Vincent Sheheen

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Vincent Sheheen
Democratic Party
Prior offices:
South Carolina State Senate District 27
Years in office: 2004 - 2020
Successor: Penry Gustafson (R)
South Carolina House of Representatives
Years in office: 2000 - 2004
Elections and appointments
Last election
November 3, 2020
Education
Bachelor's
Clemson University, 1993
Law
University of South Carolina, 1996
Personal
Profession
Attorney
Contact
Campaign website
Campaign Facebook
Campaign X
Personal Facebook
Personal LinkedIn

Vincent Sheheen (Democratic Party) was a member of the South Carolina State Senate, representing District 27. He assumed office in 2004. He left office on November 8, 2020.

Sheheen (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the South Carolina State Senate to represent District 27. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Sheheen served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 2000 to 2004.

Sheheen was the Democratic nominee in the 2010 gubernatorial election in South Carolina.[1] He won the nomination for governor again in 2014.[2] Vincent Sheheen lost the general election on November 4, 2014.

Biography

Sheheen earned his B.A. from Clemson University in 1993. He went on to receive his J.D. from the University of South Carolina in 1996. Sheheen was a Law Clerk for the United States District Judge from 1996 to 1998. In 2000 he was Prosecutor for the City of Camden. He was then an adjunct instructor for the University of South Carolina School of Law from 1998 to 2001. He worked as an attorney for the law firm Savage, Royall, and Sheheen, L.L.P.

In June 2011, Governing Magazine named Sheheen one of 12 "Democratic Legislators to Watch." Each of the legislators was selected on the basis of qualities such as leadership, ambition and political potential.[3]

Committee assignments

2019-2020

Sheheen 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
• Agriculture and Natural Resources
• Education
• Finance
• Fish, Game, and Forestry
• General

2015 legislative session

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

2013-2014

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

2011-2012

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

2009-2010

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

Issues

Balance of powers

Before the 2011 session began, three bills were filed in the South Carolina State Legislature that would have restructured the amount of power the legislature has compared to the state executive and judicial branches. The lawmakers who submitted the bills held that the scales of authority and oversight have been weighted against the executive and judicial branches in favor of the Legislature for decades, both constitutionally and statutorily.

For example, the state Budget and Control Board is both an agency and a board and it is a discordant hybrid of the executive and legislative branches that is unique to South Carolina. The board consists of three constitutional officers elected statewide, including the governor as chairman, and two of the most powerful legislators – the chairmen of the budget-writing Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees. In another example, the power to appoint hundreds of members to executive boards and commissions rests with the General Assembly.

"We need to give the governor the power to be governor," said Sen. Chip Campsen (R).

Campsen was the chief sponsor of one of the three restructuring bills, S. 134.

"The small little cabal of senior legislators and those they influence, they don’t want to give up any power," said Sen. Mike Rose (R), who co-sponsored Campsen’s bill.

Bringing bipartisanship to the reform table, Sen. Sheheen sponsored one of the other two bills, S. 261. Campsen and Rose both signed onto the Sheheen measure.[4]

Presidential preference

2016 presidential endorsement

✓ Sheheen endorsed Martin O'Malley for the Democrat primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.[5]

See also: Endorsements for Martin O'Malley

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

2020

See also: South Carolina State Senate elections, 2020

General election

General election for South Carolina State Senate District 27

Penry Gustafson defeated incumbent Vincent Sheheen in the general election for South Carolina State Senate District 27 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Penry Gustafson
Penry Gustafson (R)
 
51.0
 
22,294
Image of Vincent Sheheen
Vincent Sheheen (D)
 
48.9
 
21,406
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
41

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

Total votes: 43,741
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.

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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Vincent Sheheen advanced from the Democratic primary for South Carolina State Senate District 27.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Penry Gustafson advanced from the Republican primary for South Carolina State Senate District 27.

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 Vincent Sheheen ran unopposed in the South Carolina State Senate District 27 general election.[6][7]

South Carolina State Senate, District 27 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Vincent Sheheen Incumbent (unopposed) 100.00% 27,101
Total Votes 27,101
Source: South Carolina State Election Commission


Incumbent Vincent Sheheen ran unopposed in the South Carolina State Senate District 27 Democratic primary.[8][9]

South Carolina State Senate, District 27 Democratic Primary, 2016
Party Candidate
    Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Vincent Sheheen Incumbent (unopposed)


2014

See also: South Carolina gubernatorial election, 2014

Sheheen ran for Governor of South Carolina in the 2014 election. In April 2013, Sheheen announced in an email to supporters that he was building a campaign for governor in 2014. "Three years ago, we came so very close to changing South Carolina for the better. Now we can finish the job together," he stated.[10]

Sheheen won the Democratic nomination in the unopposed primary on June 10. The general election took place on November 4, 2014.

Sheheen's campaign manager was former North Carolina Democratic Party executive director Andrew Whalen. Whalen previously served as campaign manager for U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler (D).[11]

Results

General election
Governor of South Carolina, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngNikki Haley Incumbent 55.9% 696,645
     Democratic Vincent Sheheen 41.4% 516,166
     Libertarian Steve French 1.2% 15,438
     Independent Tom Ervin 0.9% 11,496
     United Citizens Morgan Reeves 0.5% 5,622
     Nonpartisan Write-in votes 0.1% 934
Total Votes 1,246,301
Election results via South Carolina State Election Commission

Debates

October 14 debate

Charleston State University hosted a debate featuring all five candidates for governor. Nikki Haley (R) and Vincent Sheheen (D) criticized each other on the issue of ethics. Sheheen criticized Haley for past accusations of illegal lobbying during her time as a state legislator. Haley responded that she was cleared of charges twice by the state House in 2012 and that Sheheen voted against a proposed ethics reform law twice over the past two years. Sheheen said that the Republican-supported reform would not go far enough to deal with lobbying concerns.[12]

