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R Republican · U.S. House 5, South Carolina · Nov 3, 2026

Wes
Climer

Republican SC state senator Wes Climer is the 2026 GOP nominee for South Carolina's 5th Congressional District.

Researched checked 6 d ago
sources
17
positions
11
endorsements
4
wesclimer.com ↗(opens in a new tab) X(opens in a new tab)Instagram(opens in a new tab)
Opponents Andy Kaplan F+ 1 more Compare race →

Background

Wes Climer is a Republican politician from Rock Hill, South Carolina, who has served as a South Carolina state senator representing District 15 (York County) since 2016. He chairs the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and holds a B.A. from Furman University (2006). 51

Before entering elected office, Climer worked as a congressional aide from 2006 to 2011 for U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, Sen. Elizabeth Dole, and then-Rep. Bill Cassidy, and later as a financial advisor and business owner. 115

In March 2026, Climer filed to run as a Republican for South Carolina's 5th Congressional District, the seat held by Rep. Ralph Norman, who is not seeking reelection. Climer won the Republican primary and is the party's nominee for the November 3, 2026 general election. 711 He submitted an irrevocable resignation from the state Senate effective November 3, 2026, allowing voters to select his replacement in that election. 9

Climer is not the incumbent for the U.S. House seat he is seeking; he currently holds office as a state senator. 59

At a glance

Party
Republican
Running for
U.S. House · District 5, South Carolina
Election
Nov 3, 2026
Current office
South Carolina State Senator, District 15
Website
wesclimer.com(opens in a new tab)

Where they stand

Each position links to the page it was drawn from. Quotes are verbatim.

Timeline

  1. Oct 6
    news
    WLTX voter guide lists Climer, Dittmer, and Andy Kaplan on SC-05 ballot

    WLTX's statewide South Carolina voter guide for the November 3 election listed three candidates for District 5: Wes Climer (Republican), Mallory Dittmer (Democrat), and Andy Kaplan (Forward Party).

    South Carolina voter guide 2026: What to know for the November 3 election · Oct 6, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  2. Sep 27
    poll
    Analysis estimates Climer holds a 26.3-point structural advantage over Dittmer in SC-05

    The Political Group published a race analysis estimating Climer's starting advantage at 26.3 points based on recent election results and modeling. This is a model-based estimate, not a survey of voter preferences; no public opinion poll of the race was found.

    What It Would Take for Mallory Dittmer to Win SC-05 in 2026 · Sep 27, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  3. Sep 25
    news
    Climer appears at joint event in York County alongside Senate candidate Darline Graham

    A September 25 report noted a joint campaign event in York County (Lake Wylie area) featuring Climer and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Darline Graham. The event was not described as a debate, and further details were not provided.

    Darline Graham campaigns in Lake Wylie, highlighting her conservative record · Sep 25, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  4. Sep 16
    news
    Climer's debt op-ed republished by Fort Mill Sun

    The Fort Mill Sun republished Climer's opinion piece on the federal debt, extending the reach of his policy commentary ahead of the November election.

    Wes Climer: The Debt Bomb Coming for Every American · Sep 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  5. Sep 15
    news
    Climer publishes opinion piece 'The Debt Bomb Coming for Every American'

    Wes Climer, identified as a candidate for Congress, authored an op-ed published by FITSNews outlining his views on the federal debt as a major threat to Americans.

    Wes Climer: The Debt Bomb Coming for Every American - FITSNews · Sep 15, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  6. Jun 30
    filing
    Climer reports $884,284 raised and $599,621 cash on hand through June 30 FEC period

    FEC-based fundraising figures for the period ending June 30 show Climer with $884,284 raised and $599,621 cash on hand, compared to Democratic opponent Mallory Dittmer's $139,717 raised and $74,508 cash on hand. These are reporting-period totals, not current balances.

    What It Would Take for Mallory Dittmer to Win SC-05 in 2026 · Sep 27, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  7. Jun 9
    news
    Mallory Dittmer wins Democratic primary; Climer becomes GOP nominee unopposed

    Mallory Dittmer defeated Andrew Clough with about 56% of the vote in the Democratic primary for SC-05. Wes Climer had already become the Republican nominee after the GOP primary was canceled; the exact date of the cancellation was not reported in available sources.

    Compare Candidates | 2026 South Carolina's 5th Congressional ... · Oct 8, 2026 (opens in a new tab)

Endorsements

  • U.S. Chamber of Commerce organization
    Announced endorsement, stating it was "proud to support Wes Climer's candidacy for Congress." uschamber.com · Jun 15, 2026
  • Mike Johnson, Speaker of the U.S. House official
    Endorsed Climer in an X post: "I am proud to ENDORSE Wes Climer for South Carolina's 5th District." x.com · Jun 9, 2026
  • Donald Trump, former U.S. President official
    Endorsed Climer on Truth Social: "Wes Climer … has my Complete and Total Endorsement." trumpstruth.org · Jun 8, 2026
  • Ralph Norman, U.S. Representative for South Carolina's 5th District official
    Endorsed Climer as his successor, per WIS-TV as cited in Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org · Aug 21, 2025

Campaign finance

Totals filed with the Federal Election Commission for the 2026 election cycle.

Raised
$884K
Spent
$285K
Cash on hand
$600K

As of Jun 30, 2026. Filings are periodic, so recent money may not be included yet. ↳ FEC record H6SC05202(opens in a new tab)

Sources 17

  1. [1] Compare Candidates | 2026 South Carolina's 5th Congressional ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 8, 2026
  2. [2] South Carolina voter guide 2026: What to know for the November 3 election(opens in a new tab) Oct 6, 2026
  3. [3] What It Would Take for Mallory Dittmer to Win SC-05 in 2026(opens in a new tab) Sep 27, 2026
  4. [4] Darline Graham campaigns in Lake Wylie, highlighting her conservative record(opens in a new tab) Sep 25, 2026
  5. [5] Wes Climer: The Debt Bomb Coming for Every American(opens in a new tab) Sep 16, 2026
  6. [6] Wes Climer: The Debt Bomb Coming for Every American - FITSNews(opens in a new tab) Sep 15, 2026
  7. [7] Wes Climer — 2026 South Carolina's 5th Congressional ...(opens in a new tab) Aug 29, 2026
  8. [8] U.S. Chamber Endorses Candidate Wes Climer for South ...(opens in a new tab) Jun 15, 2026
  9. [9] Wes Climer is a conservative America First patriot who will help us ...(opens in a new tab) Jun 9, 2026
  10. [10] It is my Great Honor to endorse America First Patriot, Wes ...(opens in a new tab) Jun 8, 2026
  11. [11] Wes Climer: Stop Forcing Taxpayers to Pay Twice for the Same ...(opens in a new tab) Apr 20, 2026
  12. [12] WES CLIMER FILES TO RUN FOR CONGRESS IN SOUTH ...(opens in a new tab) Mar 18, 2026
  13. [13] About Wes(opens in a new tab) Nov 17, 2025
  14. [14] News(opens in a new tab) Jun 9, 2025
  15. [15] 2023-2024 Bill 3594: Constitutional Carry - South Carolina Legislature(opens in a new tab) Jul 3, 2024
  16. [16] Wes Climer — official campaign website(opens in a new tab) Sep 27, 2023
  17. [17] Wes Climer(opens in a new tab) Jun 3, 2020
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