Cunningham, who is also a lawyer, sparred with Arrington throughout the campaign over the future of offshore drilling. His expertise in this area won over the Republican mayors of Folly Beach and Isle of Palms, which are both coastal cities.
Arrington, who has served in South Carolina's House of Representatives, does not oppose offshore drilling. In the last few days before Election Day, she emphasized national issues such as immigration and Trump's border wall proposal, while Cunningham focused on local issues.
According to The New York Times, Cunningham won the race by 4,036 votes, a 1.4% margin. An outcome with a 1% margin or less would have triggered an automatic recount.