--- title: "McClain vs. Timmons: 2026 South Carolina’s 4th District race" url: "https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-house-sc-04" updated: "2026-08-01" source: "Candidates' campaign sites and Ballotpedia, quoted verbatim" publisher: "Pluribus" --- # 2026 South Carolina’s 4th District race: Courtney McClain (D) vs. William Timmons (R) Rating: Safe R · Election: November 3, 2026 · Ballot checked: October 9, 2026 · Positions captured: August 1, 2026 South Carolina's 4th Congressional District general election on November 3, 2026, features four-term Republican incumbent William Timmons against Democratic nominee Courtney McClain. The contest contrasts Timmons' record of fiscal conservatism, border enforcement, and government oversight with McClain's progressive advocacy focused on housing affordability, healthcare expansion, and public education funding. ## Candidates - **Courtney McClain** (Democrat) · [Campaign site](https://www.mcclainjuniorlobbyist.com/) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Courtney_McClain) - **William Timmons** (Republican, incumbent) · [Campaign site](https://votetimmons.com) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/William_Timmons) ## Issues ### Healthcare Salience: high McClain advocates expanding healthcare access as a campaign priority, while Timmons has voted to roll back federal public health regulations and mandates. **Courtney McClain:** Supports expanding healthcare access McClain highlights protecting and expanding healthcare access as a top campaign commitment. She considers healthcare policy a personal passion and a priority for South Carolina families. - Listed 'Protecting and Expanding Healthcare Access' as one of her three main campaign messages. - Names healthcare among her primary public policy passions. > “Protecting and Expanding Healthcare Access” > — Courtney McClain, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Courtney_McClain) **William Timmons:** Opposes federal health mandates Timmons has consistently voted against federal COVID-19 health rules and emergency declarations. In the House, he supported measures terminating CDC vaccine requirements for foreign travelers and ending national pandemic emergency states. - Voted Yea on H.R. 185 to terminate the CDC order requiring foreign travelers to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination. - Voted Yea on H.J.Res. 7 ending the national coronavirus state of emergency. ### Education Salience: high McClain focuses on fully funding public schools and lobbying on CRT, while Timmons supported federal legislation restricting school sports participation based on biological sex. **Courtney McClain:** Supports fully funding public education McClain prioritizes fully funding public education and has lobbied state legislators in South Carolina on educational equity and Critical Race Theory (CRT). - Made 'Fully Funding Public Education' one of her three primary campaign key messages. - Lobbied in both the South Carolina House of Representatives and Senate on education and CRT. > “Fully Funding Public Education” > — Courtney McClain, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Courtney_McClain) **William Timmons:** Supports athletic restrictions by biological sex Timmons voted for federal legislation prohibiting school athletic programs from allowing biological males to participate in sports designated for girls and women. - Voted Yea on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 (H.R. 28) to restrict school athletic participation based on biological sex. ### Economy, Spending, and Taxes Salience: medium Timmons emphasizes reining in federal spending and cutting taxes, while McClain supported progressive labor and reparations legislative efforts. **Courtney McClain:** Supports labor legislation and economic reform McClain gained legislative experience interning on Capitol Hill, where she contributed draft language to federal proposals on labor and reparations. - Contributed language to congressional legislation regarding reparations and labor during her Capitol Hill internship. **William Timmons:** Supports tax cuts and spending controls Timmons pledges to rein in out-of-control spending and make conservative values a priority. He signed anti-tax pledges and voted for major budget reconciliation legislation, debt limit spending caps, and tax relief packages. - Voted Yea on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) reconciliation bill in 2025. - Voted Yea on the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 (H.R. 2811) to raise the debt limit with spending reductions and green energy tax credit repeals. - Signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge promising to oppose any tax increases. > “In Washington, I am fighting to rein in out-of-control spending and make our conservative values a priority.” > — William Timmons, via [Campaign site](https://votetimmons.com) > “We need comprehensive State tax reform, we need strong economic development, and friendly lawmakers willing to stand by our business community.” > — William Timmons, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/William_Timmons) ### Voting Rights and Election Administration Salience: medium McClain actively lobbies against voter suppression, whereas Timmons voted for federal legislation requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote. **Courtney McClain:** Supports protecting voting rights McClain identifies voting rights as a personal passion and has actively lobbied South Carolina state lawmakers against voter suppression. - Names voting rights as a public policy area she is personally passionate about. - Lobbied in the South Carolina House and Senate against voter suppression. **William Timmons:** Supports proof of citizenship requirements for voting Timmons supports stricter federal election safeguards, voting to require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for individuals registering to vote in federal elections. - Voted Yea on the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) requiring documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. ### Abortion and Reproductive Rights Salience: medium McClain advocates for women's reproductive freedom, while Timmons firmly opposes abortion. **Courtney McClain:** Supports women's reproductive freedom McClain actively advocates for reproductive rights and