Ralph Norman

Not to be confused with Ralph Northam.

Ralph Warren Norman Jr. (born June 20, 1953) is an American real estate developer, politician, and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 5th congressional district. He served as a Republican member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. In February 2017, Norman vacated his seat to launch a U.S. congressional bid. Norman defeated Archie Parnell 51.1% to 47.9% in the South Carolina's 5th congressional district special election, 2017.

Early life and career

He was born in York County, South Carolina, and currently resides in Rock Hill, where he is a real estate developer at the Warren Norman Company, a business founded by and named after Norman's father. He and his wife, Elaine have 4 children and 16 grandchildren.

South Carolina House of Representatives

In 2004, Norman was elected to serve District 48 in the South Carolina House of Representatives, winning a three-way Republican primary outright with 52% of the vote. After one term, Norman chose not to run for reelection so he could become the 2006 Republican candidate in an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Congress in South Carolina's South Carolina's 5th congressional district against John Spratt.

On November 3, 2009, Ralph Norman defeated Democrat Kathy Cantrell in a special election to reclaim his old seat.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

Norman during his 2017 campaign

2017 special election

Main article: South Carolina's 5th congressional district special election, 2017

In December 2016, Norman announced that he would run for the United States House of Representatives for South Carolina's 5th congressional district seat of Mick Mulvaney, who joined the Trump administration, in the 2017 special election.

On May 16, 2017, Norman won a runoff election against Tommy Pope for the Republican nomination for the 5th congressional seat of South Carolina. Norman defeated Pope by only 200 votes, with Norman tallying 17,755 votes, and Pope receiving 17,552 votes. Norman faced the Democratic nominee, Archie Parnell, in the June 20, 2017 special election, which he narrowly won with 51% of the vote. .

During the primary video surfaced of floor debate between Ralph Norman and challenger Tommy Pope discussing a bill to allow police officers to be treated for PTSD under Worker's Compensation. Ralph Norman stated, "Any one of us could get a crayon and coloring book and start coloring and chewing on the desk and we would be deemed mentally incompetent and we would get paid – there would be no ending to it.”

Norman hired Walter Whetsell and Le Frye of Starboard Communications, Harris Media and Rory McShane to guide his campaign.

Tenure

Norman was sworn into office on June 26, 2017. Norman has joined the Republican Study Committee.

Committee assignments

• United States House Committee on Science, Space and Technology
• Committee on Small Business

External links

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Official Biography, South Carolina House of Representatives
• Appearances on C-SPAN

South Carolina House of Representatives
Preceded by Becky Richardson	Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 48th district 2005–2007	Succeeded by Carl Gullick
Preceded by Carl Gullick	Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 48th district 2009–2017	Succeeded by Bruce Bryant
United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Mick Mulvaney	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 5th congressional district 2017–present	Incumbent
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by Karen Handel	United States Representatives by seniority 430th	Succeeded by John Curtis