1974 South Carolina gubernatorial election

Initially considered a longshot candidate,[1] Republican James B. Edwards defeated Democrat W. J. Bryan Dorn with a narrow majority of the vote.

Edwards' victory made him the first Republican since Daniel Henry Chamberlain in 1874 to win a gubernatorial election in South Carolina.

Dorn, who had supported George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign, was described by The New York Times as a "political maverick" who took a relatively liberal line on racial and religious issues.

[4] The South Carolina Republican Party held their primary on July 16, 1974 and the contest pitted state senator James B. Edwards against former Army Chief of Staff William Westmoreland.

Edwards scored an upset victory in the first Republican primary of the state and earned the right to face Dorn in the general election.

1974 South Carolina gubernatorial election map, by percentile by county.
65+% won by Edwards

60%-64% won by Edwards

55%-59% won by Edwards

50%-54% won by Edwards

<50% won by Edwards

50%-54% won by Dorn

55%-59% won by Dorn

60%-64% won by Dorn

65+% won by Dorn