Wilkins wins Republican primary for vacant county council seat

Wilkins received over 63% of the vote in the special election

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Peter Wilkins won the Republican Party Primary for the unexpired term of Tracy McDaniel's County Council District 7 seat in Gaffney, South Carolina. Wilkins received 391 votes, or 63.5% of the ballots cast, easily defeating David Roark with 19.5% and Mitch Miller with 17.1% of the vote.

Why it matters

This special election was held to fill a vacant county council seat, and the Republican primary winner is likely to win the general election in the heavily Republican district. Wilkins' decisive victory suggests he has strong support from the local GOP base.

The details

Wilkins won the Republican primary with 63.5% of the vote, receiving 391 votes out of the 616 total cast. His closest competitors were David Roark with 120 votes (19.5%) and Mitch Miller with 105 votes (17.1%).

  • The special election primary was held on February 13, 2026.

The players

Peter Wilkins

The winner of the Republican primary election for the vacant County Council District 7 seat.

David Roark

A candidate who received 19.5% of the vote in the Republican primary election.

Mitch Miller

A candidate who received 17.1% of the vote in the Republican primary election.

Tracy McDaniel

The previous County Council District 7 representative whose unexpired term is being filled.

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What’s next

Wilkins will now advance to the general election, where he is expected to win the heavily Republican district.

The takeaway

Wilkins' decisive victory in the Republican primary suggests he has strong support from the local GOP base and is well-positioned to win the general election and fill the vacant county council seat.