James Clyburn

James Clyburn

Democratic Party

Candidate, U.S. House South Carolina District 6

U.S. House South Carolina District 6

Tenure

1993 - Present

Term ends

2025

Years in position

31

Compensation

Base salary

$174,000

Net worth

$468,511

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 8, 2022

Next election

June 11, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

South Carolina State College, Orangeburg

Personal

Religion

African Methodist Episcopal

Contact

Official website

Official Twitter

Official YouTube

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Instagram

James Clyburn (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing South Carolina's 6th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 1993. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.

Clyburn (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent South Carolina's 6th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on June 11, 2024.

Clyburn was selected to be the House majority whip in the 116th Congress. This role is the third-ranking leadership position in the House, behind the speaker and the majority leader.

Clyburn began representing South Carolina's 6th Congressional District in 1993.

Biography

Clyburn was born in Sumter, South Carolina. He earned his B.S. from South Carolina State College, Orangeburg, in 1962. Prior to his election to the U.S. House, Clyburn served as the South Carolina human affairs commissioner.

Career

Below is an abbreviated outline of Clyburn's academic, professional, and political career:

• 1993-Present: U.S. Representative from South Carolina's 6th Congressional District
  • 2019-Present: House Majority Whip
• 1974-1992: South Carolina Human Affairs Commissioner
• 1971-1974: Member of the Staff of Governor John C. West
• 1968-1971: Executive Director, South Carolina State Commission for Farm Workers
• 1966-1968: Director, Charleston County, South Carolina, Neighborhood Youth Corps and New Careers Projects
• 1965-1966: South Carolina State Employment Security Commission

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2011-2018

As Assistant Democratic Leader, Clyburn served on no committees:

Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023

The 117th United States Congress began on January 3, 2021 and ended on January 3, 2023. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (222-213), and the U.S. Senate had a 50-50 makeup. Democrats assumed control of the Senate on January 20, 2021, when President Joe Biden (D) and Vice President Kamala Harris (D), who acted as a tie-breaking vote in the chamber, assumed office. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023
Vote	Bill and description	Status
Yea	Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act   The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684) was a federal infrastructure bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on November 15, 2021. Among other provisions, the bill provided funding for new infrastructure projects and reauthorizations, Amtrak maintenance and development, bridge repair, replacement, and rehabilitation, clean drinking water, high-speed internet, and clean energy transmission and power infrastructure upgrades. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (228-206)
Yea	American Rescue Plan Act of 2021   The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 11, 2021, to provide economic relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key features of the bill included funding for a national vaccination program and response, funding to safely reopen schools, distribution of $1,400 per person in relief payments, and extended unemployment benefits. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (220-210)
Yea	Inflation Reduction Act of 2022   The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (H.R. 5376) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 16, 2022, to address climate change, healthcare costs, and tax enforcement. Key features of the bill included a $369 billion investment to address energy security and climate change, an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, allowing Medicare to negotiate certain drug prices, a 15% corporate minimum tax, a 1% stock buyback fee, and enhanced Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enforcement, and an estimated $300 billion deficit reduction from 2022-2031. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (220-207)
Yea	Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act   The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (H.R. 3617) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to decriminalize marijuana, establish studies of legal marijuana sales, tax marijuana imports and production, and establish a process to expunge and review federal marijuana offenses. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (220-204)
Yea	For the People Act of 2021   The For the People Act of 2021 (H.R. 1) was a federal election law and government ethics bill approved by the House of Representatives. The Congressional Research Service said the bill would "expand voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting). It [would also limit] removing voters from voter rolls. ... Further, the bill [would address] campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending, requiring additional disclaimers regarding certain political advertising, and establishing an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices." The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (220-210)
Yea	Assault Weapons Ban of 2022   The Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 (H.R. 1808) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives that sought to criminalize the knowing import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of semiautomatic assault weapons (SAW) or large capacity ammunition feeding devices (LCAFD). The bill made exemptions for grandfathered SAWs and LCAFDs. It required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (217-213)
Yea	National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (S. 1605) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 27, 2021, authorizing Department of Defense acitivities and programs for fiscal year 2022. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (363-70)
Yea	James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023   The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (H.R. 7776) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022, authorizing Department of Defense activities and programs for fiscal year 2023. The bill required a 2/3 majority in the House to suspend rules and pass the bill as amended.	Passed (350-80)
Yea	American Dream and Promise Act of 2021   The American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 (H.R. 6) was an immigration bill approved by the House of Representatives that proposed a path to permanent residence status for unauthorized immigrants eligible for Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Enforced Departure, among other immigration-related proposals. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (228-197)
