voter suppression of black Republican votes. 1st congressional district Incumbent Democratic Congressman Samuel Dibble of the 1st congressional district, in office since 1883, defeated Republican challenger S.W. McKinlay. General election results South Carolina's 1st congressional district election results, 1888 Democratic Party (United States) Samuel Dibble (incumbent) 8,540 86.7 -13.2 Republican Party (United States) S.W. McKinlay 1,296 13.1 +13.1 No party Write-Ins 19 0.2 +0.1 7,244 73.6 -26.2 9,855 |- | Democratic Party (United States) | colspan=5 |Democratic hold |- 2nd congressional district Incumbent Democratic Congressman George D. Tillman of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1883, defeated Republican challenger Seymour E. Smith. General election results South Carolina's 2nd congressional district election results, 1888 Democratic Party (United States) George D. Tillman (incumbent) 10,704 86.8 -12.8 Republican Party (United States) Seymour E. Smith 1,405 11.4 +11.4 No party Write-Ins 228 1.8 +1.4 9,299 75.4 -23.8 12,337 |- | Democratic Party (United States) | colspan=5 |Democratic hold |- 3rd congressional district Incumbent Democratic Congressman James S. Cothran of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1887, was unopposed in his bid for re-election. General election results South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election results, 1888 Democratic Party (United States) James S. Cothran (incumbent) 8,758 99.8 0.0 No party Write-Ins 16 0.2 0.0 8,742 99.6 0.0 8,774 |- | Democratic Party (United States) | colspan=5 |Democratic hold |- 4th congressional district Incumbent Democratic Congressman William H. Perry of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1885, defeated D.R. Duncan in the Democratic primary was unopposed in the general election. General election results South Carolina's 4th congressional district election results, 1888 Democratic Party (United States) William H. Perry (incumbent) 11,410 99.9 -0.1 No party Write-Ins 6 0.1 +0.1 11,404 99.8 -0.2 11,416 |- | Democratic Party (United States) | colspan=5 |Democratic hold |- 5th congressional district Incumbent Democratic Congressman John J. Hemphill of the 5th congressional district, in office since 1883, was unopposed in his bid for re-election. General election results South Carolina's 5th congressional district election results, 1888 Democratic Party (United States) John J. Hemphill (incumbent) 9,559 99.7 -0.2 No party Write-Ins 27 0.3 +0.2 9,532 99.4 -0.5 9,586 |- | Democratic Party (United States) | colspan=5 |Democratic hold |- 6th congressional district Incumbent Democratic Congressman George W. Dargan of the 6th congressional district, in office since 1883, was unopposed in his bid for re-election. General election results South Carolina's 6th congressional district election results, 1888 Democratic Party (United States) George W. Dargan (incumbent) 8,586 95.7 -3.0 No party Write-Ins 386 4.3 +3.0 8,200 91.4 -6.0 8,972 |- | Democratic Party (United States) | colspan=5 |Democratic hold |- 7th congressional district Incumbent Democratic Congressman William Elliott of the 7th congressional district, in office since 1887, defeated Republican challenger Thomas E. Miller. However, Miller successfully contested the election in the Republican controlled House of Representatives and replaced Elliott in September 1890. General election results South Carolina's 7th congressional district election results, 1888 Democratic Party (United States) William Elliott (incumbent) 8,358 54.1 +2.1 Republican Party (United States) Thomas E. Miller 7,003 45.4 -2.4 No party Write-Ins 74 0.5 +0.3 1,355 8.7 +4.5 15,435 |- | Democratic Party (United States) | colspan=5 |Democratic hold |- See also United States House of Representatives elections, 1888 South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1888 South Carolina's congressional districts References Jordan Frank E The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962 108 "Supplemental Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina." Reports and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume I. Columbia, SC: James H. Woodrow, 1889, pp. 561–564. South Carolina 1888 South Carolina