In South Carolina the regular election was held simultaneously with the special election.
South Carolina (regular) Incumbent Democrat
Olin D. Johnston handily defeated Republican mayor of
Clemson Leon P. Crawford.
Olin D. Johnston, the incumbent
Senator, faced no opposition from
South Carolina Democrats and avoided a
primary election.
Leon P. Crawford, the mayor of the town of
Clemson in
the Upstate, faced no opposition from
South Carolina Republicans and avoided a
primary election. Crawford campaigned as a defender of
states' rights and denounced Johnston for backing the
New Deal and the
Fair Deal. The state Republican Party believed that Crawford could have a chance in the election if he galvanized the 128,000 registered black voters, although they were weary of being labeled as the black party. In the end, Johnston remained highly popular with the voters who were still leery of the Republican party and he easily defeated Crawford in the general election.
South Carolina (special) The special election resulted from the resignation of Senator
Strom Thurmond on April 4, 1956, who was keeping a campaign pledge he had made in the
1954 election. Thurmond was unopposed in his bid to complete the remaining four years of the term. Senator
Strom Thurmond faced no opposition from
South Carolina Democrats and avoided a
primary election. There was a possibility that
Governor George Bell Timmerman Jr. might enter the race, but Thurmond was held in such high regard by the voters that there would have been no chance of defeating Thurmond. With no challenge to the remainder of the term, Thurmond did not conduct a campaign and rejoined his old law firm in
Aiken until he returned to the Senate after the general election. ==South Dakota==