Yea	Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022   The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (S. 3373) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 10, 2022, that sought to address healthcare access, the presumption of service-connection, and research, resources, and other matters related to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during military service. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (342-88)
Yea	Chips and Science Act   The Chips and Science Act (H.R. 4346) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 9, 2022, which sought to fund domestic production of semiconductors and authorized various federal science agency programs and activities. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (243-187)
Yea	Women’s Health Protection Act of 2021   The Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives. The bill proposed prohibiting governmental restrictions on the provision of and access to abortion services and prohibiting governments from issuing some other abortion-related restrictions. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (218-211)
Yea	SAFE Banking Act of 2021   The SAFE Banking Act of 2021 (H.R. 1996) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives that proposed prohibiting federal regulators from penalizing banks for providing services to legitimate cannabis-related businesses and defining proceeds from such transactions as not being proceeds from unlawful activity, among other related proposals. Since the House moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill in an expedited process, it required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.	Passed (321-101)
Yea	Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022   The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (H.R. 2471) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 15, 2022, providing for the funding of federal agencies for the remainder of 2022, providing funding for activities related to Ukraine, and modifying or establishing various programs. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (260-171)
Yea	Equality Act   The Equality Act (H.R. 5) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that proposed prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system, among other related proposals. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (224-206)
Yea	Respect for Marriage Act   The Respect for Marriage Act (H.R. 8404) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 13, 2022. The bill codified the recognition of marriages between individuals of the same sex and of different races, ethnicities, or national origins, and provided that the law would not impact religious liberty or conscience protections, or provide grounds to compel nonprofit religious organizations to recognize same-sex marriages. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (258-169)
Yea	Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023   The Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (H.R. 6833) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 30, 2022. It provided for some fiscal year 2023 appropriations, supplemental funds for Ukraine, and extended several other programs and authorities. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (230-201)
Yea	Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act   The Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act (H.R. 7688) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to prohibit individuals from selling consumer fuels at excessive prices during a proclaimed energy emergency. It would have also required the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether the price of gasoline was being manipulated. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (217-207)
Yea	Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021   The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 (H.R. 8) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to prohibit the transfer of firearms between private parties unless a licensed firearm vendor conducted a background check on the recipient. The bill also provided for certain exceptions to this requirement. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (227-203)
Yea	Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act   The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act was a federal elections bill approved by the House of Representatives and voted down by the Senate in a failed cloture vote that sought to, among other provisions, make Election Day a public holiday, allow for same-day voter registration, establish minimum early voting periods, and allow absentee voting for any reason, restrict the removal of local election administrators in federal elections, regulate congressional redistricting, expand campaign finance disclosure rules for some organizations, and amend the Voting Rights Act to require some states to obtain clearance from the U.S. Department of Justice before implementing new election laws. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (220-203)
Yea	Bipartisan Safer Communities Act   The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938) was a firearm regulation and mental health bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on June 25, 2022. Provisions of the bill included expanding background checks for individuals under the age of 21, providing funding for mental health services, preventing individuals who had been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor or felony in dating relationships from purchasing firearms for five years, providing funding for state grants to implement crisis intervention order programs, and providing funding for community-based violence prevention initiatives. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (234-193)
Yea	Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.   This was a resolution before the 117th Congress setting forth an article of impeachment saying that Donald Trump (R) incited an insurrection against the government of the United States on January 6, 2021. The House of Representatives approved the article of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of the charges. The article of impeachment required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (232-197)
Yea	Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022   The Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act was a bill passed by the 117th Congress in the form of an amendment to a year-end omnibus funding bill that was signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022. The bill changed the procedure for counting electoral votes outlined in the Electoral Count Act of 1887. Elements of the bill included specifying that the vice president's role at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes is ministerial, raising the objection threshold at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes to one-fifth of the members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, identifying governors as the single official responsible for submitting the certificate of ascertainment identifying that state’s electors, and providing for expedited judicial review of certain claims about states' certificates identifying their electors. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (225-201)

Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2020 Key votes: 115th Congress, 2017-2018 For detailed information about each vote, click here. Votes on domestic policy (click to expand) Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (Conference report) (HR 2)  Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018 Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance through fiscal year 2023. Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2 (second vote))  Bill Passed (213-211) on June 21, 2018 Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance. It also proposed modifying the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously known as the food stamp program. Securing America’s Future Act of 2018 (HR 4760)  Bill Failed (193-231) on June 21, 2018 Proposed funding a border wall, limiting legal immigration, a mandatory worker verification program, allowing DACA recipients to apply for legal status, and preventing separation of families at the border. Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2)  Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018 Reauthorizes through FY2023 and modifies some Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. Voted Nay on: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (HR 36)  Bill Passed (237-189) on October 3, 2017 Proposed amending the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus was 20 weeks or more. The bill provided exceptions for an abortion: (1) that was necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest. Voted Nay on: Kate's Law (HR 3004)  Bill Passed (257-167) on June 29, 2017 Proposed increasing criminal penalties for individuals in the country illegally who were convicted of certain crimes, deported, and then re-entered the U.S. illegally. Voted Nay on: No Sanctuary for Criminals Act (HR 3003)  Bill Passed (228-195) on June 29, 2017 Proposed withholding federal funds from states and localities that chose not to follow federal immigration laws. Voted Nay on: American Health Care Act of 2017 (HR 1628)  Bill passed (217-213) on May 4, 2017 Proposed modifying the budgetary and fiscal provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. Votes on economic affairs and regulations (click to expand) Voted Yea on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 6157)  Bill Passed (361-61) on September 26, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education. Voted Yea on: Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 5895)  Bill Passed (377-20) on September 13, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs. Voted Yea on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 6157)  Bill Passed (359-49) on June 28, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education. Voted Nay on: Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 5895)  Bill Passed (235-179) on June 8, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs. Voted Nay on: Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (S 2155)  Bill Passed (258-159) on May 22, 2018 Proposed exempting some banks from the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1625)  Bill Passed (256-167) on March 22, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes. Voted Nay on: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (HR 1892)  Bill Passed (240-186) on February 9, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018. Voted Nay on: Further Extension Of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1892)  Bill Passed (245-182) on February 6, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018. Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)  Bill Passed (266-150) on January 22, 2018 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 8, 2018. Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)  Bill Passed (230-197) on January 18, 2018 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 16, 2018. Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1370)  Bill Passed (231-188) on December 21, 2017 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through January 19, 2018. Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)  Bill Passed (227-203) on December 19, 2017 Proposed providing for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018. Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes (HJ Res 123)  Bill Passed (235-193) on December 7, 2017 Proposed funding the government until December 22, 2017. Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)  Bill Passed (227-205) on November 16, 2017 Proposed amending the Internal Revenue Code to reduce tax rates and modify policies, credits, and deductions for individuals and businesses. Voted Nay on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)  Bill Passed (216-212) on October 26, 2017 Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027. (This bill proposed adopting the Senate's budget resolution.) Voted Nay on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)  Bill Passed (219-206) on October 5, 2017 Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027. Did not vote on: Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3354)  Bill Passed (211-198) on September 14, 2017 Proposed providing FY2018 appropriations for the federal government. It combined 12 appropriations bills. Voted Yea on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (Included amendments to suspend the debt ceiling and fund the government) (HR 601)  Bill Passed (316-90) on September 8, 2017 Proposed suspending the debt ceiling and funding the government until December 8, 2017, and providing funding for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma relief efforts. Voted Yea on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 601)  Bill Passed (419-3) on September 6, 2017 Proposed providing $7.85 billion for disaster relief requirements, including response and recovery efforts from Hurricane Harvey. Did not vote on: Financial CHOICE Act of 2017 (HR 10)  Bill passed (233-186) on June 8, 2017 Proposed amending the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, among other acts. Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 (HR 244)  Bill passed (309-118) on May 3, 2017 Proposed a $1.2 trillion budget to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2017. Votes on foreign policy and national security issues (click to expand) Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (HR 5515)  Bill Passed (351-66) on May 24, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities Voted Nay on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 695)  Bill Passed (250-166) on January 30, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations for military functions administered by the Department of Defense and for other purposes, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018. Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018—Conference report (HR 2810)  Bill Passed (356-70) on November 14, 2017 Proposed authorizing FY2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. Voted Nay on: Make America Secure Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3219)  Bill Passed (235-192) on July 27, 2017 Proposed making appropriations for defense, military construction, Veterans Affairs, the Legislative Branch, energy and water development, and for other purposes for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2018. Voted Yea on: Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (HR 3364)  Bill Passed (419-3) on July 25, 2017 Proposed providing congressional review and measures to counter aggression by the governments of Iran, the Russian Federation, and North Korea, and for other purposes. Voted Yea on: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180, second vote)  Bill Passed (380-35) on July 28, 2017 Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes. Voted Nay on: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180)  Bill Failed (241-163) on July 24, 2017 Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes. Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 2810)  Bill Passed (344-81) on July 14, 2017 Proposed authorizing fiscal year 2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It did not provide budget authority. Voted Yea on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 1301)  Bill passed (371-48) on March 8, 2017 The $577.9 billion fiscal year 2017 defense spending bill proposed $516.1 billion in base budget funding and $61.8 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations/ Global War on Terrorism funding. 114th Congress The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Clyburn's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections. Economic and fiscal Trade Act of 2015 See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015 Trade adjustment assistance On June 12, 2015, the House rejected the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015—by a vote of 126-302. Trade adjustment assistance (TAA) is a federal program providing American workers displaced by foreign trade agreements with job training and services. The measure was packaged with trade promotion authority (TPA), also known as fast-track authority. TPA is a legislative procedure that allows Congress to define "U.S. negotiating objectives and spells out a detailed oversight and consultation process for during trade negotiations. Under TPA, Congress retains the authority to review and decide whether any proposed U.S. trade agreement will be implemented," according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Clyburn was one of 40 Democrats to vote in favor of TAA. Trade promotion authority On June 12, 2015, the House passed the trade promotion authority (TPA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015 —by a vote of 219-211. TPA gives the president fast-track authority to negotiate trade agreements sent to Congress without the opportunity for amendment or filibuster. Although the House approved TPA, it was a largely symbolic vote given the measure was part of a package trade bill including trade adjustment assistance (TAA), which was rejected earlier the same day. Clyburn was one of 157 Democrats to vote against the measure. Trade promotion authority second vote After the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) and trade promotion authority (TPA) did not pass the House together on June 12, 2015, representatives voted to authorize TPA alone as an amendment to HR 2146 - Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act on June 18, 2015. The amendment passed by a vote of 218-208, with all voting members of the House maintaining his or her original position on TPA except for Ted Yoho (R-Fla.). Clyburn was one of two Democrats who did not vote on the amendment. Trade adjustment assistance second vote The House passed HR 1295 - Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 on June 25, 2015, by a vote of 286-138. The Senate packaged trade adjustment assistance (TAA) in this bill after the House had rejected the TAA measure in HR 1314 - Trade Act of 2015. Along with trade promotion authority (TPA), which Congress passed as part of HR 2146 - Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act, TAA became law on June 29, 2015. Clyburn was one of seven Democrats who did not vote on HR 1295. Defense spending authorization On May 15, 2015, the House passed HR 1735—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 269-151. