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Nikki Setzler

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Nikki Setzler
Democratic Party
Prior offices:
South Carolina State Senate District 26
Years in office: 1984 - 2024
Successor: Russell L. Ott (D)
South Carolina State Senate District 8
Years in office: 1976 - 1984
Elections and appointments
Last election
November 3, 2020
Education
Bachelor's
University of South Carolina, 1968
Law
University of South Carolina, 1971
Personal
Religion
Christian
Profession
Attorney
Contact
Campaign website
Campaign Facebook
Campaign X
Personal website
Personal LinkedIn

Nikki Setzler (Democratic Party) was a member of the South Carolina State Senate, representing District 26. He assumed office in 1984. He left office on November 11, 2024.

Setzler (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the South Carolina State Senate to represent District 26. He won in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Setzler served as state Senate minority leader.

Biography

Setzler earned his B.A. from the University of South Carolina in 1968. He then received his J.D. in 1971. Setzler began working as an attorney in 1973.

Committee assignments

2023-2024

Setzler was assigned to the following committees:

2021-2022

Setzler was assigned to the following committees:

2019-2020

Setzler was assigned to the following committees:

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

South Carolina committee assignments, 2017
• Banking and Insurance
• Education
• Ethics
• Finance
• Interstate Cooperation
• Labor, Commerce, and Industry

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Setzler served on the following committees:

2013-2014

At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Setzler served on the following committees:

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Setzler served on the following committees:

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Setzler served on the following committees:

Issues

Amazon.com construction

Amazon began building a 1-million-square-foot retail distribution center near Cayce, South Carolina in 2011.

Setzler sponsored a bill (S. 808) that would exempt Amazon from being designated as a "nexus," or having a physical presence in the state, until Jan. 1, 2016, for the purposes of collecting sales taxes. Under the bill, the sales tax break could end sooner if a federal law was passed overriding state law, or if Amazon didn't live up to its end of the deal as specified in the bill.

Businesses opposed to the bill could contend in a lawsuit that granting the nation’s largest Internet retailer the exemption would violate their equal protection rights under the state and federal constitutions, said Mt. Pleasant attorney George “Gem” McDowell.[1]

The debate over the Amazon tax break became a full-fledged political campaign, with lobbyists from Amazon pitted against those from Wal-Mart and other brick-and-mortar stores, which saw Amazon as a threat. The legislature originally rejected the tax break, but reconsidered and passed it when Amazon increased the number of likely jobs associated with the plant from 1,249 to 2,000. Governor Nikki Haley (R), who criticized the deal, let it become law without her signature.[2][3][4]

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Elections

2024

See also: South Carolina State Senate elections, 2024

Nikki Setzler did not file to run for re-election.

2020

See also: South Carolina State Senate elections, 2020

General election

General election for South Carolina State Senate District 26

Incumbent Nikki Setzler defeated Chris Smith in the general election for South Carolina State Senate District 26 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Nikki Setzler
Nikki Setzler (D)
 
54.4
 
23,378
Image of Chris Smith
Chris Smith (R)
 
45.5
 
19,538
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
38

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 42,954
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Nikki Setzler advanced from the Democratic primary for South Carolina State Senate District 26.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for South Carolina State Senate District 26

Chris Smith defeated Perry Finch in the Republican primary for South Carolina State Senate District 26 on June 9, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Chris Smith
Chris Smith
 
68.8
 
6,655
Image of Perry Finch
Perry Finch
 
31.2
 
3,020

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 9,675
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: South Carolina State Senate elections, 2016

Elections for the South Carolina State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 14, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The primary runoff election was held on June 28, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 30, 2016.

Incumbent Nikki Setzler defeated Brad Lindsey in the South Carolina State Senate District 26 general election.[5][6]

South Carolina State Senate, District 26 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Nikki Setzler Incumbent 58.51% 21,702
     Republican Brad Lindsey 41.49% 15,392
Total Votes 37,094
Source: South Carolina State Election Commission


Incumbent Nikki Setzler ran unopposed in the South Carolina State Senate District 26 Democratic primary.[7][8]

South Carolina State Senate, District 26 Democratic Primary, 2016
Party Candidate
    Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Nikki Setzler Incumbent (unopposed)


Brad Lindsey ran unopposed in the South Carolina State Senate District 26 Republican primary.[9][10]

