Dwight Loftis
Dwight Loftis (Republican Party) was a member of the South Carolina State Senate, representing District 6. He assumed office on April 2, 2019. He left office on November 11, 2024.
Loftis (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the South Carolina State Senate to represent District 6. He won in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Loftis previously served in the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 19 from 1996 to 2019.
Biography
Loftis earned his A.A. from North Greenville College in 1966. His career experience includes working as an insurance agent. Loftis served as a member of the Leadership Council School District in Greenville County.
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023-2024
Loftis was assigned to the following committees:
- Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
- Banking and Insurance Committee
- Education Committee
- Senate Judiciary Committee
- Medical Affairs Committee
2021-2022
Loftis was assigned to the following committees:
- Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
- Banking and Insurance Committee
- Education Committee
- Senate Judiciary Committee
- Medical Affairs Committee
2019-2020
Loftis was assigned to the following committees:
- Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
- Banking and Insurance Committee
- Corrections and Penology Committee
- Senate Judiciary Committee
- Family and Veterans' Services Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| South Carolina committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Rules, Vice chair |
| • Ways and Means |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Loftis served on the following committees:
| South Carolina committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Rules, Vice Chair |
| • Ways and Means |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Loftis served on the following committees:
| South Carolina committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Rules, Vice Chair |
| • Ways and Means |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Loftis served on the following committees:
| South Carolina committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Rules |
| • Ways and Means |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Loftis served on the following committees:
| South Carolina committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Rules |
| • Ways and Means |
Issues
Rural development
To promote rural development, several lawmakers, including Loftis, crafted bills to create new agencies during the 2011-2012 session. At the time, Loftis noted that little coordination existed among the legislators pushing individual proposals.
"I'll be the first to admit we've got too many entities out there working in separate silos," said Loftis.
In February, 2011, Loftis introduced a bill (H. 3633), titled the "South Carolina Agribusiness Economic Development Authority Act of 2011," to create a separate agency within the S.C. Department of Agriculture to help finance new agricultural-related businesses in the state. The agency would have received state general funds and any other "financial assistance, guarantees, insurance or subsidies from the federal or state government," under the bill. A February 2011 Department of Agriculture report said that the proposed authority would be similar to the South Carolina Jobs-Economic Development Authority, a state agency that assists economic development projects by issuing special-obligation revenue bonds. Loftis said the agency proposed under his bill would help develop a "viable opportunity in niche markets in agriculture," adding that "North Carolina has done a much better job than South Carolina."
Loftis' bill died in the House Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.[1][2]
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
Dwight Loftis 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 6
Incumbent Dwight Loftis defeated Hao Wu in the general election for South Carolina State Senate District 6 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Dwight Loftis (R) | 65.1 | 33,300 |
 | Hao Wu (D)  | 34.8 | 17,768 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 61 | ||
| Total votes: 51,129 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Hao Wu advanced from the Democratic primary for South Carolina State Senate District 6.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Dwight Loftis advanced from the Republican primary for South Carolina State Senate District 6.
2019
See also: South Carolina state legislative special elections, 2019
General election
Special general election for South Carolina State Senate District 6
Dwight Loftis defeated Tina Belge in the special general election for South Carolina State Senate District 6 on March 26, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Dwight Loftis (R) | 55.6 | 4,440 |
 | Tina Belge (D) | 44.3 | 3,537 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 3 | ||
| Total votes: 7,980 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Special Democratic primary for South Carolina State Senate District 6
Tina Belge advanced from the special Democratic primary for South Carolina State Senate District 6 on January 22, 2019.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Tina Belge |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Special Republican primary for South Carolina State Senate District 6
Dwight Loftis defeated Amy Doyle and Jeffrey Stringer in the special Republican primary for South Carolina State Senate District 6 on January 22, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Dwight Loftis | 55.4 | 3,528 |
| Amy Doyle | 40.3 | 2,569 | ||
| Jeffrey Stringer | 4.2 | 270 | ||
| Total votes: 6,367 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2018
See also:
General election
General election for South Carolina House of Representatives District 19
Incumbent Dwight Loftis defeated Carrie Counton in the general election for South Carolina House of Representatives District 19 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Dwight Loftis (R) | 61.2 | 6,744 |
 | Carrie Counton (D) | 38.7 | 4,272 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 10 | ||
| Total votes: 11,026 | |||
| = 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
Democratic primary for South Carolina House of Representatives District 19
Carrie Counton defeated Hao Wu in the Democratic primary for South Carolina House of Representatives District 19 on June 12, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Carrie Counton | 51.9 | 620 |
| Hao Wu | 48.1 | 575 | |
| Total votes: 1,195 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for South Carolina House of Representatives District 19
Incumbent Dwight Loftis advanced from the Republican primary for South Carolina House of Representatives District 19 on June 12, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Dwight Loftis |
| ||||
| = 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
Elections for the South Carolina House of Representatives 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 Dwight Loftis ran unopposed in the South Carolina House of Representatives District 19 general election.[3][4]
| South Carolina House of Representatives, District 19 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Dwight Loftis Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 10,379 | |
| Total Votes | 10,379 | |||
| Source: South Carolina State Election Commission | ||||
Incumbent Dwight Loftis ran unopposed in the South Carolina House of Representatives District 19 Republican primary.[5][6]
| South Carolina House of Representatives, District 19 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Dwight Loftis Incumbent (unopposed) | |
2014
Elections for all 124 seats in the South Carolina House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 10, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 30, 2014. Incumbent Dwight Loftis ran unopposed in the Republican primary and was unchallenged in the general election.[7][8][9]
2012
Loftis ran unopposed in the Republican primary on June 12 and in the general election on November 6, 2012.[10][11]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Dwight Loftis Incumbent |
97.9% | 9,213 | |
| Other | Write-Ins | 2.1% | 198 | |
| Total Votes | 9,411 | |||
2010
Loftis ran unopposed in the June 8 Republican primary for District 19 of the South Carolina House of Representatives. Loftis won, after running unopposed, in the general election on November 2.[12]
| South Carolina House of Representatives, District 19 (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Dwight Loftis (R)
|
6,467 | 98.60% | ||
| Write-In | 92 | 1.40% | ||
2008
On November 4, 2008, Loftis won re-election, after running unopposed, to the South Carolina House of Representatives with 9,205 votes, representing District 19.
