Pamela Evette and Alan Wilson head to runoff for South Carolina governor
South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial primary ended in a runoff between Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson. Evette won the initial contest with about 29.1% of the vote, narrowly beating Wilson’s 26.5%. Other candidates-Rep. Ralph Norman (16.5%), Rom reddy (14.9%), and Rep.Nancy Mace (11.4%)-were eliminated,with the race leaving Evette and Wilson as the final GOP contenders.
President Donald Trump’s endorsement helped keep momentum for Evette, who had been leading in recent polls; Trump backed her after promising early success in other 2026 primaries.The article notes the runoff is set for June 23, where the winner will face Democratic state Rep. Jermaine Johnson,who won the Democratic nomination with about 58.4% of the vote.
Both republican finalists emphasized cost-of-living affordability and supported axing the state’s income tax, though Wilson focused more on law-and-order and an economy message (“Make South Carolina Affordable Again”), while Evette emphasized aligning the state with Trump’s agenda, tighter fiscal management, and infrastructure improvements.
South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson will head to a runoff to see who will face off in the general gubernatorial election after each placed in the top two slots in the Republican primary.
Evette won the GOP gubernatorial primary with about 29.1% of the vote, compared to her closest rival, Wilson, who came in second place with 26.5%, according to the Associated Press as of Tuesday evening. Reps. Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Nancy Mace (R-SC), each self-described MAGA conservatives who were snubbed of the Trump endorsement, came in third and fifth place, with 16.5% and 11.4% of the vote. Businessman Rom Reddy topped Mace, as he placed fourth with 14.9%.
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The runoff result is a hit, but not a loss for President Donald Trump, who endorsed Evette for the nomination at the end of May. Evette had led in several recent polls, and Trump’s backing has typically gone far in the deep-red state, which he won by over 17 percentage points in 2024.
“South Carolina families sent a clear message: they want a Governor who will fight for their families, lower costs, keep communities safe, and put taxpayers first,” Wilson posted on X.
Evette focused her campaign on aligning South Carolina with Trump’s agenda, running the state more frugally, and modernizing the state’s infrastructure. Wilson ran on similar priorities but also centered his message on securing law and order in South Carolina and an economy-driven message to “Make South Carolina Affordable Again.”
Both candidates campaigned on axing the state’s income tax.
“When I travel the state of South Carolina, my No. 1 goal in everything that I’m going to do is to find a way to make living in our state more affordable for your family, to make our economy more profitable for your business, and to make our government more accountable to you,” Wilson, a 30-year combat veteran, said in a June local news interview.
The runoff result throws more uncertainty into the trends surrounding Trump’s endorsement power in 2026. Though Evette placed first, if she won outright and skipped the need for a runoff, it would have sent a resounding victory message for Trump. The president saw early victories in the GOP primaries with candidates he backed, such as Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA) and Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein. But the results of Iowa’s gubernatorial primary last week, in which MAHA-backed farmer Zach Lahn defeated Trump-backed Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA), have thrown that trend into flux, drawing attention to the Palmetto State.
The GOP runoff election will be held on June 23 to see which Republican will face off in the November general election to succeed term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster (R-SC).
Democratic state Rep. Jermaine Johnson won the Democratic primary, defeating attorney Mullins McLeod and businessman Billy Webster, with about 58.4% of the vote, according to the Associated Press as of Tuesday evening.
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