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Clyburn voted with 142 other Democrats and eight Republicans against the bill. The Senate passed the bill on June 18, 2015, by a vote of 71-25. President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015. On November 5, 2015, the House passed S 1356—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 370-58. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included $5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison. Clyburn voted with 134 other Democrats and 235 Republicans to approve the bill. On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 91-3, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015. 2016 Budget proposal On April 30, 2015, the House voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 226-197. The non-binding resolution was designed to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government. All 183 Democrats who voted, including Clyburn, voted against the resolution. 2015 budget On October 28, 2015, the House passed HR 1314—the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015—by a vote of 266-167. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017. Clyburn voted with 186 Democrats and 79 Republicans in favor of the bill. It passed the Senate on October 30, 2015. President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015. Foreign Affairs Iran nuclear deal See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015 On May 14, 2015, the House approved HR 1191—the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 400-25. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove, or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. Clyburn voted with 176 Democrats to approve the bill. Approval of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action On September 11, 2015, the House rejected HR 3461—To approve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed at Vienna on July 14, 2015, relating to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 162-269. The legislation proposed approving the nuclear agreement with Iran. Clyburn voted with 161 Democrats for the bill. Suspension of Iran sanctions relief On September 11, 2015, the House approved HR 3460—To suspend until January 21, 2017, the authority of the President to waive, suspend, reduce, provide relief from, or otherwise limit the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 247-186. HR 3460 prohibited "the President, prior to January 21, 2017, from: limiting the application of specified sanctions on Iran or refraining from applying any such sanctions; or removing a foreign person (including entities) listed in Attachments 3 or 4 to Annex II of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) from the list of designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the Department of the Treasury." Clyburn voted with 185 Democrats against the bill. Presidential non-compliance of section 2 On September 10, 2015, the House passed H Res 411—Finding that the President has not complied with section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 245-186. Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 required the president to submit all materials related to the nuclear agreement for congressional review. House Republicans introduced the resolution because two agreements between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran were not submitted to Congress. Clyburn voted with 185 Democrats against the resolution. Export-Import Bank On October 27, 2015, the House passed HR 597—the Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015—by a vote of 313-118. The bill proposed reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank and allowing it to resume offering assistance in the form of loans and insurance to foreign companies that wanted to buy U.S. goods. Clyburn voted with 185 Democrats and 127 Republicans in favor of the bill. Domestic USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 2048—the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015—by a vote of 338-88. The legislation revised HR 3199—the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005—by ending the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Clyburn voted with 141 Democrats and 196 Republicans to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015. Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 36—the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act—by a vote of 242-184. The bill proposed prohibiting abortions from being performed after a fetus was determined to be 20 weeks or older. The bill proposed exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. Clyburn voted with 179 Democrats against the bill. Cyber security On April 23, 2015, the House passed HR 1731—the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015—by a vote of 355-63. The bill proposed creating an information sharing program that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. It also proposed including liability protections for companies. Clyburn voted with 134 Democrats and 220 Republicans to approve the bill. On April 22, 2015, the House passed HR 1560—the Protecting Cyber Networks Act—by a vote of 307-116. The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Clyburn voted with 104 Democrats and 202 Republicans in favor of the bill. Immigration On November 19, 2015, the House passed HR 4038—the American SAFE Act of 2015—by a vote of 289-137. The bill proposed instituting additional screening processes for refugees from Iraq and Syria who applied for admission to the U.S. Clyburn voted with 134 Democrats and two Republicans against the bill. 113th Congress The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Clyburn's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections. National security NDAA Clyburn voted in opposition of HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote. DHS Appropriations Clyburn voted in opposition of HR 2217 - the DHS Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 and was largely along party lines. Keystone Pipeline Amendment Clyburn did not vote on House Amendment 69, which would have amended HR 3 to "require that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, conduct a study of the vulnerabilities of the Keystone XL pipeline to a terrorist attack and certify that necessary protections have been put in place." The amendment failed on May 22, 2013, with a vote of 176 - 239 and was largely along party lines. CISPA (2013) Clyburn voted in support of HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill permitted federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities. The bill was largely supported by Republicans, but divided the Democratic Party. Economy 2014 Farm bill On January 29, 2014, the U.S. House approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2642, also known as the Farm Bill. The bill passed by a vote of 251-166. The nearly 1,000-page bill reformed and continued various programs of the Department of Agriculture through 2018. The $1 trillion bill expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that would kick in when prices drop. However, cuts to the food stamp program cut an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states. Clyburn voted with 88 other Democratic representatives in favor of the bill. 2014 Budget On January 15, 2014, the Republican-run House approved H.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014. The House voted 359-67 for the 1,582 page bill, with 64 Republicans and three Democrats voting against the bill. The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations. It included a 1 percent increase in the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel, a $1 billion increase in Head Start funding for early childhood education, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, and the protection of the Affordable Care Act from any drastic cuts. Clyburn joined with the majority of the Democratic party and voted in favor of the bill. 2013 Farm Bill See also: United States Farm Bill 2013 Clyburn voted against the Farm Bill on July 11, 2013. The bill passed in a 216-208 vote. The bill passed included farm policy, but did not include food stamps. Government shutdown See also: United States budget debate, 2013 On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201. At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference. Clyburn voted against the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate. The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies. The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Clyburn voted for HR 2775. Immigration Morton Memos Prohibition Clyburn voted against House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order. The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224 - 201. The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos." These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain individuals residing in the United States without legal status. The vote largely followed party lines. Healthcare Repealing Obamacare Clyburn has voted against all attempts to repeal or delay the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Social issues Abortion Clyburn voted against HR 1797 - Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The resolution passed the House on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 228 - 196. The purpose of the bill was to ban abortions that would take place 20 or more weeks after fertilization. Previous congressional sessions Fiscal cliff Clyburn voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003, while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. He was one of 172 Democrats who voted in favor of the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257 - 167 vote on January 1, 2013.

