Republican Gubernatorial Runoff in South Carolina
PELZER, S.C. — The Republican gubernatorial runoff on Tuesday in South Carolina features both candidates receiving support from former President Donald Trump.
It seems that Trump, perhaps wanting to keep his backing a bit under wraps, decided to announce his endorsements just before the runoff. He’s currently backing both candidates in the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican.
This election has been viewed as a significant test of Trump’s influence within the Republican Party and whether his backing significantly sways the nomination process.
Interestingly, just three days after one of Trump’s supporters fell short in Georgia’s GOP gubernatorial runoff, the former president declared his support on social media for Alan Wilson, the longtime attorney general, and Pamela Evette, the lieutenant governor.
In a rather unusual double endorsement, Trump declared, “You can’t prioritize one over the other, so I’m supporting both South Carolina Governors Pamela Evette and Alan Wilson!” He added that either choice would be a good one.
This dual endorsement is not entirely unprecedented for Trump; he has previously backed multiple candidates in the same race, like the famous instance during the 2022 Missouri Republican Senate primary where he endorsed candidates Eric Schmidt and Eric Greitens. Schmidt ended up securing the nomination.
Back in South Carolina, Trump had previously endorsed Evette about a week and a half before the gubernatorial primary elections. Evette topped the crowded field of candidates, while Wilson came in second, leading to their advancement to the runoff.
The primary included several notable figures, including Congress members Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, and businessman Rom Reddy. Since no candidate secured a majority, Evette and Wilson are now facing off in the runoff.
While Wilson has received support from both Mace and Norman, he finds himself up against serious competition, including conservative Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who also endorsed him shortly before the runoff.
Mace expressed her reaction on social media with a simple “LMAO,” which some might recognize as a common abbreviation for laughter.
The race has been heated, with personal attacks and accusations flying between Evette and Wilson in their recent debates. Wilson has drawn contrasts between his extensive experience as attorney general and Evette’s more ceremonial role as lieutenant governor, while Evette paints himself as a pro-Trump outsider, labeling Wilson a career politician.
“The president believed in me during a crowded campaign. I won for president on June 9th and I aim to win again on June 23rd,” Evette remarked, reflecting on his loyalty to Trump throughout the campaign.
Wilson expressed gratitude for Trump’s recent endorsement, noting how meaningful it has been after a decade of supporting the president’s policies. Cruz, who endorsed Wilson a week ahead of Trump, affirmed that he believes Wilson is the strongest conservative contender in the governor’s race.
Trump’s backing has been perceptible in his candidates’ successes in recent primaries across several states, where his influence helped them defeat incumbent opponents. However, Trump’s winning streak seemed to stall three weeks ago when his endorsement in Iowa didn’t translate to victory for Rep. Randy Feenstra.
Though there have been victories recently, such as major wins for Trump-backed candidates in Alabama and Georgia, the path hasn’t been entirely smooth. In Georgia, for instance, Trump-backed Lieutenant Governor Bert Jones lost to outsider Rick Jackson, a surprising outcome given the circumstances.