South Carolina State Senate, District 26 Republican Primary, 2016
Party Candidate
    Republican Green check mark transparent.png Brad Lindsey  (unopposed)

2012

See also: South Carolina State Senate elections, 2012

Setzler won election in the 2012 election for South Carolina State Senate District 26. Setzler ran unopposed in the June 12 Democratic primary and defeated Deedee Vaughters (R) in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[11][12][13]

South Carolina State Senate, District 26, General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngNikki Setzler Incumbent 60.4% 21,856
     Republican Deedee Vaughters 39.4% 14,246
     Other Write-Ins 0.2% 75
Total Votes 36,177

2008

See also: South Carolina State Senate elections, 2008

Setzler won re-election for District 26 of the South Carolina State Senate with 20,795 votes, ahead of Republican Margaret Gamble (12,123) and write-ins (16).[14]

Setzler raised $277,900 for his campaign, against $14,911 by Gamble.[15]

South Carolina State Senate, District 26
Candidates Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Nikki Setzler (D) 20,795
Margaret Gamble (R) 3,318
Write-ins 16

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Nikki Setzler did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Nikki Setzler campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2020South Carolina State Senate District 26Won general$225,614 N/A**
2016South Carolina State Senate, District 26Won $244,232 N/A**
2012South Carolina State Senate, District 26Won $236,003 N/A**
2008South Carolina State Senate, District 26Won $277,900 N/A**
2004South Carolina State Senate, District 26Won $138,931 N/A**
2000South Carolina State Senate, District 26Won $210,801 N/A**
1996South Carolina State Senate, District 26Won $120,641 N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards, State legislative scorecards in South Carolina

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2024.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2023.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2022.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2021.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2020.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2019.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2018.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2017.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2016.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2015.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2014.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2013.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2012.

  • Club for Growth Foundation — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the organization.
  • Conservation Voters of South Carolina — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental and conservation issues.
  • Palmetto Liberty — Legislators are scored by Palmetto Liberty on bills related to "limited government, the free market, and individual liberty and responsibility."

Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2011.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.

Setzler and his wife, Ada Jane, have four children.

See also

2020 Elections

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External links

Candidate

South Carolina State Senate District 26
  • Website
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  • X
    		•

    Personal

  • Website
  • LinkedIn
    		•

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ The Nerve, "The Amazon.com Saga: Heading to Court?" April 19, 2011 (dead link)
    2. ↑ Stateline, "Amazon Gains Upper Hand in South Carolina Tax Break Battle," June 2, 2011
    3. ↑ McClatchy Newspapers, "Swiftly formed coalition doomed Amazon's S.C. tax break," May 4, 2011
    4. ↑ The State, "Amazon ramps up hiring as plant is finished," July 12, 2012
    5. ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Candidate listing for the 11/8/2016 statewide general election," accessed August 26, 2016
    6. ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "2016 Statewide General Election," accessed November 28, 2016
    7. ↑ South Carolina Election Commission, "Candidate Tracking," accessed March 31, 2016
    8. ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Unofficial primary election results," accessed June 14, 2016
    9. ↑ South Carolina Election Commission, "Candidate Tracking," accessed March 31, 2016
    10. ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Unofficial primary election results," accessed June 14, 2016
    11. ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, “2012 General Election – Official Results,” November 19, 2012
    12. ↑ AP.org, "South Carolina State Senate and State House Election Results," accessed November 7, 2012
    13. ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "2012 Candidates," accessed April 26, 2012
    14. ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Official election results for 2008," accessed May 15, 2014
    15. ↑ Follow the Money, "2008 campaign contributions," accessed May 15, 2014

    Political offices
    Preceded by
    -     		South Carolina State Senate District 26
    1984-2024    		 Succeeded by
    Russell L. Ott (D)
    Preceded by
    -     		South Carolina State Senate District 8
    1976-1984    		 Succeeded by
    -


    Current members of the South Carolina State Senate
    Leadership
    Senate President:Thomas Alexander
    Majority Leader:Shane Massey
    Minority Leader:Brad Hutto
    Senators
    District 1
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    Rex Rice (R)
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    Ed Sutton (D)
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    Tom Young (R)
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    Tom Davis (R)
    Republican Party (34)
    Democratic Party (12)


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