David Stumbo, the Republican nominee for South Carolina attorney general, will face Democrat Richard Hricik in the general election.

Stumbo, who was 50 at the time of the June runoff, won the Republican primary on June 23, defeating state Sen. Stephen Goldfinch with 55.75% of the vote, according to The State. He collected 172,793 votes to Goldfinch's 137,164.

Candidate information

  • Office sought: South Carolina attorney general
  • Party: Republican
  • Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
  • Opponent: Richard Hricik, a Mount Pleasant attorney (Democratic)
  • Residence: Greenwood, South Carolina
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in history and philosophy, Toccoa Falls College (1998); juris doctor, University of South Carolina (2004)
  • Family: Wife Vanessa; daughters Hallie Ruth, Maggie Brooke and Annie; adult son Gabe and daughter-in-law Hannah, according to his campaign website

Experience and public service

Stumbo has served as solicitor for the Eighth Judicial Circuit of South Carolina, covering Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens and Newberry counties, since winning election in November 2012, according to his campaign website. He is in his fourth term.

Before that, he worked as an assistant attorney general in the South Carolina Attorney General's Office from 2002 to 2007, according to BallotReady. He then served as an assistant solicitor in the 11th Circuit Solicitor's Office from 2007 to 2011 and as an assistant deputy attorney in the South Carolina Attorney General's Office from 2011 to 2012.

Stumbo said on his campaign website that he has personally prosecuted hundreds of criminal cases, including four capital murder cases. He said he founded the 8th Circuit Veterans' Treatment Court in 2015 and served as president of the South Carolina Solicitors' Association.

He was a two-sport athlete at Toccoa Falls College, competing in basketball and baseball, according to his campaign website.

On the issues

Stumbo's policy positions, as stated on his campaign website, include:

  • Criminal justice and public safety: Stumbo said he would protect victims of crimes, prosecute criminals and defend the Constitution. He framed the role as a continuation of what he called his servant leadership as a criminal prosecutor.
  • Conservative values and social policy: Stumbo described himself as a lifelong conservative who supports protections for the unborn, religious liberty and parental rights. He also listed support for law enforcement, healthcare freedom, lower taxes and government transparency.

Note: Stumbo did not respond to the Fort Mill-Tega Cay Times questionnaire. The positions above are drawn from his campaign website.

Endorsements

Stumbo had the backing of 10 of the state's 16 solicitors and 22 of its 46 sheriffs during the Republican primary, The State reported. The following endorsements appear on his campaign website:

  • P.J. Tanner, Beaufort County Sheriff's Office
  • Hobart Lewis, Greenville County Sheriff's Office
  • Marty Sawyer, Aiken County Sheriff's Office
  • Chad McBride, Anderson County Sheriff's Office
  • Micah Black, 10th Circuit Solicitor's Office
  • Rick Hubbard, 11th Circuit Solicitor's Office
  • Mike Burch, 4th Circuit Solicitor's Office