COLUMBIA --- Republican incumbents coasted to victory in three South Carolina congressional districts Tuesday.

U.S. Reps. Henry Brown, Joe Wilson and Bob Inglis were nominated for new terms.

Mr. Brown turned aside his former field supervisor, Katherine Jenerette, and Paul Norris in the 1st District, which reaches along the coast from Charleston to the North Carolina line.

Mr. Brown had about 70 percent of the vote with about 55 percent of precincts reporting.

In November, he will face Democrat Linda Ketner, a 58-year-old business consultant and gay rights activist who defeated perennial candidate Ben Frasier on Tuesday. Ms. Ketner had 64 percent of the vote with about 55 percent of precincts reporting.

Mr. Wilson handily defeated challenger Phil Black in the 2nd District, which stretches from the Midlands to the southern tip of the state.

It was Mr. Wilson's first primary challenge since he won the seat in a special election in 2001 after the death of U.S. Rep. Floyd Spence. Mr. Wilson had 86 percent of the vote with 61 percent of the precincts reporting.

He faces Democrat Rob Miller in November. Mr. Miller, a 33-year-old Marine captain from Beaufort, defeated Blaine Lotz, a retired Air Force colonel from Hilton Head, on Tuesday. Mr. Miller was beating Mr. Lotz 2-1 with about 70 percent of the precincts in.

In the 4th District, in the Greenville-Spartanburg area, Mr. Inglis overcame critics of his views on the Iraq war to win the GOP nomination. He riled some in his conservative district by voting against President Bush's plans to send more troops into Iraq.

He defeated Charles Jeter, an Environmental Protection Agency appointee. With 40 percent of the precincts in, Mr. Inglis had 68 percent of the vote.

Three Democrats were vying to face him in November.

While Republicans nationwide face questions from voters on budget earmarks and the war, incumbents in South Carolina, among the reddest of the red states, don't seem at risk, said College of Charleston political scientist Jeri Cabot.

"For all the typical reasons," she said. "They service their districts and they don't have a personal crisis of some sort."

With incumbents being returned to office at rates near 90 percent, a scandal or redistricting is usually required to oust one, she said.

Constituent service was important to Kim Beal, 40, a real estate agent from Mount Pleasant who voted for Mr. Brown.

"(Mr. Brown) has always been available to the public and has taken up any concerns that citizens have had," she said.

The state's two Democratic congressmen, Reps. John Spratt, the House Budget Committee chairman, and Jim Clyburn, the House majority whip, had no primary opposition.

Neither did Republican Rep. Gresham Barrett in the 3rd District along the western edge of the state.