Archie Parnell
Archie Parnell | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sumter, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer, political figure, academic |
| Years active | 1970s–present |
| Known for | Democratic candidate for South Carolina's 5th congressional district in 2017 and 2018 elections |
Archie William Parnell Jr. is an American lawyer and political figure. He served as the Democratic Party candidate in the June 20, 2017 special election for South Carolina's 5th congressional district, narrowly falling short to Republican Ralph Norman with 47.9% of the vote—an unexpectedly tight race. Parnell ran against Norman again in the 2018 election but was defeated, receiving 41.5% of the ballots cast.
Early life and education
Primarily raised in Sumter, South Carolina, where he still lives, Parnell's family also spent time abroad in the U.K., Germany, and Florida due to his father’s service in the U.S. Air Force. After returning to Sumter, he completed his secondary education at Sumter High School. Parnell attained both a B.A. and a J.D. from the University of South Carolina and later earned an LL.M. degree from Georgetown University.
Early career
Parnell's professional journey began as a tax attorney working for the U.S. Department of Justice and later for the House Ways and Means Committee. During his tenure as senior staff counsel for this committee, he authored articles published in the Catholic University Law Review and the Yale Law Journal.
He subsequently dedicated ten years to practicing tax law at ExxonMobil. From 1996 through 2016, Parnell held a managing director position at Goldman Sachs, where he managed operations out of their Hong Kong office. He retired from Goldman Sachs prior to declaring his candidacy for U.S. Congress.
2017 election campaign
In March 2017, Parnell announced his bid for the congressional seat left vacant by Representative Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina, who resigned to serve as budget director in the Trump administration. As a newcomer to electoral politics, Parnell was the first Democrat to enter the race for South Carolina's 5th congressional district seat. At that time, seven Republicans had already declared their candidacies in a district that had trended increasingly conservative since a Republican captured it in 2011 following Democrat John Spratt's long incumbency.
Two additional Democrats, Alexis Frank and Les Murphy, also contended. Spratt endorsed Parnell during the May 2 primary along with other Democratic leaders such as former Governor Jim Hodges. Parnell secured the Democratic nomination by winning the primary with 71.3% of the vote.
His television advertisements attracted national attention, especially due to their parody of fictional character Frank Underwood, who represents a comparable district in House of Cards. Although internal polling indicated he trailed Republican rival Ralph Norman by 10 points, Parnell narrowly lost the June 20 election with 47.9% against Norman’s 51.1%, separated by fewer than 3,000 votes. An analysis by Politico attributed his strong showing to his modest and optimistic messaging style that avoided typical partisan attacks. Through May 2017, Parnell had spent approximately $500,000 on his campaign. His close result was also influenced by lower-than-expected turnout among Republican voters.
2018 election campaign
On October 9, 2017, Parnell declared his intention to challenge Norman for a full congressional term in the 2018 election. He launched a lighthearted campaign advertisement that attracted nationwide attention, showcasing moments such as receiving a tattoo, getting a haircut, and playing Go Fish with Congressman Jim Clyburn. By January 2018, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee designated South Carolina's 5th district as a "Majority Maker district," focusing efforts there to aid in achieving a Democratic majority in the 116th Congress.
On May 21, 2018, Charleston's Post and Courier published court records from Parnell’s 1973 divorce proceeding, which included a restraining order issued due to allegations of physical cruelty; no formal charges were ever filed. Parnell did not contest these assertions. After this information became public, several members of his campaign team stepped down, and leaders within the South Carolina Democratic Party called on him to exit the race.
Despite the backlash, Parnell continued his campaign and secured victory in a four-candidate Democratic primary on June 12, 2018, with roughly 60% of the vote. In the subsequent general election, he was defeated by Norman, receiving 41.5% compared to Norman’s 57.1%.
Academic career
In 2018, Parnell worked as an adjunct instructor at the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he taught a course titled "International Business Structures." Two years later, in 2020, he accepted a position as a visiting law professor at O. P. Jindal Global University in Sonipat, India. There, he co-led a class called "A Tale of Two Tax Systems: Discerning Solutions for India–US Tax Disputes" at the Jindal Global Law School.