U.S. House · South Carolina's 7th District

South Carolina's 7th Congressional District (Myrtle Beach/Pee Dee region)

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

✓ Fact-checked 2026-09-25: 16 claims re-checked against their sources · 1 corrected · 0 removed

A second, independent research pass re-opened every cited source for this race and corrected or removed anything the source didn’t support.

  • Fry committee assignment was stale (Ballotpedia only shows 2023-2024: Judiciary + Oversight and Government Reform). Replaced with current 119th Congress (2025-2026) assignments from fry.house.gov (Energy and Commerce; Judiciary with different subcommittees) and added that page as source s4.

On the ballot · 2 candidates

Where they stand — side by side

Only positions documented in a cited source are shown. Where an officeholder’s recorded votes speak to an issue, the votes set the position (marked “votes”). A dash means we found no clear public position — not that the candidate has none.

ISSUERussell Fry
R
John Vincent
D
Expand immigration enforcement and deportationsSupports[5][6][7][8][9]votesMixed[3]
Raise taxes on high earners or corporationsOpposes[6][7][8]votes—
Expand public health coverageOpposes[6][7][8][10]votesSupports[3]
Faster transition away from fossil fuelsOpposes[6][7][8]votes—
Broad tariffs on imported goodsSupports[11]votes—

The candidates, in full

Russell Fry

RINCUMBENTU.S. Representative (since 2023)

Advanced without a primary after the Republican primary was canceled

Russell Fry is the incumbent U.S. Representative for South Carolina's 7th District, seeking re-election.[2]

Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.

Key votes in Congress

  • NoWar Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · H. Con. Res. 86 · Passed 215–208 · 2026-06-03 roll call ↗The resolution directs the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran that Congress has not authorized, invoking the War Powers Resolution. It passed the House with support from Democrats and a number of Republicans.
  • NoResolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · H.J. Res. 72 · Passed 219–211 · 2026-02-11 roll call ↗The resolution terminates the national emergency the President declared in February 2025 to justify a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada, ending that tariff if it becomes law. It passed with a bipartisan majority, including several Republicans who broke with the administration on trade policy.
  • YesConsolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 — full-year government funding · H.R. 7148 · Passed 217–214 · 2026-02-03 roll call ↗The bill provides full-year discretionary appropriations for federal agencies for the remainder of fiscal year 2026, replacing the stopgap funding enacted after the fall 2025 shutdown. It sets spending levels across defense and non-defense programs through September 2026.
  • NoBreaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · H.R. 1834 · Passed 230–196 · 2026-01-08 roll call ↗The bill extends for additional years the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that were expanded in 2021 and had lapsed at the end of 2025, lowering health-insurance premiums for people who buy coverage on ACA marketplaces. It passed with support from nearly all Democrats and a small group of Republicans.
  • NoWar Powers Resolution on Venezuela · H. Con. Res. 64 · Failed 211–213 · 2025-12-17 roll call ↗The resolution would have directed the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities in or against Venezuela that Congress had not authorized. It failed after U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels off Venezuela had raised questions in Congress about the administration's legal authority for military action in the region.
  • YesNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 — final passage · S. 1071 · Passed 312–112 · 2025-12-10 roll call ↗The fiscal year 2026 NDAA authorizes roughly $900 billion in defense spending, including a pay raise for service members and funding for shipbuilding, munitions, and missile-defense programs. It also sets policy on military personnel, procurement, and other Defense Department programs for the year.
  • YesEpstein Files Transparency Act · H.R. 4405 · Passed 427–1 · 2025-11-18 roll call ↗The bill directs the Department of Justice to publicly release its investigative files related to Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days, while allowing redactions to protect victim identities, ongoing investigations, and law enforcement techniques. It passed with near-unanimous support.
  • YesContinuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 — shutdown-ending vote · H.R. 5371 · Passed 222–209 · 2025-11-12 roll call ↗The bill reopened the federal government after a 43-day shutdown by funding most agencies through January 30, 2026, and providing full-year funding for a smaller group of agencies through September 2026. It also reversed shutdown-related federal layoffs and funded SNAP benefits retroactively.
  • YesCLARITY Act — digital asset market structure · H.R. 3633 · Passed 294–134 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The CLARITY Act creates a regulatory framework dividing oversight of digital assets between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. It sets registration and disclosure requirements for cryptocurrency exchanges and other digital-asset intermediaries.
  • YesGENIUS Act — stablecoin regulation · S. 1582 · Passed 308–122 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The GENIUS Act creates a federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, requiring issuers to hold reserves backing their tokens on a one-to-one basis and to comply with new disclosure and licensing rules. It was the first major piece of cryptocurrency legislation enacted into federal law.
  • YesOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 218–214 · 2025-07-03 roll call ↗H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, extends and expands the 2017 tax cuts, adds new deductions for tips, overtime pay, and seniors, and raises the cap on state and local tax deductions. It increases border security and defense spending while cutting projected Medicaid and SNAP spending and adding new work requirements; President Trump signed it into law on July 4, 2025.
  • YesRescissions Act of 2025 · H.R. 4 · Passed 214–212 · 2025-06-12 roll call ↗The Rescissions Act canceled about $9 billion in previously approved federal spending, mostly for foreign aid programs and for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It was the first rescissions package Congress had approved in decades.
  • YesOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 215–214 · 2025-05-22 roll call ↗H.R. 1 extends and modifies the 2017 individual and business tax cuts, creates new deductions for tips and overtime pay, and increases spending on border security and defense. It also reduces projected spending on Medicaid and food-assistance programs and adds new work requirements for some recipients.
  • YesSAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · H.R. 22 · Passed 220–208 · 2025-04-10 roll call ↗The SAVE Act would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in person when registering to vote in federal elections. It also directs states to establish procedures to remove noncitizens identified on voter rolls.
  • YesFull-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 · H.R. 1968 · Passed 217–213 · 2025-03-11 roll call ↗The bill funded the federal government through the remainder of fiscal year 2025, largely at prior-year spending levels, averting a shutdown ahead of a March 14 deadline. It also extended several expiring health and other program authorizations.
  • YesLaken Riley Act — final passage · S. 5 · Passed 263–156 · 2025-01-22 roll call ↗The Laken Riley Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented immigrants who are arrested, charged, or convicted for theft, burglary, or certain violent crimes. It also allows state attorneys general to sue the federal government over certain immigration enforcement decisions.
  • YesSecure the Border Act of 2023 — House passage · H.R. 2 · Passed 219–213 · 2023-05-11 roll call ↗Would have resumed border-wall construction, restricted asylum eligibility, expanded detention, and mandated E-Verify for employers.

