South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and state Attorney General Alan Wilson advanced to a Republican primary runoff on June 9 after no candidate won more than 50% of the vote in the crowded governor’s race, according to NBC News projections.
The runoff will take place on June 23, setting up a head-to-head matchup between the two top finishers in a state where the GOP nominee is heavily favored to win the general election in November. Republican Gov. Henry McMaster is barred by term limits from running again, making this South Carolina’s first open governor’s race in decades.
Evette secured a late endorsement from President Donald Trump in the closing weeks of the campaign, which she repeatedly promoted leading up to election day. Trump also held a tele-rally for Evette and Sen. Lindsey Graham on Monday evening. “President Trump Doubles Down on his ‘Complete and Total Endorsement’ of Evette,” her campaign announced in a news release Monday.
Wilson, the son of Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), has served as the state’s attorney general for more than 15 years and has touted endorsements from local law enforcement and his service in the South Carolina National Guard. “Tonight, South Carolina families sent a clear message: they want a Governor who will fight for their families, lower costs, keep communities safe, and put taxpayers first,” Wilson said in a statement. “Conservatives said this office must be earned, not arranged.”
The crowded primary included multiple high-ranking South Carolina Republicans. U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, who had been seen as a potential Trump endorsement contender, finished a distant fifth with roughly 50% of the vote tallied on election night. Mace had worked for Trump’s 2016 campaign but became critical of him after the January 6 Capitol attack, then returned to his fold before the 2024 presidential race. She announced she would support Wilson after the primary results.
U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman and self-funding businessman Rom Reddy also competed in the primary. Norman had backed former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley during her 2024 presidential run, making him an unlikely recipient of Trump’s endorsement. Reddy, a lesser-known candidate, had refused campaign donations and expressed skepticism about AI-powered data center development in the state.
Sources
- NBC News — Trump-backed Pamela Evette advances to GOP primary runoff, runoff date of June 23, Alan Wilson as state attorney general, no candidate won more than 50%, Republican governor’s race context, candidate statements and background
- The Hill — Evette and Wilson in dead heat before primary, polling context