has testified before South Carolina legislative committees in support of women's reproductive freedom. - Lobbied in both the South Carolina House of Representatives and Senate on women's reproductive freedom. **William Timmons:** Firmly opposes abortion Timmons opposes abortion, basing his stance on his Christian faith and the belief that human life must be protected from conception to old age. - Stated firm opposition to abortion based on the belief that life is a gift from God starting at conception. > “The sanctity of life from conception to old age must be respected and protected. I am a Christian and it is one of my most closely held beliefs that life is a gift from God. I am firmly opposed to abortion.” > — William Timmons, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/William_Timmons) ### Gun Policy Salience: low McClain lobbied state lawmakers on gun violence prevention, while Timmons emphasizes defending constitutional Second Amendment rights. **Courtney McClain:** Supports gun violence prevention McClain has engaged in grassroots activism and state legislative lobbying aimed at addressing gun violence. - Lobbied state legislators in South Carolina on gun violence issues. **William Timmons:** Supports Second Amendment rights Timmons highlights defending constitutional rights, including Second Amendment gun rights, as a core reason for his service in Congress. - Emphasizes defending constitutional rights as a core congressional priority. > “I ran for Congress because I wanted results for the Upstate, and I have spent the past five and a half years working to make Washington more accountable, reduce waste, secure our border, and defend our constitutional rights.” > — William Timmons, via [Campaign site](https://votetimmons.com) ### Criminal Justice and Public Safety Salience: low McClain advocates for criminal justice reform, whereas Timmons highlights his background as a prosecutor and commitment to law enforcement. **Courtney McClain:** Supports criminal justice reform McClain names criminal justice reform as a key public policy passion and has lobbied state representatives and senators on systemic justice reforms. - Identifies criminal justice reform as a core public policy passion. - Lobbied in the South Carolina House and Senate on criminal justice reform. **William Timmons:** Supports strict criminal law enforcement Timmons points to his experience as a prosecutor and JAG officer, emphasizing law and order and strict enforcement of criminal statutes. - Served as a prosecutor in the Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor's Office and JAG officer in the South Carolina Air National Guard. - Emphasizes maintaining law and order for citizens. ### Housing Salience: high McClain makes tackling the housing crisis a central pillar of her campaign, whereas Timmons has no documented platform position on housing. **Courtney McClain:** Supports expanding affordable housing access McClain identifies tackling the housing crisis as a core key message of her congressional campaign. She lists affordable housing as a primary public policy passion and advocates for policy solutions to reduce housing inequities. - Made 'Tackling the Housing Crisis' one of her three key campaign messages. - Identifies affordable housing as a policy area she is personally passionate about. > “Tackling the Housing Crisis” > — Courtney McClain, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Courtney_McClain) **William Timmons:** No documented position in our sources ### Border Security and Immigration Salience: high Timmons actively champions strict border security enforcement and mandatory detention laws, whereas McClain has no documented platform position on immigration. **Courtney McClain:** No documented position in our sources **William Timmons:** Supports strict border enforcement and mandatory detention Timmons emphasizes border security as a main accomplishment, voting for stringent immigration restrictions, mandatory detention for illegal immigrants arrested for theft, mandatory deportation for DUI offenses, and the impeachment of Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. - Voted Yea on the Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2) to limit asylum eligibility and mandate E-Verify. - Voted Yea on the Laken Riley Act (S. 5) requiring mandatory DHS detention for undocumented immigrants arrested for theft crimes. - Voted Yea on H.R. 875 making driving while impaired grounds for deportation or inadmissibility. - Voted Yea to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. > “I ran for Congress because I wanted results for the Upstate, and I have spent the past five and a half years working to make Washington more accountable, reduce waste, secure our border, and defend our constitutional rights.” > — William Timmons, via [Campaign site](https://votetimmons.com) ### Government Reform and Ethics Salience: low Timmons champions government efficiency and term limits, while McClain has no documented position on federal government reform. **Courtney McClain:** No documented position in our sources **William Timmons:** Supports term limits and ethics reform Timmons advocates for government efficiency and accountability, serving as chairman of a House oversight subcommittee, signing term limits pledges, and promoting legislative ethics standards. - Serves as Chairman of the Delivering on Government Efficiency Subcommittee. - Signed the U.S. Term Limits pledge. - Advocated a 12-year legislative term limit and legislative ethics reform. > “We need citizen legislators whose main job is to do the work of the people, foster the prosperity of our State, maintain law and order for our citizens and then go home after twelve years.” > — William Timmons, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/William_Timmons) > “As a former prosecutor I see the state of ethics in our State as deplorable.” > — William Timmons, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/William_Timmons) ## Polls and markets _Updated Oct 31._ - [Polymarket](https://polymarket.com/event/sc-04-house-election-winner) — SC-04 House Election Winner: Republicans 96.0%, Democrats 3.3% - [Kalshi](https://kalshi.com/events/KXHOUSERACE-SC04-26) — SC-04 House winner?: William Timmons 96.7%, Courtney McClain 4.7% [View this race on 2026election.com](https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-house-sc-04)