South Carolina’s governor of the state will be decided in a general election set for November 3, 2026, after Republican Attorney General Alan Wilson and Democratic state Representative Jermaine Johnson secured their parties’ nominations in the primary season. The race marks the first time in nearly a decade that term-limited incumbent Gov. Henry McMaster will not appear on the ballot.
Wilson, a Lexington native and combat veteran who has served as attorney general since 2011, won the Republican runoff on June 23, defeating Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette. He is campaigning on a platform centered on tax reform, government transparency, and affordability, including a proposal to eliminate the state income tax.
Johnson, who has represented Richland County in the South Carolina House since 2021, won the Democratic primary on June 9 with a decisive victory. He is seeking to become the state’s first Democratic governor since the late 1990s and has centered his campaign on what he describes as a need for change and new leadership in the state.
Wilson has selected state Sen. Mike Reichenbach of Florence County as his running mate, saying Reichenbach would spearhead an effort to audit state agencies if elected. Johnson has not yet announced a lieutenant governor candidate but said he expects to do so within the next month.
The race reflects a shift in South Carolina politics. Johnson pointed to Republican primary results, including the defeat of the sitting lieutenant governor in the GOP runoff, as evidence that voters are open to change. “People are just angry … because their lives just aren’t getting any better,” Johnson said, adding that electing the same type of leadership would produce the same results.
Wilson emphasized his primary victory as validation of his message. “I think it signals to us that our message of talking about the people of South Carolina and our message of hope … resonated with the voters,” Wilson said following his runoff win.
Sources
- Live 5 News — confirmed the general election date, candidates’ nominations, Wilson’s running mate selection, and campaign platforms for both candidates
- PBS NewsHour — reported Wilson’s runoff victory on June 23, 2026, and his defeat of Evette
- WIS News 10 — confirmed this is South Carolina’s first open governor’s race in nearly a decade and provided Wilson’s background as attorney general since 2011
- NBC News — confirmed Henry McMaster is term-limited and cannot run again
- Ballotpedia — verified Alan Wilson’s role as South Carolina Attorney General and his term start date
