State Representative Jermaine Johnson won the South Carolina Democratic primary for governor on June 9, 2026, securing 58.7% of the vote and advancing to face a Republican opponent in November’s general election.
Johnson, who has represented the state’s 52nd House district since 2014, defeated two rivals in the primary: attorney Mullins McLeod, who received 10.9% of the vote, and businessman Billy Webster, who garnered 30.4%, according to the Associated Press projection called at 12:45 a.m. on June 10.
The three-candidate Democratic field offered contrasting visions for the state. Johnson’s platform centers on ending the state income tax, lowering property taxes, building affordable housing, and improving mental health access. McLeod, a Charleston attorney who founded the McLeod Law Group, focused on stopping predatory lending and setting term limits for state lawmakers. Webster, a Greenville businessman with prior experience as chief of staff in the Department of Education under former Governor Dick Riley, emphasizes infrastructure, environmental conservation, and health care accessibility.
Johnson enters the general election facing a steep challenge. South Carolina has not elected a Democratic governor since 2003, when Jim Hodges left office, according to the National Governors Association. The state has voted Republican in statewide executive races for more than two decades. Johnson will face the winner of the Republican primary runoff, which features Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette and state Attorney General Alan Wilson, in the November 3, 2026, general election.
The Democratic primary victory marks a milestone for Johnson, a 40-year-old from Hopkins, South Carolina, who previously served on the Richland County Commission and founded Dream Team Consulting Firm. His platform emphasizes affordability and economic opportunity, themes he shared during the campaign’s debates and public forums.
Sources
- WBTV — Primary results, vote totals, Johnson’s background, and general election information
- Associated Press — Race call at 12:45 a.m. on June 10, 2026
- National Governors Association — Confirmation that South Carolina’s last Democratic governor, Jim Hodges, served until 2003
