1970 South Carolina gubernatorial election

1970 South Carolina gubernatorial election

← 1966 November 3, 1970 1974 →

Nominee John C. West Albert Watson Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 251,151 221,236 Percentage 52.1% 45.9%

County results West:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Watson:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%

Governor before election Robert Evander McNair Democratic Elected Governor John Carl West Democratic

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v t e

The 1970 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1970 to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. John C. West, the Democratic nominee, won a close general election against Albert Watson, the Republican congressman from the 2nd congressional district.

The New York Times credited West's victory to his success among Black voters, "whites who were moderate on racial issues", and segments of the white working-class who supported George Wallace's 1968 presidential campaign but were disappointed with the state of the economy.^[1]

Central to the campaign was the issue of school integration: Watson ran a segregationist campaign and pledged to "stand up" to federal judicial orders to desegregate schools.^[2]