Simpson Takes SC Ag Runoff
Cody Simpson Wins South Carolina GOP Agriculture Commissioner Runoff, Eyes November General Election
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Key Points
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Simpson’s fundraising edge was stark: he spent about $404,000 to Ford’s $30,000 in preprimary campaign finance reports, giving him a roughly 13-to-1 spending advantage.
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Danny Ford II is the son of former Clemson football coach Danny Ford, who led the program to its first national championship in 1981.
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The South Carolina Department of Agriculture’s regulatory reach expanded in 2024 to include restaurants as well as farms.
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Agribusiness and related industries are estimated to have a $51 billion impact on South Carolina’s economy, underscoring the department’s broad economic influence.
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The June 23 Republican primary for agriculture commissioner featured four candidates, with Simpson and Ford advancing to the runoff.
Cody Simpson, a fifth-generation farmer and Trump administration appointee, won the South Carolina Republican runoff for agriculture commissioner on June 23, taking about 62% of the vote, according to The Sumter Item. He swept all 46 counties in the state, setting up a November general election matchup against Democrat DeShawn Blanding.
The race marks the first time in more than two decades that South Carolina will elect a new agriculture commissioner. The department oversees a sector with a $51.8 billion annual impact on the state's economy, according to News From The States.
Simpson's Endorsements and Cash Crushed Ford
Simpson entered the race with two powerful backers: President Donald Trump and Governor Henry McMaster. Trump posted a "RUN, CODY, RUN!" endorsement on TruthSocial in February, according to WPDE. That kind of top-level support gave Simpson a massive head start in a state where the GOP establishment carries enormous weight.
The money gap was stark. Simpson spent about $404,000 before the primary. His opponent, Danny Ford II, spent just $30,000 — a roughly 13-to-1 disadvantage. Ford is the son of legendary Clemson football coach Danny Ford, who led the Tigers to a national title in 1981. High name recognition was not enough to close the gap.
Ford's Grassroots Push Fell Short Against the Machine
Ford ran as a cattle and hemp farmer who said Columbia bureaucrats had lost touch with working farmers. He called the race a battle between "dirt-under-the-fingernails farmers" and political insiders. He jumped in on February 23, positioning himself as a fresh voice outside the state's political establishment, according to ABC News 4.
But his grassroots message could not overcome Simpson's institutional advantages. The June 9 primary was nearly a tie — Simpson got 38% and Ford got 37% — but the runoff told a different story. Without the cash to build a real ground operation, Ford had no way to compete once voters narrowed their choice to two candidates.
A Department Transformed Before the New Boss Arrives
The winner will inherit a department that is not what it was five years ago. In July 2024, South Carolina transferred restaurant inspections, school cafeteria oversight, and grocery store food safety from a separate health agency to the Department of Agriculture. The move added more than 24,000 retail food establishments to the department's workload, according to WRDW.
Simpson has promised to reduce regulations and modernize the department. He said, "We must — and together, we will — protect our farms, ensure our food security, strengthen our rural communities and preserve our agricultural heritage." Farmers in the state are also dealing with a financial squeeze. Reports from early 2026 point to a $700 million shortfall over two years, driven by soaring fertilizer and fuel costs.
November Race Pits Simpson Against a Formidable Democrat
Simpson is a heavy favorite in deep-red South Carolina. But his Democratic opponent, DeShawn Blanding, is no ordinary challenger. Blanding is a former senior staffer on the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture and the first HBCU-educated national officer of the FFA, according to News From The States. He is running on a platform he calls "Rooted Forward," focused on food deserts and support for small and minority farmers.
Voter turnout for the runoff was just 10.2%, meaning the general election in November will draw a far larger and more diverse pool of voters. The November 3 contest will be the first race for this seat in over 21 years, ever since Commissioner Hugh Weathers took office and held the job until his retirement opened the position.
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