LEXINGTON, S.C. — One of the closest races on the Lexington County ballot may not be settled for days. Democrat Joe Madge holds a 101-vote lead over Republican Rep. Micah Caskey in state House District 89, in unofficial returns that include every one of the county’s 96 precincts.
The tally stood at 7,248 for Madge and 7,147 for Caskey, a split of 50.3 percent to 49.6 percent. State law calls for a recount when the gap is 1% or less of all votes cast, which in this district works out to roughly 144 votes. Certification by county election boards is due on Friday.
The stakes are high for House Republicans. The caucus elevated Caskey to majority leader in September, and he was seeking a sixth term in the chamber. The 45-year-old incumbent works as an attorney, while his 59-year-old Democratic challenger is an engineer.
The close House contest came on a night when Lexington County leaned Republican at the top of the ticket. Alan Wilson carried the county with 68,265 votes in the governor race. Turnout hit 59.93% of the county’s 194,215 registered voters, who cast 116,392 ballots.
Another Lexington County contest is also inside the recount range. In the District 2 school trustee race, Kevin Key leads Tommy King by 138 votes for the third open seat.
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