Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, R-S.C., takes questions from reporters after receiving the endorsement of Gov. Henry McMaster, R-S.C., in the 2026 GOP gubernatorial primary Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard)
The Republican primary for South Carolina governor is headed to a runoff between Lt. Gov. Pamela Evetteand attorney general Alan Wilson, the Associated Press projects.
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Because no candidate in Tuesday’s crowded primary garnered a majority of votes, the two remaining candidates will face off again on June 23 to become the Republican nominee to succeed Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who is term-limited, in a state that hasn’t elected a Democratic governor in more than two decades.
President Donald Trump endorsed Evette late last month, calling her “an American Patriot” in a social media post and noting the lieutenant governor had endorsed him as soon as he announced his 2024 presidential bid. The crowded race included two House Republicans: Reps. Ralph Norman and Nancy Mace.
Mace said ahead of Tuesday’s primary that she believes she lost any chance at a presidential endorsement when she pushed for the release of the Epstein files.
“I put the likelihood of an endorsement on the line when I demanded transparency on the Epstein files. I demanded it because you deserved the truth – ALL OF IT – and as a survivor, I had to get justice for these women,” Mace said in a statement on Monday.
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While Trump-backed opponents defeated several Republican lawmakers in recent primaries, including Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John Cornyn of Texas, his endorsements haven’t always yielded victories at the ballot box in recent weeks. Zach Lahn scored a surprising upset win over Trump-endorsed Rep. Randy Feenstra in last week’s Republican primary in Iowa’s gubernatorial race.
Along with Trump’s endorsement, Evette also was backed by McMaster and former governor Nikki Haley.
The runoff winner will face the winner of the Democratic primary, state Rep. Jermaine Johnson, on November 3.
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