Lexington County pastor likely to succeed ex-Rep. RJ May

A Statehouse candidate endorsed by a member of the hardline-conservative House Freedom Caucus appears to have won the GOP primary runoff race Tuesday in the Midlands.

In Lexington County, a pastor endorsed by a local member of the caucus feuding with the majority GOP is the Republican nominee for the House seat previously held by ex-Rep. RJ May. 

This election was triggered by a resignation in August.

According to unofficial results, the Rev. John Lastinger defeated Brian Duncan with more than 52% of the vote in the GOP primary runoff to replace May. The former legislator is in jail awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to distributing videos of children being sexually abused.

Lastinger, lead pastor at The Edge church in Springdale, was backed by Freedom Caucus Rep. Jay Kilmartin of Irmo.

Duncan, of Red Bank, had the backing of the majority House GOP caucus, House Majority Leader Davey Hiott previously told the SC Daily Gazette.

May won a third term last November with no opposition on the ballot. Duncan launched a write-in campaign last fall against May following news of the federal investigation.

A special election was called after May, a founding leader of the Freedom Caucus, resigned in August ahead of his guilty plea. His sentencing is set for January.

Despite having the support of Kilmartin, Lastinger indicated he may not join the caucus May helped launch. He previously told the Gazette he hasn’t yet decided what caucuses he might join.

On Dec. 23, Lastinger will face Democrat Chuck Hightower to determine who represents the district that spans the area between Cayce, Red Bank and Gaston south of the town of Lexington. Hightower was the only Democrat to file, so no primary was needed in that party. The district is ruby red, meaning Tuesday’s runoff likely decided May’s successor.

Originally published at: https://scdailygazette.com/2025/11/04/midlands-pastor-likely-to-succeed-ex-rep-rj-may/