Issues

First Amendment

Usage of the Confederate flags

On June 24, 2015, Clyburn released an article in Time discussing the use of a Confederate flag in South Carolina. In the article he addressed the history of the different flags that depicted the "stars and bars", from the various Confederate States of America flag to the various battle flags that were used during the civil war. He also addressed the resurgence of the flags use during the civil rights movement in the middle 1900s. Clyburn ultimately applauded Nikki Haley and the South Carolina State Legislature for addressing the issue and calling for the removal of flag from public grounds.

Elections

2024

See also: South Carolina's 6th Congressional District election, 2024

General election

The primary will occur on June 11, 2024. The general election will occur on November 5, 2024. Additional general election candidates will be added here following the primary.

General election for U.S. House South Carolina District 6

Justin Ginn is running in the general election for U.S. House South Carolina District 6 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate
		Justin Ginn (Independent)

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 6

Incumbent James Clyburn is running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 6 on June 11, 2024.

		Candidate
		James Clyburn

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 6

Duke Buckner and Dennis Whiteley are running in the Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 6 on June 11, 2024.

		Candidate
		Duke Buckner
		Dennis Whiteley

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

2022

See also: South Carolina's 6th Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House South Carolina District 6

Incumbent James Clyburn defeated Duke Buckner in the general election for U.S. House South Carolina District 6 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		James Clyburn (D)	62.0	130,923
		Duke Buckner (R)	37.9	79,879
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	226

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 211,028
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 6

Incumbent James Clyburn defeated Michael Addison and Gregg Marcel Dixon in the Democratic primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 6 on June 14, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		James Clyburn	87.9	48,729
		Michael Addison	7.6	4,203
		Gregg Marcel Dixon	4.5	2,503

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 55,435
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 6

Duke Buckner defeated A. Sonia Morris in the Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 6 on June 14, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Duke Buckner	74.4	15,638
		A. Sonia Morris	25.6	5,374

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 21,012
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• John Chapman (R)

2020

See also: South Carolina's 6th Congressional District election, 2020

South Carolina's 6th Congressional District election, 2020 (June 9 Republican primary)

South Carolina's 6th Congressional District election, 2020 (June 9 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House South Carolina District 6

Incumbent James Clyburn defeated John McCollum and Mark Hackett in the general election for U.S. House South Carolina District 6 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		James Clyburn (D)	68.2	197,477
		John McCollum (R)	30.8	89,258
		Mark Hackett (Constitution Party)	0.9	2,646
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	272

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 289,653
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Harrison Shuler (Independent)

Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent James Clyburn advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 6.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. John McCollum advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 6.

Constitution convention

Constitution convention for U.S. House South Carolina District 6

Mark Hackett advanced from the Constitution convention for U.S. House South Carolina District 6 on January 11, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Mark Hackett (Constitution Party)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2018

See also: South Carolina's 6th Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House South Carolina District 6

Incumbent James Clyburn defeated Gerhard Gressmann and Bryan Pugh in the general election for U.S. House South Carolina District 6 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		James Clyburn (D)	70.1	144,765
		Gerhard Gressmann (R)	28.2	58,282
		Bryan Pugh (G)	1.6	3,214
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	172

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 206,433
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 6

Incumbent James Clyburn advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 6 on June 12, 2018.

		Candidate
✔		James Clyburn

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 6

Gerhard Gressmann advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 6 on June 12, 2018.

		Candidate
✔		Gerhard Gressmann

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: South Carolina's 6th Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Democratic. Incumbent James Clyburn (D) defeated Laura Sterling (R), Rick Piotrowski (Libertarian), and Prince Charles Mallory (Green) in the general election on November 8, 2016. No candidate faced a primary opponent.

U.S. House, South Carolina District 6 General Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	James Clyburn Incumbent	70.1%	177,947
	Republican	Laura Sterling	27.6%	70,099
	Libertarian	Rick Piotrowski	1.2%	3,131
	Green	Prince Charles Mallory	1%	2,499
	N/A	Write-in	0.1%	225
Total Votes				253,901
Source: South Carolina Secretary of State

2014

See also: South Carolina's 6th Congressional District elections, 2014

Clyburn won re-election to the U.S. House to represent South Carolina's 6th District on November 4, 2014. He defeated Karen Smith in the Democratic primary on June 10, 2014.

U.S. House, South Carolina District 6 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	James Clyburn Incumbent	72.5%	125,747
	Republican	Anthony Culler	25.5%	44,311
	Libertarian	Kevin Umbaugh	1.8%	3,176
	N/A	Write-in	0.1%	198
Total Votes				173,432
Source: South Carolina State Election Commission

U.S. House, South Carolina District 6 Democratic Primary, 2014

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Jim Clyburn Incumbent	85.9%	37,184
Karen Smith	14.1%	6,086
Total Votes		43,270
Source: Results via Associated Press

2012

See also: South Carolina's 6th Congressional District elections, 2012

Clyburn won re-election in the 2012 election for the U.S. House, to represent South Carolina's 6th District. He was unopposed in the Democratic primary on June 12, 2012, and defeated Nammu Y Muhammad (G) in the general election on November 6, 2012.

U.S. House, South Carolina District 6 General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	James Clyburn Incumbent	93.6%	218,717
	Green	Nammu Y Muhammad	5.5%	12,920
	N/A	Write-In	0.8%	1,978
Total Votes				233,615
Source: South Carolina State Election Commission "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

Full history

To view the full congressional electoral history for James E. Clyburn, click [show] to expand the section.

