Tom Davis (South Carolina)
Tom Davis (Republican Party) is a member of the South Carolina State Senate, representing District 46. He assumed office in 2008. His current term ends on November 13, 2028.
Davis (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the South Carolina State Senate to represent District 46. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Biography
Davis earned his B.A. from Furman University in 1982 and his J.D. from the University of Maryland in 1985.
Davis is the former Chief of Staff for South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. He is currently an attorney, working for Harvey & Battey.
Committee assignments
2025-2026
Davis was assigned to the following committees:
- Banking and Insurance Committee
- Corrections and Penology Committee
- Finance Committee
- Labor, Commerce, and Industry Committee, Chair
- Medical Affairs Committee
2023-2024
Davis was assigned to the following committees:
- Banking and Insurance Committee
- Finance Committee
- Fish, Game, and Forestry Committee
- Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee, Chairman
- Senate Legislative Oversight Committee
- Medical Affairs Committee
2021-2022
Davis was assigned to the following committees:
- Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
- Banking and Insurance Committee
- Finance Committee
- Labor, Commerce, and Industry Committee
- Senate Legislative Oversight Committee
- Medical Affairs Committee
2019-2020
Davis was assigned to the following committees:
- Banking and Insurance Committee
- Corrections and Penology Committee
- Finance Committee
- Labor, Commerce, and Industry Committee
- Medical Affairs Committee
- Senate Legislative Oversight Committee
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 |
| • Corrections and Penology |
| • Finance |
| • Invitations, Chair |
| • Labor, Commerce, and Industry |
| • Medical Affairs |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Davis served on the following committees:
| South Carolina committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Banking and Insurance |
| • Corrections and Penology |
| • Finance |
| • Labor, Commerce and Industry |
| • Medical Affairs |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Davis served on the following committees:
| South Carolina committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Corrections and Penology |
| • Banking and Insurance |
| • Finance |
| • Labor, Commerce and Industry |
| • Medical Affairs |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Davis served on the following committees:
| South Carolina committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Agriculture and Natural Resources |
| • Banking and Insurance |
| • Education |
| • Judiciary |
| • Rules |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Davis served on the following committees:
| South Carolina committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Agriculture and Natural Resources |
| • Banking and Insurance |
| • Education |
| • Judiciary |
| • Rules |
Sponsored legislation
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
General election
General election for South Carolina State Senate District 46
Incumbent Tom Davis defeated Gwyneth Saunders in the general election for South Carolina State Senate District 46 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Tom Davis (R) | 67.3 | 47,989 |
 | Gwyneth Saunders (D)  | 32.6 | 23,280 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 37 | ||
| Total votes: 71,306 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Gwyneth Saunders advanced from the Democratic primary for South Carolina State Senate District 46.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Tom Davis advanced from the Republican primary for South Carolina State Senate District 46.
Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Davis in this election.
2020
See also: South Carolina State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for South Carolina State Senate District 46
Incumbent Tom Davis defeated Nathan Campbell in the general election for South Carolina State Senate District 46 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Tom Davis (R) | 65.7 | 48,142 |
| Nathan Campbell (D) | 34.2 | 25,045 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 42 | ||
| Total votes: 73,229 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Nathan Campbell advanced from the Democratic primary for South Carolina State Senate District 46.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Tom Davis advanced from the Republican primary for South Carolina State Senate District 46.
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 Tom Davis ran unopposed in the South Carolina State Senate District 46 general election.[1][2]
| South Carolina State Senate, District 46 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Tom Davis Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 42,931 | |
| Total Votes | 42,931 | |||
| Source: South Carolina State Election Commission | ||||
Incumbent Tom Davis ran unopposed in the South Carolina State Senate District 46 Republican primary.[3][4]
| South Carolina State Senate, District 46 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Tom Davis Incumbent (unopposed) | |
2014
Davis was rumored to be a possible appointee to Jim DeMint's U.S. Senate seat. On December 17, 2012, Gov. Nikki Haley announced she had chosen to appoint Representative Tim Scott to fill DeMint's seat beginning in January, 2013.[5][6][7][8]
Davis said that he would not run against Scott in the special election in 2014.[9]
2013
Davis was rumored to be a potential candidate to fill the U.S. House of Representatives seat previously held by Tim Scott (R), but on December 17th, 2012, he stated that he was not interested in replacing Scott.[10][11]
2012
Davis ran unopposed in the Republican primary on June 12 and in the general election on November 6, 2012.[12][13][14]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Tom Davis Incumbent |
98.9% | 37,722 | |
| Other | Write-Ins | 1.1% | 417 | |
| Total Votes | 38,139 | |||
2008
On November 4, 2008, Davis won re-election for District 46 of the South Carolina State Senate with 37,501 votes, ahead of Democrat Kent Fletcher (20,019) and write-ins (68).[15]
He raised $438,389 for his campaign, against $16,530 by Fletcher.[16]
| South Carolina State Senate, District 46 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Tom Davis (R)
|
37,501 | |||
| Kent Fletcher (D) | 20,019 | |||
| Write-ins | 68 | |||
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Tom Davis did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Tom Davis 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.
Noteworthy events
Charged with public intoxication (2023)
Davis was charged with public intoxication on January 1, 2023. According to the police report, Davis was sitting in his parked SUV in a strip mall parking lot. Police issued sobriety tests and he failed. Davis said, "It's a mistake on my part. I'm embarrassed. Law enforcement behaved properly."[17][18]
Endorsements
Presidential preference
2012
Tom Davis (South Carolina) endorsed Ron Paul in the 2012 presidential election.[19]
2016 Republican National Convention
- See also: Republican National Convention, 2016
Davis was an at-large delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention from South Carolina.
