SOUTH CAROLINA — Joe Cunningham, a former U.S. Representative from South Carolina, lost the 2022 South Carolina gubernatorial election to incumbent Republican Henry McMaster. Cunningham, who was the Democratic nominee for governor, later authored a book titled "Life of the Party: How Democrats Lost America's Trust — and How They Can Win It Back."

Cunningham won election to the U.S. House of Representatives for South Carolina's 1st Congressional District in 2018. He was the first Democrat to win the district in nearly four decades. His congressional district extended from Charleston to Hilton Head, and offshore drilling was an issue in the area. Republican mayors endorsed his congressional campaign due to his position on offshore drilling.

In 2020, Cunningham lost his re-election bid to Nancy Mace by approximately one percentage point. The 2020 election saw Democrats lose about 20 House seats nationwide, while Republicans did not lose any. South Carolina allows straight-ticket voting, where a party selection at the top of the ballot applies to all races.

"The big takeaway was not speaking down to the other side or belittling them," Cunningham said regarding his political experience. "It was about treating people with respect and finding common ground." He also stated, "When you're running as a Democrat, you're really running in President Trump's election whenever he's on the ballot." Cunningham noted, "People aren't getting outbid by immigrants — they're getting outbid by private equity firms." He added, "Our healthcare system is abysmal."

No independent assessment of Joe Cunningham’s claims was available.