Joe Cunningham wins election in First Congressional District race

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - Democrat Joe Cunningham has won the First Congressional District race, a seat no democrat has held since the 1980s.

Cunningham beat GOP candidate Katie Arrington.

Cunningham is the first new democrat from South Carolina to head to Congress since Jim Clyburn in 1992, according to the Associated Press.

Both Cunningham and Arrington had to wait a pretty long time to find out the results as the Associated Press called the race around 2 a.m. on Wednesday as officials were continuing to count ballots.

It was just after 1 a.m. on Wednesday that Cunningham’s watch party wrapped up.

Not because they wanted to, but because the building the watch party was being held at was shutting down for the night.

READ MORE: Arrington supporters gather in Mt. Pleasant expecting a win

“Lowcountry Over Party” has been Cunningham’s slogan leading up to election day, promising coastal voters he will work across party lines to tackle issues like off-shore drilling and infrastructure needs.

That may be why some experts called the race a competitive one.

Cunningham has appealed to some Republican voters by offering a more moderate approach than Arrington’s staunch support of President Donald Trump and his initiatives.

Cunningham has even garnered support from some Republican mayors and other leaders in the Lowcountry.

But the question remained whether that would be enough to help him topple the Republican majority that has controlled this district that spans across parts of five counties.

In a poll commissioned by End Citizens United, Arrington was favored by seven points heading into the general election.

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