2010 On November 2, 2010, James E. Clyburn won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Jim Pratt (R) and Nammu Y. Muhammad (G) in the general election. U.S. House, South Carolina District 6 General Election, 2010 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic James E. Clyburn incumbent 62.9% 125,459      Republican Jim Pratt 36.4% 72,661      Green Nammu Y. Muhammad 0.7% 1,389 Total Votes 199,509 2008 On November 4, 2008, James E. Clyburn won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Nancy Harrelson (R) in the general election. U.S. House, South Carolina District 6 General Election, 2008 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic James E. Clyburn incumbent 67.5% 193,378      Republican Nancy Harrelson 32.5% 93,059      N/A Write-in 0% 134 Total Votes 286,571 2006 On November 7, 2006, James E. Clyburn won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Gary McLeod (R) and Antonio Williams (G) in the general election. U.S. House, South Carolina District 6 General Election, 2006 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic James E. Clyburn incumbent 64.4% 100,213      Republican Gary McLeod 34.2% 53,181      Green Antonio Williams 1.4% 2,224      N/A Write-in 0.1% 88 Total Votes 155,706 2004 On November 2, 2004, James E. Clyburn won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Gary McLeod (R) in the general election. U.S. House, South Carolina District 6 General Election, 2004 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic James E. Clyburn incumbent 68.2% 161,987      Republican Gary McLeod 31.7% 75,443      N/A Write-in 0.1% 242 Total Votes 237,672 2002 On November 5, 2002, James E. Clyburn won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Gary McLeod (R) and R. Craig Augenstein (L) in the general election. U.S. House, South Carolina District 6 General Election, 2002 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic James E. Clyburn incumbent 67% 115,855      Republican Gary McLeod 32.1% 55,490      Libertarian Craig Augenstein 1% 1,662      N/A Write-in 0% 40 Total Votes 173,047 2000 On November 7, 2000, James E. Clyburn won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Vince Ellison (R), Lynwood Earl Hines (L) and Dianne L. Nevins (Natural Law) in the general election. U.S. House, South Carolina District 6 General Election, 2000 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic James E. Clyburn incumbent 71.8% 138,053      Republican Vince Ellison 26% 50,005      Libertarian Lynwood Earl Hines 1% 1,934      Natural Law Dianne L. Nevins 1.2% 2,339      N/A Write-in 0% 49 Total Votes 192,380 1998 On November 3, 1998, James Clyburn won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Gary McLeod (R) and George Taylor (Natural Law) in the general election. U.S. House, South Carolina District 6 General Election, 1998 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic James Clyburn incumbent 72.6% 116,507      Republican Gary McLeod 25.8% 41,421      Natural Law George Taylor 1.6% 2,496      N/A Write-in 0.1% 152 Total Votes 160,576 1996 On November 5, 1996, James Clyburn won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Gary McLeod (R) and Savitap Joshi (Natural Law) in the general election. U.S. House, South Carolina District 6 General Election, 1996 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic James Clyburn incumbent 69.4% 120,132      Republican Gary McLeod 30% 51,974      Natural Law Savitap Joshi 0.5% 948 Total Votes 173,054 1994 On November 8, 1994, James Clyburn won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Gary McLeod (R) in the general election. U.S. House, South Carolina District 6 General Election, 1994 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic James Clyburn incumbent 63.8% 88,635      Republican Gary McLeod 36.2% 50,259      N/A Write-in 0% 29 Total Votes 138,923 1992 On November 3, 1992, James Clyburn won election to the United States House. He defeated John Chase (R) in the general election. U.S. House, South Carolina District 6 General Election, 1992 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic James Clyburn 65.3% 120,647      Republican John Chase 34.7% 64,149      N/A Write-in 0% 75 Total Votes 184,871

Noteworthy events

Tested positive for coronavirus on December 22, 2021

See also: Government official, politician, and candidate deaths, diagnoses, and quarantines due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

Coronavirus pandemic
Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more. Political responses overviewState reopening plansDocumenting America's Path to RecoveryElection changesChanges to vote-by-mail and absentee voting proceduresFederal responsesState responsesState executive ordersStay-at-home ordersMultistate agreementsNon-governmental reopening plansEvictions and foreclosures policiesTravel restrictionsEnacted state legislationState legislative session changesSchool closuresState court closuresInmate releasesLocal government responsesDiagnosed or quarantined politiciansBallot measure changesArguments about government responsesThe 1918 influenza pandemicPandemic Response Accountability CommitteeUnemployment filingsLawsuitsBallotpedia's polling on the coronavirus pandemicSubmit

Clyburn announced on December 22, 2021, that he tested positive for COVID-19. He said he was vaccinated at the time he contracted the virus.

Selection as House majority whip

See also: U.S. House leadership elections, 2019

Clyburn was elected by acclamation to be House majority whip in the 116th Congress when House Democrats held their leadership elections on November 28, 2018.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

James Clyburn has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey. If you are James Clyburn, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?

Any candidate running for elected office, at any level, can complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Survey. Completing the survey will update the candidate's Ballotpedia profile, letting voters know who they are and what they stand for.  More than 15,000 candidates have taken Ballotpedia's candidate survey since we launched it in 2015. Learn more about the survey here.

Help improve Ballotpedia - send us candidate contact info.

2022

James Clyburn did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

James Clyburn did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2016

The following issues were listed on Clyburn's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

“	Creating Jobs and Fighting for Middle Class Families: Jim Clyburn’s efforts are bringing billions of dollars in federal investments to South Carolina to create jobs and economic development. Making College and Job Training Affordable: The “Education Reconciliation Act” that Congressman Jim Clyburn Helped Write and President Obama signed into law in March 2010. Health Care for All Americans: The law that Congressman Jim Clyburn steered to passage and President Obama signed into effect in March 2010 will give ALL Americans access to quality,affordable health care for the first time in history.	”
—James Clyburn's campaign website, http://www.clyburnforcongress.com/economy-and-jobs/

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage and endorsements scopes.