Delegate rules
In South Carolina, national delegates were selected at congressional district conventions and the South Carolina Republican State Convention. State party rules allocated each congressional district's three delegates to the presidential candidate who received the most votes in that district. At-large delegates were allocated to the winner of the statewide primary. All delegates were bound for the first ballot at the Republican National Convention.
South Carolina primary results
| South Carolina Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Delegates | |
|
Donald Trump |
32.5% | 240,882 | 50 | |
| Marco Rubio | 22.5% | 166,565 | 0 | |
| Ted Cruz | 22.3% | 165,417 | 0 | |
| Jeb Bush | 7.8% | 58,056 | 0 | |
| John Kasich | 7.6% | 56,410 | 0 | |
| Ben Carson | 7.2% | 53,551 | 0 | |
| Totals | 740,881 | 50 | ||
| Source: South Carolina State Election Commission | ||||
Delegate allocation
South Carolina had 50 delegates at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Of this total, 21 were district-level delegates (three for each of the state's seven congressional districts). South Carolina's district-level delegates were allocated on a winner-take-all basis; the candidate who won the plurality of the vote in a given congressional district was allocated all three of that district's delegates.[20][21]
Of the remaining 29 delegates, 26 served at large. South Carolina's at-large delegates were allocated on a winner-take-all basis; the candidate who won the greatest number of votes statewide received all 26 of the state's at-large delegates. In addition, three national party leaders (identified on the chart below as RNC delegates) served as bound delegates to the Republican National Convention. The RNC delegates were pledged to support the candidate who won the South Carolina primary.[20][21]
Scorecards
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 2025.
- Americans for Prosperity - South Carolina — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- The Freedom Index — Legislators are scored on their adherence to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2024.
- Americans for Prosperity - South Carolina — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Club for Growth Foundation — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Conservation Voters of South Carolina — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental and conservation issues.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2023.
- Americans for Prosperity - South Carolina — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Conservation Voters of South Carolina — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental and conservation issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- The Institute for Legislative Analysis — Legislators are scored on their adherence to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2022.
- Americans for Prosperity - South Carolina — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Conservation Voters of South Carolina — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental and conservation issues.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2021.
- Americans for Prosperity - South Carolina — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Conservation Voters of South Carolina — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental and conservation issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2020.
- Conservation Voters of South Carolina — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental and conservation issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2019.
- Club for Growth Foundation — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the organization.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2018.
- 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.
- South Carolina Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on business issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2017.
- 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.
- South Carolina Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on business issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2016.
- 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.
- South Carolina Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on business issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2015.
- 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.
- South Carolina Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on business issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2014.
- 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.
- Greenville Tea Party — Legislators are scored by the Greenville Tea Party on their votes on bills "related to jobs, spending, and freedom."
- South Carolina Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Carolina State Legislature in 2013.
- 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.
- Greenville Tea Party — Legislators are scored by the Greenville Tea Party on their votes on bills "related to jobs, spending, and freedom."
- South Carolina Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
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.
- 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."
- South Carolina Business & Industry Political Education Committee — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and industry issues.
- South Carolina Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce on their votes on bills "that directly impact the business climate and competitiveness of the state."
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Davis and his wife, Reid, have three children.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate South Carolina State Senate District 46 |
Officeholder South Carolina State Senate District 46 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Candidate listing for the 11/8/2016 statewide general election," accessed August 26, 2016
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "2016 Statewide General Election," accessed November 28, 2016
- ↑ South Carolina Election Commission, "Candidate Tracking," accessed March 31, 2016
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Unofficial primary election results," accessed June 14, 2016
- ↑ Roll Call, "Appointment Speculation Centers on Rep. Tim Scott," December 6, 2012
- ↑ Politico, "All eyes on Nikki Haley to pick Jim DeMint successor," December 7, 2012
- ↑ National Journal, "DeMint Resignation Sets Off South Carolina Scramble," December 6, 2012
- ↑ Political Tracker-CNN.com, "Haley to announce DeMint's replacement at noon," December 17, 2012
- ↑ Island Packet, "Patrick, Lotz mulling run for Scott's U.S. House seat," December 17, 2012
- ↑ Washington Post, "Scott's departure for Senate will trigger third special House election in 2013," December 17, 2012
- ↑ Island Packet, "Patrick, Lotz mulling run for Scott's U.S. House seat," December 17, 2012
- ↑ AP.org, "South Carolina State Senate and State House Election Results," accessed November 7, 2012
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Official election results for 2012," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "2012 Candidates," accessed April 26, 2012
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Official election results for 2008," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "2008 campaign contributions," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ Fox 54, "State senator embarrassed at public intoxication arrest," January 4, 2023
- ↑ WIS News 10, "VIDEO: Senator Tom Davis arrested for public intoxication," January 6, 2023
- ↑ Island Packet, "Sen. Tom Davis endorses Ron Paul in GOP race," January 16, 2012
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Republican National Committee, "2016 Presidential Nominating Process," accessed October 6, 2015
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 CNN.com, "Republican National Convention roll call vote," accessed July 20, 2016
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
South Carolina State Senate District 46 2008-Present |
Succeeded by - |
