This Democratic-held Statehouse seat became open when Vince Sheheen won a special election to fill a State Senate seat held by the late Democrat Donald Holland. The open seat attracted four strong candidates - 2 Democrats and 2 Republicans - and they had to go through a vicious campaign cycle to win the unexpired term and possibly defend it less than five months later.
 
Funderburk faced off against John Carmichael, who was considered by many to be the establishment favorite, in the Special Democratic Primary. After hiring CRS to target the right base of voters with a full-scale phone and mail program, Funderburk pulled off not only a big upset winning with nearly 70 percent of the vote, she was the leading vote getter of all the candidates running.
 
This win pushed her into a special election which was scheduled the week between the statewide Republican Primary and Run-off elections. Again, using CRS to run a targeted phone and mail campaign, Funderburk campaigned hard and won 57 percent of the vote against Republican Don Spivey to become the first female Statehouse representative elected from Kershaw County.
 
Funderburk went on to face Spivey again in the general election, and again employed the help of CRS. Beating back a strong Republican turn-out effort, Funderburk outperformed national Democrats in her area to defeat Spivey with nearly 54 percent of the vote and win re-election in November.