GOP senator running for Congress resigns, enabling voters to replace him in November By: Seanna Adcox June 22, 2026 10:39 am
COLUMBIA — State Sen. Wes Climer submitted his resignation Monday, allowing York County voters to choose his replacement on November’s general election ballot.
Climer’s “irrevocable resignation” takes effect Nov. 3, the same day voters will decide between him, Democrat Mallory Ditmer and Forward Party candidate Andy Kaplan as their next U.S. representative for the 5th District.
“This ensures continuous representation for the People of York County in the Senate and avoids the considerable cost and complexity of a Special Election,” Climer wrote in his letter Monday to Senate President Thomas Alexander.
Under state law, the timing of a special election is based on when a seat becomes vacant. An “irrevocable resignation” enables Climer to stay in office until the effective date. But he can’t change his mind. So, a vacancy exists as of Monday, as per Alexander’s “writ of election” that made it official.
That document triggers the special election process. Candidate can file between noon July 10 and noon July 18. The primary election will be Sept. 1, with runoffs Sept. 15 if necessary.
Climer attempted to resign in time for the entire process, including the filing and primaries, to align with this year’s election calendar. That required a change in state law.
The Senate unanimously approved a resolution enabling that to happen this year. But the House never took up the measure.
While all 124 House seats are on ballots this year, senators don’t face re-election until 2028. So, senators can run for other offices without risking their Senate seat.
But following the normal process — letting a seat become vacant with a win — would mean that if Climer wins in November, the constituents of Senate District 15 would be without a senator for most of the 2027 session, he said about his decision. He contends the Legislature should pass a permanent change in state law to allow legislators to resign in a way that vacancies can be filled without requiring a separate set of elections.
“That would save taxpayers a ton of money and minimize voter confusion” over special elections, while also saving local election officials from the additional work and stress, Climer told the SC Daily Gazette on Monday.
For the Senate seat Climer’s held since 2016, each day York County voters go to the polls for a special election costs about $90,000. The cost to taxpayers could be substantial when multiplied for other special elections across the state, he said.
Senate District 15 is entirely in York County and spans much of Rock Hill, the city of York and the western shoreline of Lake Wylie, including the gated River Hills community.
Climer had no GOP primary opposition in his bid to replace U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman in Congress. Dittmer, of Fort Mill, defeated Andrew Clough with 56% of the vote June 9 to become the Democratic nominee.
Norman ran for governor rather than re-election to the U.S. House. After placing third in the GOP gubernatorial primary, Norman endorsed Attorney General Alan Wilson over Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette for the runoff contest to be decided Tuesday.
The 5th Congressional District, considered reliably red, spans 10 counties. Anchored by the state’s Charlotte suburbs in York and Lancaster counties, the district extends as far west as Spartanburg County and south into Sumter County.
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