On the record — official actions

  • actionServes on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce (Energy; Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade; Communications and Technology subcommittees) and the House Judiciary Committee (Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement; Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet subcommittees), per his official House website (119th Congress, 2025-2026).[4]

Positions on the issues

  • SupportsExpand immigration enforcement and deportationsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on Laken Riley Act (S. 5, 2025-01-22). Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which funded expanded immigration enforcement, detention and border operations. Voted yes on Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2, 2023-05-11).[5][6][7][8][9]

  • OpposesExpand public health coverageFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements. Voted no on Breaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08).[6][7][8][10]

  • OpposesFaster transition away from fossil fuelsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits.[6][7][8]

  • OpposesRaise taxes on high earners or corporationsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent.[6][7][8]

  • SupportsBroad tariffs on imported goodsFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11).[11]

Background

  • Born in Surfside Beach, SC; lives in Murrells Inlet, SC. Earned a B.A. in political science from the University of South Carolina (2007) and a J.D. from Charleston School of Law (2011).[2]
  • Worked as an attorney with Coastal Law, LLC before being elected to Congress.[2]

Campaign money

Raised $1.7M · spent $1.2M · $1.0M cash on hand (through 2026-06-30) FEC filing ↗

John Vincent

D

Advanced without a primary after the Democratic primary was canceled

John Vincent is a retired U.S. Navy Command Master Chief and small business owner running as the Democratic nominee for South Carolina's 7th Congressional District.[3]

Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.

Positions on the issues

  • MixedExpand immigration enforcement and deportations

    Supports increased border security paired with what he describes as a fair immigration system.[3]

    “support increased border security alongside a fair immigration system”
  • SupportsExpand public health coverage

    Says he will work to make healthcare more affordable and improve VA healthcare for veterans.[3]

In their words — priorities

  • Fighting wasteful federal spending while protecting vital programs, and supporting increased border security alongside what he calls a fair immigration system.[3]
  • Championing tax relief for working families, job creation through community-college partnerships, cutting red tape for small businesses, and making healthcare more affordable.[3]
  • As a Navy veteran, improving VA healthcare, expanding veterans' housing programs, and enhancing education and job-training benefits for veterans.[3]

Background

  • Born in Arkansas. Served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, retiring as a Command Master Chief. Earned a degree from the University of Arkansas at Grantham.[3]
  • Built and ran a small business after retiring from the Navy.[3]

Campaign money

Raised $297K · spent $235K · $62K cash on hand (through 2026-06-30) FEC filing ↗

Research notes & limits

Basic-tier research. A Republican write-in candidate (Branden Brown) appears on Ballotpedia's general-election list but is not included as a full entry; per the research division of labor, Fry's federal key floor votes and FEC totals are left for later automated addition.

Sources · 11

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

  1. 1.South Carolina's 7th Congressional District election, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
  2. 2.Russell Fry · Ballotpedia Reference
  3. 3.John Vincent (South Carolina) · Ballotpedia (Candidate Connection survey) Candidate's own words
  4. 4.Committees and Caucuses · Office of Rep. Russell Fry, U.S. House Official record
  5. 5.Roll call: Laken Riley Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-01-22 Official record
  6. 6.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-05-22 Official record
  7. 7.H.R. 1 (119th Congress) — One Big Beautiful Bill Act: text and summary · Congress.gov Official record
  8. 8.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-07-03 Official record
  9. 9.Roll call: Secure the Border Act of 2023 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2023-05-11 Official record
  10. 10.Roll call: Breaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-01-08 Official record
  11. 11.Roll call: Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-02-11 Official record