Matthews claims Democratic nomination for Pinckney’s seat

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Walterboro attorney Margie Bright Matthews has won the Democratic nomination for the state Senate seat left vacant by the shooting death of Sen. Clementa Pinckney at a church in Charleston earlier this year.

Unofficial returns show Matthews got 56 percent of the vote against Green Pond Rep. Kenneth Hodges in Tuesday’s primary runoff.

Matthews will face Republican Alberto Fernandez in an Oct. 20 special election.

Pinckney represented the Senate district that includes parts of Allendale, Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties. He also was pastor of Emanuel AME Church in Charleston where he and eight other members were killed in June.