Democratic state Rep. Russell Ott defeated Republican business owner Jason Guerry in the race to replace Lexington Democratic state Sen. Nikki Setzler in the 26th District, which includes parts of Calhoun, Lexington and Richland counties.

Ott was leading by 17,360 votes to 21,108, according to all precincts reporting.

Confident of the outcome, Ott arrived at the election night watch party at 9:40 p.m. and addressed his supporters.

“I look across this room and I see Democrats, I see Republicans and I see independents,” Ott said. “I see people. That’s the purpose of this campaign. We decided early on that we wanted to try something new, that we didn’t want to play this hyper-partisanship game where we had to make people dislike each other. “We wanted to bring people together,” he said.

Setzler announced earlier this year that he would not run for re-election after serving in the upper house since 1977.

The district was thought to be a competitive district favoring Democratic candidates.

Ott had a campaign cash advantage over Guerry, a first-time candidate in the race, which gave him more television time.

Winning a state Senate election comes with a four-year term and an annual salary of $10,400.

Senate District 35

Democratic former Camden Mayor Jeffrey Graham defeated Republican business owner Mike Jones, with all precincts reporting in Senate District 35.

Graham has 24,896 votes and Jones has 22,834 votes.

They were running to replace state Sen. Thomas McElveen, D-Sumter, who is not running for re-election this year.

The district includes parts of Kershaw, Lee, Richland and Sumter counties.

Senate District 17

State Sen. Mike Fanning, D-Fairfield, faces an automatic recount in his race against Republican challenger Everett Stubbs.

Stubbs has a 32-vote lead, with all precincts in the district reporting. Portions of Chester, Fairfield, Lancaster and York counties.

Fanning plans to return to the state’s upper house for a third term.

Fanning was one of two senators who voted against the redistricting plan approved in 2022 as her seat became more competitive. However, he entered the final three weeks of the campaign with a cash advantage over Stubbs.

Senate District 39

Republican attorney Tom Fernandez unseated state Sen. Vernon Stephens, D-Orangeburg, in state Senate District 39, according to Tuesday’s unofficial results.

Fernandez received 25,785 votes. Stephens had 24,540 votes.

The district includes parts of Berkeley, Dorchester and Orangeburg counties.

Stephens voted against the Senate’s redistricting plan after the district became more competitive for Republicans.

Fernandez appeared to have a cash advantage over Stephens.

Fernandez raised $144,000 for his campaign. But he loaned himself $100,000 for the race, according to state ethics commission reports.

Stephens raised $75,000 during the cycle and is only $5,000 in debt.

Senate District 36

State Sen. Kevin Johnson, D-Clarendon, lost to Republican challenger Jeff Zell on Tuesday, according to unofficial results.

Zell received 25,597 votes. Johnson received 24,933 votes.

Zell had to overcome a cash disadvantage. Johnson entered the final three weeks with $106,000 in the bank. Zell had less than $1,600. Johnson raised more than $41,000 in the third quarter. Zell raised approximately $23,600.

The district includes parts of Calhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg and Sumter counties.

Senate District 10

State Sen. Billy Garrett, R-McCormick, has a clear lead over Democratic challenger Francie Kleckley in Senate District 10, with all but one precinct reporting.

Garrett has 37,677 votes so far, according to Tuesday’s unofficial results. Kleckley received 16,717 votes in the Republican-dominated district, which includes parts of Greenwood, Lexington and Saluda counties.

Garrett lived in McCormick County when he was first elected in 2020, but changed his voter registration to Lexington County after the redistricting process.

Garrett also won the GOP nomination in a four-person race in June.

Senate District 19

State Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine, D-Richland, has a chance to win her first four-year term in the General Assembly’s upper chamber. Devine leading Chris Nelums of the Citizens United Party on Tuesday.

Reporting in 23 of 37 precincts, Devine received more than 87% of the vote.

No Republicans filed to run.

Devine won a special election in January to finish the term of state Sen. John Scott. Scott died in August 2023.

The district covers part of Richland County.