Loftis 9,205 raised $6,485 for his campaign.[13]
| South Carolina House of Representatives, District 19 (2008) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Dwight Loftis (R)
|
9,205 | |||
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Dwight Loftis 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.
Endorsements
Presidential preference
2012
Dwight Loftis endorsed Newt Gingrich in the 2012 presidential election.[14]
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 South Carolina scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
In 2024, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 9 to May 9.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental and conservation issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 10 to May 11.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 11 to May 12.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 12 to May 13.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 14 to June 25. The state Senate reconvened September to September 3. Both chambers reconvened September 15 to September 24.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 8 through May 21.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 9 through May 10.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 10 through May 11.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 12 through June 2.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 13 through June 4.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 14 through June 6.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 8 to June 20.
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2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 11 through June 7.
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2011
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2011, click [show]. |
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In 2011, the South Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 11 through June 2. On June 2, 2011, Governor Nikki Haley (R) attempted to call the legislature into an "emergency" special session to begin on June 7 to create the new South Carolina Department of Administration. A lawsuit was filed by Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell (R), in which he contended that Haley's call for a special session was unconstitutional, and that it violated the state Constitution's requirement of separation of powers among the governor, legislature and courts.[15] On June 6, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled 3-2 against Governor Haley, stating that her order violated the Legislature's ability to set its calendar and agenda. The legislature met in a special redistricting session from June 14 - July 1.[16] The legislature re-convened July 26.[17]
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The Palmetto Liberty PAC Scorecard
The Palmetto Liberty Political Action Committee, a conservative, pro-limited government think tank in South Carolina, releases its scorecard for South Carolina representatives and senators once a year. The scorecard gives each legislator a score based on how he or she voted in the two-year legislative term prior to the election on specific issues that the Palametto Liberty PAC thinks are anti-limited government. "Most of the votes shown on the score card are votes that we lost. Now we can identify the Legislators that caused us to lose these votes. These Legislators are the ones who need to be replaced if we are to achieve the vision of having the most free state in the nation."[18]
2012
Dwight Loftis received a score of 33% in the 2012 scorecard, ranking 11th out of all 124 South Carolina House of Representatives members.[19] His score was followed by representatives Ralph W. Norman (33%), Phillip Owens (33%), and Kevin R. Ryan (33%).[20]
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Loftis and his wife, Sandra, have three children.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ The Nerve, "Lawmakers Mulling Rural Development Proposals," by Rick Brundrett, May 25, 2011
- ↑ LegiScan, "South Carolina House Bill 3633," accessed September 10, 2013
- ↑ 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
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Election Results," accessed June 10, 2014
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed November 13, 2014
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "2014 Election Information," accessed March 31, 2014
- ↑ AP.org, "South Carolina State Senate and State House Election Results," accessed November 7, 2012
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "2012 Candidates," accessed April 20, 2012
- ↑ www.enr-scvotes.org, "2010 General Election Results," accessed May 1, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "2008 campaign contributions," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ Newt Gingrich 2012, "South Carolina Legislative Endorsements For Newt Gingrich," January 20, 2012
- ↑ The State, "High court rules against Haley," June 6, 2011
- ↑ The Sun News, "S.C. House to have special session in June," May 6, 2011
- ↑ The Island Packet, "S.C. Senate OKs new congressional districted anchored in Beaufort County," June 29, 2011
- ↑ The Palmetto Liberty Political Action Committee, "Voting Records," accessed April 11, 2014
- ↑ Palmetto Liberty Political Action Committee, "South Carolina Senate Score Card 2012," accessed April 11, 2014
- ↑ Palmetto Liberty Political Action Committee, "South Carolina Senate Score Card 2012," accessed May 15, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
South Carolina State Senate District 6 2019-2024 |
Succeeded by Jason Elliott (R) |
| Preceded by - |
South Carolina House of Representatives District 19 1996-2019 |
Succeeded by - |
