Mike Burns
South Carolina State Representative, District 17 since 2014. Ran in 7 elections between 2014 and 2024, winning 7. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.
- In office
- 12 yrs
- Since 2014
- Bills became law
- 8
- 1032 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 12.0%
- Chamber median 7.9%
- With party
- 88%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +43.3
- Won 2026
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Burns sits in the South Carolina House of Representatives
Burns is closer to the center than 18% of the chamber's Republicans.
Closest: R.J. May, Ryan McCabe, Bill Chumley
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 5:01 PM ET
With Burns’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Republicans88%
Black tick: the average of Republicans in the South Carolina House of Representatives.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Burns’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Republicans.
| Date | Bill | Burns | Rep. majority | Dem. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 25, 2026 | H 3305: Supplemental Appropriations | Not voting | Yes | Yes | Passed 96–15 |
| Aug 11, 2026 | H 4042: Ivermectin | Not voting | No | Yes | Passed 43–51 |
| May 14, 2026 | H 5122: Internet and Communications Service Providers Equipment | Not voting | Yes | Yes | Passed 92–18 |
| May 14, 2026 | H 4303: Cigarettes for heating | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 91–18 |
| May 14, 2026 | H 4589: Education Capital Improvements Sales and Use Tax | Not voting | Yes | Yes | Passed 91–14 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Burns was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | South Carolina House of Representatives, District 17 | Won | R+43.3 | R+54.0 | −10.7 |
| 2024 | South Carolina House of Representatives, District 17 | Won | — | R+54.0 | — |
| 2022 | South Carolina House of Representatives, District 17 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2020 | South Carolina House of Representatives, District 17 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2018 | South Carolina House of Representatives, District 17 | Won | R+52.2 | — | — |
| 2016 | South Carolina House of Representatives, District 17 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2014 | South Carolina House of Representatives, District 17 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2014 | South Carolina House of Representatives, District 17 (primary) | Won | +60.7 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: South Carolina Election Commission (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $6.1K
- Spent
- $8K
- Cash
- $12K
Source: South Carolina State Ethics Commission filings through Sep 24, 2026Updated Oct 15, 2026, 1:11 AM ET
Campaign committees
Open committees can still raise and spend money.
| James Burns State | Active |
Source: South Carolina State Ethics Commission filings through Sep 24, 2026Updated Oct 15, 2026, 1:11 AM ET
Seats Burns has held
- South Carolina House of Representatives, District 17 · since 2014
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Burns has run against
- Rich Nicoloff (D) · 2026 election, won
- Judi Buckley (D) · 2018 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: South Carolina Election Commission (unofficial)
How we know Burns
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/6ffe4e57-021a-4424-bc36-b933c8e18477
- Wikidata Q20630645
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET