1940 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

none February 2026 September 2023 The 1940 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 5, 1940, to select six Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. All five incumbents who ran were re-elected and the open seat in the 1st congressional district was retained by the Democrats. The composition of the state delegation thus remained solely Democratic. 1st congressional district Incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Clara G. McMillan of the 1st congressional district succeeded her husband, Thomas S. McMillan, in office upon his death in 1939. She did not seek re-election and L. Mendel Rivers defeated Alfred von Kolnitz in the Democratic primary and Republican Mrs. John E. Messervy in the general election. Democratic primary Democratic primaryCandidateVotes% L. Mendel Rivers 18,253 54.2 Alfred von Kolnitz 15,413 45.8 General election results South Carolina's 1st congressional district election results, 1940 Democratic Party (United States) L. Mendel Rivers 16,626 98.3 +0.1 Republican Party (United States) Mrs. John E. Messervy 278 1.6 -0.2 No party Write-Ins 14 0.1 +0.1 16,348 96.7 +0.3 16,918 |- | Democratic Party (United States) | colspan=5 |Democratic hold |- 2nd congressional district Incumbent Democratic Congressman Hampton P. Fulmer of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1921, defeated former Lieutenant Governor Andrew J. Bethea in the Democratic primary and Republican M.B. Cross in the general election. Democratic primary Democratic primaryCandidateVotes% Hampton P. Fulmer 39,945 76.8 Andrew J. Bethea 12,078 23.2 General election results South Carolina's 2nd congressional district election results, 1940 Democratic Party (United States) Hampton P. Fulmer (incumbent) 14,920 98.6 -0.2 Republican Party (United States) M.B. Cross 206 1.4 +1.1 14,714 97.2 -1.3 15,126 |- | Democratic Party (United States) | colspan=5 |Democratic hold |- 3rd congressional district Incumbent Democratic Congressman Butler B. Hare of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1939, defeated former Representative John C. Taylor in the Democratic primary and Republican A.F. Ernest in the general election. Democratic primary Democratic primaryCandidateVotes% Butler B. Hare 44,713 67.2 John C. Taylor 21,787 32.8 General election results South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election results, 1940 Democratic Party (United States) Butler B. Hare (incumbent) 15,977 99.3 -0.3 Republican Party (United States) A.F. Ernest 108 0.7 +0.3 15,869 98.6 -0.6 16,085 |- | Democratic Party (United States) | colspan=5 |Democratic hold |- 4th congressional district Incumbent Democratic Congressman Joseph R. Bryson of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1939, defeated Virgil Evans in the Democratic primary and Republican J.D. McCullough in the general election. Democratic primary Democratic primaryCandidateVotes% Joseph R. Bryson 65,812 85.7 Virgil Evans 10,971 14.3 General election results South Carolina's 4th congressional district election results, 1940 Democratic Party (United States) Joseph R. Bryson (incumbent) 23,825 97.3 -2.1 Republican Party (United States) J.D. McCullough 657 2.7 +2.1 23,168 94.6 -4.2 24,482 |- | Democratic Party (United States) | colspan=5 |Democratic hold |- 5th congressional district Incumbent Democratic Congressman James P. Richards of the 5th congressional district, in office since 1933, defeated Roy C. Cobb in the Democratic primary and Republican C.F. Pendleton in the general election. Democratic primary Democratic primaryCandidateVotes% James P. Richards 33,262 72.3 Roy C. Cobb 12,748 27.7 General election results South Carolina's 5th congressional district election results, 1940 Democratic Party (United States) James P. Richards (incumbent) 14,754 99.2 -0.6 Republican Party (United States) C.F. Pendleton 120 0.8 +0.6 No party Write-Ins 4 0.0 0.0 14,634 98.4 -1.2 14,878 |- | Democratic Party (United States) | colspan=5 |Democratic hold |- 6th congressional district Incumbent Democratic Congressman John L. McMillan of the 6th congressional district, in office since 1939, defeated James P. "Spot" Mozingo in the Democratic primary and Republican C.B. Ruffin in the general election. Democratic primary Democratic primaryCandidateVotes% John L. McMillan 34,969 65.3 James P. "Spot" Mozingo 18,576 34.7 General election results South Carolina's 6th congressional district election results, 1940 Democratic Party (United States) John L. McMillan (incumbent) 12,074 99.0 -0.2 Republican Party (United States) C.B. Ruffin 123 1.0 +0.2 11,951 98.0 -0.4 12,197 |- | Democratic Party (United States) | colspan=5 |Democratic hold |- See also United States House of Representatives elections, 1940 South Carolina's congressional districts References Jordan Frank E The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962 99, 106, 111, 116, 120, 125 "Supplemental Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina." Report of the State Officers Boards and Committees to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume I. Columbia, SC: 1941, pp. 7–9. South Carolina United States House of Representatives 1940