Republican Tommy Paradise has won the race for South Carolina House District 86, defeating Democrat Malcolm Green to take over the seat long held by retiring Rep. Bill Taylor. Preliminary, unofficial results show Paradise collecting 9,052 votes to Green's 6,503, giving the Republican nearly 60% of the vote across the Aiken and Lexington counties district.
The win closes out a seat that Taylor had occupied since 2010. According to the Post and Courier, Taylor announced in March that he would not seek reelection, opening the door for a new face to represent District 86 in Columbia. Taylor ultimately endorsed Paradise ahead of the general election.
Paradise and Green each won their own party's primary back on June 9, with Paradise facing Kim Ray and Green facing Stuart Epting, setting up the November matchup. Per a separate report from the Post and Courier, the two candidates prevailed in their parties' primaries and were set to face each other in the general election. It's worth noting that the Democratic candidate's name has appeared in local coverage both as “Malcolm Green” and “Malcom Green,” a discrepancy that has not been resolved in available reporting.
A District Spanning Two Counties
District 86 covers parts of both Aiken and Lexington counties, according to the same pre-election report. That geographic mix has shaped the kinds of issues candidates raised on the campaign trail, with statements in the race touching on sustainable growth, public safety, infrastructure, education and economic opportunities for working families, per the article detailing candidate priorities. Other campaign messaging emphasized reducing the tax burden, improving public education, supporting local businesses, job creation and affordable housing.
One candidate's priorities also included a call for smarter, better-planned growth, arguing that growth is coming to the district regardless and that managing it well matters more than resisting it. That same account noted the candidate's interest in property tax relief aimed at working homeowners and family farms, though again the source material does not attribute the remark to either Paradise or Green by name.
Incumbents Hold Steady Elsewhere in Aiken County
Paradise's victory came alongside a broader sweep for the Aiken County legislative delegation, with incumbents prevailing in the other four contested S.C. House races on the same night. In District 81, which sits entirely within Aiken County, Charlie Hartz won with 12,112 votes and more than 60% of the vote, topping Peter Swales, who drew 7,975 votes.
District 82, which spans parts of Aiken, Edgefield and Saluda counties, saw Bill Clyburn secure nearly 62% of the vote with 8,544 ballots, defeating Suzy Spurgeon's 5,235. In District 83, covering parts of Aiken and Edgefield counties, Bill Hixon won with 10,417 votes and 64% of the vote over Jason Payne's 5,844.
Rounding out the results, District 84, located entirely within Aiken County, went to Melissa Oremus, who captured 55% of the vote with 8,452 ballots against Darnell Holston's 6,959. Together, the results point to a largely steady night for incumbents across the county's legislative map, even as District 86 changed hands with Taylor's departure.
