The 3rd district is based in both the Upstate and the Midlands, encompassing all of Abbeville, Anderson, Edgefield, Greenwood, McCormick, Oconee, Pickens, and Saluda counties, and parts of Aiken and Laurens counties; following redistricting, the 3rd became much more Upstate-oriented as it lost Allendale and Barnwell counties, as well as some of Aiken county, while gaining most of Laurens county. The incumbent was Democrat Butler Derrick, who was re-elected with 62.1% of the vote of in 1990.
