Who won South Carolina in the 2008 presidential election?

McCain (Republican) carried South Carolina in 2008, winning its 8 electoral votes.

How many electoral votes did South Carolina have in 2008?

South Carolina cast 8 electoral votes in the 2008 presidential election.

Did South Carolina vote for the national winner in 2008?

No. South Carolina backed McCain, while Barack Obama won the presidency nationally.

Modern PolarizationSC · 8 EV

2008

South Carolina: McCain carries 8 EV.

South Carolina cast its 8 electoral votes for McCain (Republican). National winner: Barack Obama (Democratic) — South Carolina voted against the national winner this cycle.

What happened in South Carolina, 2008

In 2008, South Carolina awarded its 8 electoral votes to McCain of the Republican party. Nationally the result broke the other way — Barack Obama (Democratic) won the presidency, leaving South Carolina among the states he did not carry.

It marked the 8th consecutive election in which South Carolina backed the Republican party, a streak reaching back to 1980. The region divided — Georgia joined South Carolina for the Republican ticket, while North Carolina did not. Across the 59 presidential elections South Carolina has taken part in, it has most often sided with the Democratic party (28 times). The vote fell within the Modern Polarization — Close elections in a divided country.

In the national count, Barack Obama took 365 of the 538 electoral votes, against John McCain's 173. Barack Obama led the national popular vote with 52.93% of the ballots cast.

The 2008 national map

South Carolina full history →