Rep. Heather Bauer declares victory in SC House District 75 race

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) – Rep. Heather Bauer, a Democrat, declared victory in her race against Republican Kirkman Finlay for the House District 75 seat.

Early Wednesday morning, with nearly all of Richland County's votes counted, Bauer won 53 of the votes. The last time the two ran against each other in 2022, Kirkman defeated her by just a few hundred votes.

At her watch party on Tuesday night, she announced victory to a crowd of fans cheering her on. She said they would celebrate on Tuesday, but work would continue on Wednesday.

“We ran a great campaign,” Bauer said. “And I think we were able to draw a really stark contrast between a candidate who believes government can work for the people and a really cynical campaign like him. And I think voters have proven that they want someone who believes that government can work.”

South Carolina House District 75 was considered one of the most competitive races in the Midlands and is a rematch for House District 75. It was neck-and-neck throughout, as expected. Bauer won the race by just over 1,000 votes.

Richland County includes Forest Acres and other parts of eastern Columbia.

Finlay, who was seeking to reclaim the seat he held for five terms, has yet to concede a goal in the race and his campaign said it was still investigating the election results.

Bauer said her point is about showing up and doing the work, not about playing cynical games or demonizing people.

There is a stark contrast between these familiar enemies.

The billboards and advertisements are hard to miss in Richland County and on television.

Bauer and Finlay said their opponent represented radical positions and had distorted their record. Each has emphasized a willingness to work across party lines to prioritize the district's needs.

Bauer won her 2022 race by focusing primarily on the issue of abortion following the Dobbs decision earlier that year.

“Women’s issues are still a top priority, it’s an issue in our state that has proven itself in this race,” Bauer said in an interview. “My opponent said this matter has been resolved. It is far from clear. And I will continue to restore these rights for women in our state. And I will continue to show up and help fix potholes, fix our infrastructure and raise money for the county. So those are probably the two most important things.”

She has continued to link Finlay to Republican efforts to further restrict abortion access, but he said he has no intention of voting for a bill that would do that.

Both have criticized Richland School District One and its documented series of controversies.

In a news conference a few weeks ago, Finlay criticized the district's academic performance in recent report cards and called for a change in leadership on the school board.

Bauer touted the endorsement of two current board members who represent the minority opposition to the superintendent and said Finlay has had 10 years to do something about it during his tenure in the House.

His latest “revelation” on the issue was a campaign stunt, she argued.

Feel more informed, prepared and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our Email newsletterAnd Download our apps. Do you have any feedback that can help us improve? Click here.

Copyright 2024 WIS. All rights reserved.