Notable endorsements by James Clyburn

Endorsee	Election	Stage	Outcome
Barbara Lee  source  (D)	U.S. Senate California (2024)	Primary	–
Joe Biden  source  (D)	President of the United States (2024)	Primary	–
Brandon Johnson  source  (Nonpartisan)	Mayor of Chicago (2023)	General Runoff	Won General Runoff
Lucy McBath  source  (D)	U.S. House Georgia District 7 (2022)	Primary	Won General
Shontel Brown  source  (D)	U.S. House Ohio District 11 (2022)	Primary	Won General
Henry Cuellar  source  (D)	U.S. House Texas District 28 (2022)	Primary Runoff	Won General
Mandela Barnes  source  (D)	U.S. Senate Wisconsin (2022)	Primary	Lost General
Joe Biden  source  (D)	President of the United States (2020)	Primary	Won General
Hillary Clinton  source  (D)	President of the United States (2016)	Primary	Lost General

Campaign donors

Comprehensive donor history

---

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

---

James Clyburn campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions
2024	U.S. House South Carolina District 6	Candidacy Declared primary	$836,404
2022	U.S. House South Carolina District 6	Won general	$3,592,375
2020	U.S. House South Carolina District 6	Won general	$3,447,751
2018	U.S. House South Carolina District 6	Won general	$1,992,933
2016	U.S. House, South Carolina District 6	Won general	$2,166,509
2014	U.S. House (South Carolina, District 6)	Won general	$2,202,607
2012	U.S. House South Carolina District 6	Won general	$2,388,048
2010	U.S. House South Carolina District 6	Won general	$3,319,719
2008	U.S. House South Carolina District 6	Won general	$3,081,315
2006	U.S. House South Carolina District 6	Won general	$1,134,696
2004	U.S. House South Carolina District 6	Won general	$692,448
2002	U.S. House South Carolina District 6	Won general	$425,558
2000	U.S. House South Carolina District 6	Won general	$495,082
Grand total raised			$25,775,445
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission * This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

2018

U.S. House South Carolina District 6 2018 election - Campaign Contributions
Top industry contributors to James Clyburn's campaign in 2018
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate	$348,299.43
Health	$262,065.33
Labor	$256,933.00
Energy & Natural Resources	$187,850.00
Communications & Electronics	$142,500.00
Total Raised in 2018	$0.00
Total Spent	$2,004,772.84
Source: Follow the Money

2020

U.S. House South Carolina District 6 2020 election - Campaign Contributions
Top individual contributors to James Clyburn's campaign in 2020
Unitemized	$161,212.00
KLARMAN, SETH	$11,200.00
SELDIN, DAVID	$11,200.00
MAYS, DARRELL	$11,200.00
GREER, ERNEST	$11,200.00
SANDBERG, SHERYL	$11,200.00
PALMER, JOHN E MR	$11,200.00
HARRIS, CLIFFORD	$11,200.00
HARING-SMITH, WHITNEY	$11,200.00
SELDIN, STACEY	$11,200.00
Total Raised in 2020	$3,425,477.19
Total Spent	$2,372,934.32
Source: Follow the Money

2016

Clyburn won re-election to the U.S. House in 2016. During that election cycle, Clyburn's campaign committee raised a total of $2,166,509 and spent $2,130,400. This is more than the average $1.46 million spent by U.S. House winners in 2016.

Cost per vote

Clyburn spent $11.97 per general election vote received in 2016.

U.S. House, South Carolina District 6, 2016 - James Clyburn Campaign Contributions

Total Raised	$2,166,509
Total Spent	$2,130,400
Total Raised by Election Runner-up	$0
Total Spent by Election Runner-up	$0
Top contributors to James Clyburn's campaign committee
National Rural Electric Cooperative Assn	$13,500
Alphabet Inc	$12,700
AT&T Inc	$12,500
Edison Electric Institute	$12,400
Scana Corp	$12,250
Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee
Electric Utilities	$141,500
Health Professionals	$114,950
Insurance	$109,700
Lawyers/Law Firms	$103,660
Pharmaceuticals/Health Products	$84,462
Source: Open Secrets

2014

Clyburn won re-election to the U.S. House in 2014. During that election cycle, Clyburn's campaign committee raised a total of $2,202,607 and spent $2,184,698. This is more than the average $1.45 million spent by House winners in 2014.

Cost per vote

Clyburn spent $17.37 per general election vote received in 2014.

U.S. House, South Carolina District 6, 2014 - James Clyburn Campaign Contributions

Total Raised	$2,202,607
Total Spent	$2,184,698
Total Raised by Election Runner-up	$0
Total Spent by Election Runner-up	$0
Top contributors to James Clyburn's campaign committee
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance	$16,500
Northwestern Mutual	$15,500
Merck & Co	$15,000
Union Pacific Corp	$15,000
United Parcel Service	$15,000
Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee
Electric Utilities	$135,750
Insurance	$127,250
Lawyers/Law Firms	$118,543
Pharmaceuticals/Health Products	$111,110
Health Professionals	$91,250
Source: Open Secrets

To view the breakdown of campaign funding by type click [show] to expand the section.
Breakdown of the source of Clyburn's campaign funds before the 2014 election.

Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Clyburn's reports.

