From Staff Reports

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Two candidates — both touting themselves as “conservatives” — fought a closely watched battle for the Republican nomination to represent the 3rd Congressional District here, with Sheri Biggs emerging as the victor by a razor-thin margin over Mark Burns in a June 25 primary runoff.

With 100 precent of precincts reporting, Biggs won 28,130 votes to Burns’ 27,043 votes.

Burns had said on the debate stage on June 20, as he faced Biggs, that her “campaign has received over $300,000 from a PAC fueled by Michael Bloomberg’s anti-gun dark money,” according to a report by the website NationalFile.com.

Meanwhile, Breitbart News reported on June 14 that “funds from anti-Second Amendment activist and leftist billionaire Michael Bloomberg are backing the campaign of Sheri Biggs in her bid for South Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District.”

More specifically, Breitbart News stated that “Elect Principled Veterans Fund (EPV Fund or EPVF), a purported conservative super PAC, has spent over $300,000 in favor of Sheri Biggs in the race to replace Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC), who announced that he would not seek re-election.”

Breitbart News also reported the following:

“Elect Principled Veterans Fund had raised more than $2.5 million to elect veterans who want to run for Congress. However, EPV Fund does not raise most of its money; it receives almost all of its funds from another super PAC, With Honor Fund II. With Honor Fund II raised more than $10.5 million in receipts for the 2024 cycle.

“With Honor Fund II is partly funded by Eerytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund, which is largely financed by leftist billionaire Michael Bloomberg. Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund gave with Honor Fund II $100,000.

“EPV Fund’s list of backed candidates is largely a collection of more moderate Republicans, such as Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX), Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI), and others.

“Coincidentally, With Honor Fund II and EPV Fund have the same treasurer, Timothy Koch.”

Meanwhile, the Chronicle of Philanthropy states the following:

 “Michael Bloomberg is arguably the most dominant figure in the gun-violence prevention movement. The media titan has reportedly contributed more than $270 million to causes and candidates in pursuit of tighter gun laws.”

As for a “conservative” being “anti-gun,” Google noted, “Among conservatives, there is he broad belief that the right to own a weapon for self-defense is every bit as inherent and unalienable as the right to speak freely or practice your religion. It’s a co-equal liberty in the Bill of Rights, grounded not just in the minds of the Founders, but in natural law.”

Elsewhere, Tara Servatius, radio talk host of “The Tara Show” on Greenville-based and Audacy-owned News-Talk 98.9 (WORD), who interviewed Biggs, later wrote the following scathing criticism of Biggs — and her acceptance of substantial monetary support from Bloomberg — on X (formerly Twitter) just before the primary:

 “GOP candidate Sheri Biggs’ campaign commercials in the South Carolina District 3 congress race are being funded by liberal billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s anti-gun, anti-2A political PAC. She says she doesn’t know who Bloomberg is. Do you believe her? The vote is tomorrow, 6/24.”

(Servatius —  billed as “Born free. Determined to keep it that way. Wife. Mom. Host of ‘The Tara Show,’ 6-10 a.m., M-F, 98.9 WORD FM, The Voice of the Carolinas & N. Georgia” — won the 2022 South Carolina Broadcasters Association “Radio Personality of the Year” award.)

Following her runoff primary victory, Biggs next will face Democrat Bryon Best in the November general election.

“Burns was backed by former President Donald Trump while Biggs was endorsed by Gov. Henry McMaster,” the Greenville News reported on June 25. “They emerged as frontrunners from a pack of seven candidates in the June 11 Republican primary.

“In the two weeks before the primary runoff, Biggs released several ads about Burns, showing videos of Burns saying he voted for Democrats, including former President Barack Obama. Burns posted on social media, calling himself the ‘only real conservative in this race.’”

In his concession speech after the runoff primary results were known, Burns, a pastor, addressed supporters at his party in Easley on June 25.

“But, you know what, this is a democracy, and the people have spoken, and I know we don’t agree with the results, but you know, they spoke and Sheri Biggs won and that’s the end of it,” Burns conceded.

“Voter turnout was low, which was expected,” the Greenville News reported. “In the state, 87,170 voters cast a ballot, representing only a 5.8 percent turnout. Greenville represented a 10.5 percent turnout, with Spartanburg representing a 7.5 percent turnout and Anderson with a 12.1 percent.”

In her victory speech, Biggs asserted (in part) the following:

“Before I close, I want to state one thing for the national media covering this race, particularly the liberal national media who is going to try to write about President Trump’s endorsement in this race. 

“President Donald Trump won tonight. President Trump won because President Trump has an ally with Sheri Biggs. From Day One, I have been a strong supporter of President Trump; and, in Congress, I will be a strong ally of President Trump to win the border war, to keep our nation safe, to drain the swamp, to protect tax dollars, and to ensure the promises made to veterans are kept. 

“My commitment remains that I will do whatever I can to ensure President Donald Trump wins the White House in November and has the conservative support he needs in Congress.” 

As for how the race even got started, the Greenville News reported, “The 3rd Congressional District seat opened when incumbent U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan announced he would not seek re-election. The district is a rural area stretching from Oconee County to Saluda County and encompasses more than 75,000 residents. The conservative district voted overwhelmingly for (then-President Donald J.) Trump in 2020.”