South Carolina Republicans will return to the polls in two weeks to decide their gubernatorial nominee after Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson advanced to a runoff election, according to a race call by The Associated Press.
Neither candidate secured the majority needed to win outright in Tuesday's five-way primary contest, setting up a head-to-head competition scheduled for June 23.
Evette entered the race with significant political advantages, including the backing of President Trump and the political network of Gov. Henry McMaster, who selected her as his running mate in 2018. The endorsement from Trump came with characteristic enthusiasm.
"Pam has my Complete and Total Endorsement — SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!" the president wrote on Truth Social on May 29, according to NPR.
The presidential endorsement also mentioned the possibility of Henry D. McMaster Jr., the governor's son, serving as Evette's running mate—a suggestion that drew sharp criticism from her primary opponents, who characterized it as evidence of a backroom deal. Both Evette and McMaster Jr. have denied that she has selected him for the position.
Wilson brings extensive experience in statewide office, having first won election as attorney general in 2010 and securing reelection three times since. He also serves as a Colonel in the Judge Advocate General's Corps for the South Carolina Army National Guard and is the son of 2nd District Congressman Joe Wilson.
The attorney general gained national attention through his office's prosecution of the 2023 Alex Murdaugh trial, though that double murder conviction was overturned by the state Supreme Court in May due to jury tampering by Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill. The case is scheduled to be retried in the coming months.
The two candidates occupy similar ideological territory on major policy questions. Neither has expressed support for further restricting abortion access beyond the current six-week law—a position that aligns with public opinion polling in the state. Both have pledged to pursue government efficiency through audits and to eliminate the state's 5.21 percent personal income tax, which has been subject to gradual reductions.
The runoff outcome was widely anticipated in the crowded field, which also included 1st District Congresswoman Nancy Mace, 5th District Congressman Ralph Norman, and a Lowcountry businessman. Evette and Wilson, both holding statewide elected positions, represented more mainstream conservative positions compared to candidates positioned further to the right.
On the Democratic side, three candidates are competing for their party's nomination: Columbia state Rep. Jermaine Johnson, Charleston lawyer Mullins McLeod, and Greenville businessman Billy Webster.
The primary election saw record early voting turnout over the past two weeks, a period that coincided with the Republican-controlled state Senate's rejection of a new congressional map. President Trump and other Republicans had sought to redraw district boundaries to flip the 6th District, currently the sole Democratic-held congressional seat in the state, represented by Congressman Jim Clyburn. The redistricting effort failed amid concerns about voter disenfranchisement and the rushed nature of the process.
South Carolina operates open primaries, allowing voters to choose which party's primary to participate in regardless of their registration. The primary runoff election will take place on June 23.
