Editing Jim DeMint (section)

===Elections===
DeMint's first involvement in politics began in 1992, when he was hired by Republican Representative [[Bob Inglis]] to work on his campaign for South Carolina's Fourth Congressional District. Inglis defeated three-term incumbent Democrat [[Liz J. Patterson]], and DeMint performed message-testing and marketing for Inglis through two more successful elections.<ref name=Weigel>{{cite news | title=How Jim DeMint Changed the Senate| first=Dave | last=Weigel | url= http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2012/12/jim_demint_to_heritage_foundation_the_conservative_south_carolina_senator.single.html | work=Slate| date=December 6, 2012 | access-date= April 3, 2013}}</ref>

In 1998, Inglis ran for the U.S. Senate instead of seeking re-election to the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]. DeMint left his firm to run for Inglis' House seat.<ref name=Rettig/><ref name=Weigel/> The district was considered the most Republican in the state, and it was understood that whoever won the primary would be heavily favored to be the district's next congressman.{{Citation needed|date=May 2019}} DeMint finished second in the Republican primary behind [[South Carolina Senate|State Senator]] and fellow Greenville resident [[Michael L. Fair|Michael Fair]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=83888|title=Our Campaigns - SC District 4 - R Primary Race - Jun 09, 1998|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> In the runoff, DeMint narrowly defeated Fair by 2,030 votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=83889|title=Our Campaigns - SC District 4 - R Runoff Race - Jun 23, 1998|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> He then defeated Democratic State Senator [[Glenn G. Reese|Glenn Reese]] with 57 percent of the vote to Reese's 40 percent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=30887|title=Our Campaigns - SC District 4 Race - Nov 03, 1998|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> DeMint faced no major-party opposition in 2000, and defeated an underfunded Democrat in 2002.{{Citation needed|date=May 2019}}