Luke Samuel Rankin

Luke Samuel Rankin
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
from the 14th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 11, 2024
Preceded byStewart Jones
Member of the Laurens County Council
from the 2nd District
In office
2020–2024
Preceded byJoe Wood
Succeeded byMatthew Brownlee
Personal details
Born (1997-08-16) August 16, 1997 (age 29)
Greenville, South Carolina, U.S.
PartyRepublican
Spouse
Hope Marie
​
(m. 2024)​
EducationSouthern New Hampshire University (B.S.)

Luke Samuel Rankin is an American insurance advisor and politician. He is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 14th District, serving since 2024. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Political career

Previous elected office

Rankin has served as a member of Laurens County Council and as chair of the Laurens County Republican Party. He was endorsed in the House race by South Carolina House member John McCravy.

2024 South Carolina House race

In March 2024, Republican incumbent Stewart Jones filed to run for South Carolina Congressional District 3 House of Representatives when incumbent Jeff Duncan announced that he would not seek re-election. Rankin filed for the South Carolina House seat vacated by Jones.

Rankin was unopposed in the Republican primary and in the general election.

Rankin serves on the House Agriculture, Natural Resources & Environmental Affairs and on the Rules committees.

Rankin sponsored the South Carolina Prenatal Equal Protection Act of 2023. The bill would have introduced new legal definitions regarding abortions and miscarriages. It would have also introduced new legal penalties for procuring an elective abortion by classifying them within the framework of assaults and homicides, This would have made women who had abortions judged medically unnecessary eligible for the death penalty. The bill attracted 21 Republican co-sponsors.

2026 elections

Rankin was defeated in his 2026 re-election bid.

Electoral history

Year Office Type Party Main opponent Party Votes for Rankin Result Swing Ref.
Total % P. ±%
2020 Laurens County Council, District 2 Primary Republican Joe Wood Republican 1,037 54.0% 1st N/a Won —
General Republican Write-in — 4,534 99.0% 1st N/a Won Hold
2024 SC House of Representatives, District 14 General Republican Write-in — 13,875 96.9% 1st N/a Won Hold
2026 Primary Republican Rick Shealy Republican 2,050 39.9% 2nd N/a Lost —

Notes

  1. ↑ Incumbent seeking re-election.

References

  1. ↑ "Rankin announces bid for SC House District 14". GoLaurens.Com. 2024-02-08. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
  2. ↑ Chandler, Alvieann (January 29, 2024). "SC Rep. Stewart Jones announces campaign for Congress". Fox Carolina. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  3. ↑ Holdman, Jessica (January 23, 2024). "Rep. Stewart Jones, original member of hardline Freedom Caucus, will run for SC 3rd District". News From the States. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Jones announces bid for SC Third Congressional District". Go Laurens. January 29, 2024. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Lane wins county council Dist. 7 runoff in landslide". The Laurens County Advertiser. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
  6. ↑ "Election Night Reporting". www.enr-scvotes.org. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
  7. ↑ MacDonald, Vic (2024-11-06). "Trump earns resounding SC victory". The Clinton Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
  8. ↑ "South Carolina Legislature Online - Committee". www.scstatehouse.gov. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
  9. ↑ "H 3537 South Carolina House Bill". Fast Democracy. December 5, 2024.
  10. ↑ Stuart, Tessa (March 13, 2023). "21 South Carolina GOP Lawmakers Propose Death Penalty for Women Who Have Abortions". Rolling Stone.
  11. ↑ "Election results: 2020 Republican Primary - Laurens County Council District 2". South Carolina State Election Commission. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Election results: 2020 General Election - Laurens County Council District 2". South Carolina State Election Commission. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Election results: 2024 General Election - State House District 14". South Carolina State Election Commission. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  14. ↑ Clayton, John (June 11, 2026). "Shealy ousts incumbent Rankin for Dist. 14 seat". Laurens County Advertiser. Retrieved June 30, 2026.