James Clyburn (2014) Campaign Finance Reports
Report	Date Filed	Beginning Balance	Total Contributions for Reporting Period	Expenditures	Cash on Hand
April Quarterly	April 15, 2013	$1,233,310.01	$299,127.54	$(362,040.61)	$1,170,396.94
July Quarterly	July 15, 2013	$1,170,396.94	$315,175.67	$(274,116.43)	$1,211,456.18
October Quarterly	October 15, 2013	$1,211,456.18	$237,088.93	$(317,729.06)	$1,130,816.05
Year-End	January 31, 2014	$1,130,816	$199,788	$(155,518)	$1,165,085
April Quarterly	April 14, 2014	$1,165,085.41	$196,022.73	$(92,446.26)	$1,268,661.88
			Running totals
			$1,247,202.87	$(1,201,850.36)

2012

Clyburn won re-election to the U.S. House in 2012. During that re-election cycle, Clyburn's campaign committee raised a total of $2,388,048 and spent $2,223,870.

Cost per vote

Clyburn spent $10.17 per vote received in 2012.

U.S. House, South Carolina District 6, 2012 - James Clyburn Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$2,388,048
Total Spent	$2,223,870
Total Raised by Election Runner-up
Total Spent by Election Runner-up
Top contributors to James Clyburn's campaign committee
Comcast Corp	$16,500
Norfolk Southern	$13,000
URS Corp	$12,750
Bank of America	$12,500
Amgen Inc	$12,000
Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee
Health Professionals	$139,000
Electric Utilities	$136,750
Pharmaceuticals/Health Products	$122,144
Lawyers/Law Firms	$116,455
Insurance	$92,250

To view the breakdown of campaign funding by type click [show] to expand the section.
Breakdown of the source of Clyburn's campaign funds before the 2012 election.

2010

Clyburn won re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010. During that re-election cycle, Clyburn's campaign committee raised a total of $3,319,719 and spent $3,289,439.

U.S. House, South Carolina District 6, 2010 - James Clyburn Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$3,319,719
Total Spent	$3,289,439
Total Raised by General Election Opponent	$66,003
Total Spent by General Election Opponent	$51,367
Top contributors to James Clyburn's campaign committee
General Electric	$31,500
RLJ Companies	$25,000
DaVita Inc	$24,850
Verizon Communications	$22,500
Podesta Group	$19,900
Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee
Lawyers/Law Firms	$229,345
Electric Utilities	$190,248
Health Professionals	$163,502
Pharmaceuticals/Health Products	$126,469
Lobbyists	$121,272

Personal Gain Index

See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

• Changes in Net Worth
• The Donation Concentration Metric

PGI: Change in net worth

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Clyburn's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $210,022 to $727,000. That averages to $468,511, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic House members in 2012 of $5,700,168.36. Clyburn ranked as the 273rd most wealthy representative in 2012. Between 2004 and 2012, Clyburn‘s calculated net worth increased by an average of 17 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.

James Clyburn Yearly Net Worth
Year	Average Net Worth
2004	$201,158
2012	$468,511
Growth from 2004 to 2012:	133%
Average annual growth:	17%
Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). Clyburn received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Lawyers/Law Firms industry. Comparatively, the top industry employer in South Carolina's 6th Congressional District was Manufacturing, according to a 2012 U.S. Census survey.

From 1991-2014, 22.91 percent of Clyburn's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.

James Clyburn Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$14,696,027
Total Spent	$13,033,749
Top industry in the district	Manufacturing
Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee
Lawyers/Law Firms	$908,383
Electric Utilities	$697,363
Pharmaceuticals/Health Products	$609,982
Health Professionals	$584,152
Transportation Unions	$566,500
% total in top industry	6.18%
% total in top two industries	10.93%
% total in top five industries	22.91%

Analysis

Like-minded colleagues

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.

Clyburn most often votes with:

• David Price
• Chris Gibson

Clyburn least often votes with:

• Jim Matheson
• Jeff Duncan

Ideology and leadership

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Clyburn was a "moderate Democratic follower," as of August 2014. He was a rank-and-file Democrat in June 2013.

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Clyburn missed 467 of 15,183 roll call votes from October 2015 to September 2015. This amounted to 3.1 percent, which was higher than the median of 2.2 percent among representatives as of September 2015.

Congressional staff salaries

See also: Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives

The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Clyburn paid his congressional staff a total of $993,463 in 2011. Overall, South Carolina ranked 31st in average salary for representative staff. The average U.S. House of Representatives congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Click the link above for the full ratings of all members of Congress.

2013

Clyburn was one of three members of the House who ranked 144th in the liberal rankings in 2013.

2012

Clyburn ranked 119th in the liberal rankings in 2012.

2011

Clyburn was one of two members of congress who ranked 1st in the liberal rankings in 2011.

Voting with party

The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.

2014

Clyburn voted with the Democratic Party 92.1 percent of the time, which ranked 128th among the 204 House Democratic members as of August 2014.

2013

Clyburn voted with the Democratic Party 95.2 percent of the time, which ranked 75th among the 201 House Democratic members as of June 2013.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Clyburn and his wife, Emily, have three children.

See also

2024 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. President U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel Union Station

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

U.S. House South Carolina District 6

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Officeholder

U.S. House South Carolina District 6

Website

Twitter

YouTube

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by -	U.S. House South Carolina District 6 1993-Present	Succeeded by -

[show]

South Carolina's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Lindsey Graham (R)

Tim Scott (R)

Representatives

District 1

Nancy Mace (R)

District 2

Joe Wilson (R)

District 3

Jeff Duncan (R)

District 4

William Timmons (R)

District 5

Ralph Norman (R)

District 6

James Clyburn (D)

District 7

Russell Fry (R)

Republican Party (8)

Democratic Party (1)