The three third-party candidates discussed their stances on marijuana legalization and job creation. Independent candidate Tom Ervin argued against the legalization of marijuana, suggesting that medical evidence showed lowered intelligence from habitual use. United Citizens Party candidate Morgan Reeves countered Ervin's points by stating that marijuana could produce tax revenue for the state. Libertarian Party candidate Steve French opposed increasing the state's minimum wage. On the issue of jobs, Haley pointed to a previous announcement that 57,000 jobs would be created throughout the state; Sheheen alleged that only half of those jobs have been created in her first term.[12]

2012

See also: South Carolina State Senate elections, 2012

Sheheen won election in the 2012 election for South Carolina State Senate District 27. Sheheen ran unopposed in the June 12 Democratic primary and ran unopposed in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[13][14][15]

South Carolina State Senate, District 27, General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngVincent Sheheen Incumbent 99% 29,031
     Other Write-Ins 1% 298
Total Votes 29,329


2010

See also: South Carolina gubernatorial election, 2010 and Gubernatorial elections, 2010

Sheheen defeated Jim Rex and Robert Ford in the June 8 primary.

He lost to Nikki Haley (R) in the general election on November 2, 2010.

South Carolina Governor, 2010
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngNikki Haley 51.4% 690,525
     Democratic Vincent A. Sheheen 46.9% 630,534
     Green Morgan Bruce Reeves 0.9% 12,483
     UNC Morgan Bruce Reeves 0.6% 7,631
     Write-In Various 0.2% 3,025
Total Votes 1,344,198
Election results via South Carolina Election Commission

2008

See also: South Carolina State Senate elections, 2008

Sheheen won re-election for District 27 of the South Carolina State Senate with 28,838 votes, ahead of write-ins (129).[16]

He raised $56,274 for his campaign.[17]

South Carolina State Senate, District 27
Candidates Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Vincent Sheheen (D) 28,838
Write-ins 129

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Vincent Sheheen 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.

Vincent Sheheen campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2020South Carolina State Senate District 27Lost general$285,358 N/A**
2016South Carolina State Senate, District 27Won $42,249 N/A**
2014South Carolina GovernorLost $3,634,381 N/A**
2012South Carolina State Senate, District 27Won $1,103,421 N/A**
2010Governor of South CarolinaLost $3,602,066 N/A**
2008South Carolina State Senate, District 27Won $73,134 N/A**
2004South Carolina State Senate, District 27Won $195,789 N/A**
2002South Carolina State House, District 52Won $19,506 N/A**
2000South Carolina State House, District 52Won $41,400 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 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.

Sheheen and his wife, Amy, have three children.

Noteworthy events

Complaints filed by GOP operative

A paid South Carolina Republican Party operative filed three ethics complaints against Sheheen. The complaints were that Sheheen failed to report expenses paid to fly to Kentucky on a campaign-related trip, a gasoline reimbursement to a volunteer and an unreported in-kind contribution. The South Carolina Ethics Commission dismissed the complaints against Sheheen, however. The in-kind donation was made during the quarter in which the complaint was filed, and Sheheen said he would file it with the next quarter's fundraising, as he is legally required to do. Sheheen also noted that he drove his own car to Kentucky for the campaign event, and did not accrue any flight expenses. Sheheen called the charges "desperate accusations" and claimed that they were simply meant to distract from the blemished ethics record of Governor Nikki Haley (R).[18]

Recent news

This section links to a Google news search for the term "Vincent + Sheheen + South + Carolina + Senate"

Vincent Sheheen News Feed

See also

2020 Elections

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External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Congressional Quarterly Politics, "Barrett Touts $300K Quarter for South Carolina Gov Bid," April 9, 2009
  2. ↑ The State, "Sheheen challenging Haley again," April 10, 2013
  3. ↑ Governing, "GOP Legislators to Watch," May 24, 2011
  4. ↑ The Nerve, "Bills Target Legislature's Lopsided Power," January 04, 2011 (dead link) (dead link)
  5. ↑ CNN Politics, "First on CNN: S.C. lawmaker endorses Martin O'Malley," October 22, 2015
  6. ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Candidate listing for the 11/8/2016 statewide general election," accessed August 26, 2016
  7. ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "2016 Statewide General Election," accessed November 28, 2016
  8. ↑ South Carolina Election Commission, "Candidate Tracking," accessed March 31, 2016
  9. ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Unofficial primary election results," accessed June 14, 2016
  10. ↑ Washington Post, "Vincent Sheheen to run against Nikki Haley again," April 10, 2013
  11. ↑ The State, "Democrat Vincent Sheheen names campaign manager for 2014 SC governor’s race," July 9, 2013
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 The State, "2014 Elections: Gloves off for Haley, Sheheen in SC governor’s debate," October 14, 2014
  13. ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, “2012 General Election – Official Results,” November 19, 2012
  14. ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "2012 Candidates," accessed April 26, 2012
  15. ↑ AP.org, "South Carolina State Senate and State House Election Results," accessed November 7, 2012
  16. ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Official election results for 2008," accessed May 15, 2014
  17. ↑ Follow the Money, "2008 campaign contributions," accessed May 15, 2014
  18. ↑ The State, "Sheheen accuses SC GOP of ‘desperate accusations’ in dismissed ethics charges," September 19, 2013
Political offices
Preceded by
Donald Holland 		South Carolina State Senate - District 27
2004–2020 		Succeeded by
Penry Gustafson (R)


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