Mike Fanning (politician)

• 2016 South Carolina Senate election: In 2016, Fanning succeeded in defeating Democratic 16-year incumbent Creighton Coleman after forcing him into a runoff in an initial three-way primary.^[3][4] Fanning would go onto defeat the Republican challenger, Mark Palmer.^[5]
• 2020 South Carolina Senate election: In 2020, Fanning defeated Democratic primary challenger MaryGail Douglas, a former member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.^[6][7] Fanning would go onto defeat Republican Erin Mosley in the general election, although Fanning would only win by about 1,600 votes .^[8]
• 2024 South Carolina Senate election: In March 2024, several Republicans filed challenges to the Senate seat held by Fanning, including attorney Everett Stubbs, businessmen Tripp McCoy^[9] and Tibi Czentye.^[10] Stubbs won the Republican primary, and defeated Fanning in a close general election race.^[11]

Fanning was born in Columbia, South Carolina on April 4, 1967 to Joseph and Janet Fanning. He received a B.A. from Wofford College in 1991, an M.S (1996), Ed.S. (1997), and a Ph.D. (2008) from the University of South Carolina. He also received a teaching certificate from Benedict College in 1992. He taught at Estill High School from 1992 to 1994, and at Columbia High School from 1994 to 1998.^[1]

Fanning is the Executive Director of the Olde English Consortium , an education-focused non-profit.^[12][13][14]