Republican Runoff for South Carolina Governor: Evette vs. Wilson
A runoff election for the Republican nomination for Governor of South Carolina will be held on June 23 between Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson. The runoff was triggered after no candidate secured a majority in the June 9 primary election.
Primary Election Results
In the five-way primary held on June 9, Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette finished first, receiving less than 30% of the vote. Attorney General Alan Wilson placed second, trailing Evette by approximately three percentage points. The field also included U.S. Representatives Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, and businessman Rom Reddy.
As no candidate received over 50% of the vote, the top two finishers advanced to a runoff, as required by state law.
Candidates
Pamela Evette
Evette was selected by Governor Henry McMaster as his running mate in 2018. She has emphasized her business background and outsider status during the campaign. She was endorsed by outgoing Governor Henry McMaster and initially by President Donald Trump on May 9.
Alan Wilson
Wilson has served as South Carolina Attorney General since 2010. He is a colonel in the Judge Advocate General's Corps for the South Carolina Army National Guard and the son of U.S. Representative Joe Wilson. His office handled the 2023 trial of Alex Murdaugh, whose double murder conviction was overturned in May due to findings of jury tampering by a court clerk. Wilson has highlighted his experience as attorney general, a combat veteran, and a prosecutor.
Endorsements
President Donald Trump initially endorsed Pamela Evette in late May, describing her as an "America First Patriot" and a "WINNER." On June 12, Trump issued a dual endorsement of both Evette and Wilson, stating he did not want to harm either candidate. Trump wrote on Truth Social: "I can't hurt one of them by only Endorsing the other, so, therefore, I am going to Endorse, for Governor of South Carolina, both Pam Evette and Alan Wilson!"
Wilson changed his social media profile to highlight Trump's support and stated he was "deeply honored" to have Trump's endorsement, referencing his work defending the administration's agenda as attorney general. Evette's campaign referenced her first-place finish in the primary as Trump's endorsed candidate and stated she looked forward to repeating that result.
Wilson also received endorsements from former primary opponents Representatives Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, as well as U.S. Senator Tim Scott and Senator Ted Cruz.
Context of Presidential Endorsements
Trump's endorsement record in Republican primaries has shown mixed results. His endorsed candidate lost in Iowa's gubernatorial primary, which Trump attributed to being provided "improper information" by advisers. In Georgia, his endorsed candidate lost in a runoff, after which Trump attempted to align with the winning candidate, praising them as running a "great TRUMP Campaign."
This dual endorsement tactic is not unprecedented; Trump employed a similar strategy in the 2022 Missouri Senate primary.
Polling Data
Pre-primary polling indicated a competitive race:
- Trafalgar Group poll (May 21-24): Evette at 19.9%, Wilson at 19.4%, Reddy at 19%, Norman at 15.9%, Mace at 14.6%
- co/efficient poll (April 29-30): Evette at 21%, Wilson at 18%, Norman at 13%, Mace at 12%, Reddy at 11%, with 22% undecided
Runoff Election Results
On June 23, Attorney General Alan Wilson defeated Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette in the Republican primary runoff. The Associated Press called the race 26 minutes after polls closed. Wilson received endorsements from Representatives Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, and Senator Ted Cruz. Evette had been endorsed by outgoing Governor Henry McMaster.
General Election
Wilson will face Democratic nominee State Representative Jermaine Johnson in the general election. No Democrat has won a gubernatorial election in South Carolina in 28 years. The Democratic primary also included lawyer Mullins McLeod and businessman Billy Webster.