Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and state Attorney General Alan Wilson advanced to a runoff for the Republican nomination for South Carolina governor, while U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham won his own primary outright Tuesday in his pursuit of a fifth term in November.
The contests showcased President Donald Trump's deep relationships in the state, dating back to his first campaign a decade ago. Despite sagging poll numbers and discontent over the economy, Trump maintains a firm grip on the Republican Party and helped advance his chosen candidates.
The president gave an early endorsement to Graham, a political confidant and regular golfing partner, despite their on-again, off-again relationship. Graham also secured the support of some leading state Republicans, Sen. Tim Scott and Gov. Henry McMaster, to plow a path to the nomination for a fifth term.
Addressing Trump in his victory speech, Graham said "I’m going to help you change this world and change this country.” He has been outspoken in favor of military action against Iran.
No Democrat has won a U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina in decades, and Republicans in recent history typically have taken statewide seats by double-digit margins. When he last ran in 2020, Graham defeated his Democratic opponent by a 10 percentage point margin. This year, he’ll face Charleston pediatrician Annie Andrews in November.
Evette gained a runoff berth in the governor's race only a week after picking up Trump's endorsement. She will face Wilson in the June 23 primary. U.S. Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman did not make the cut.
Evette lost no time in attacking Wilson in front of cheering supporters on Tuesday night.
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“We are going to stand up for conservative voices and conservative values. I have never, I will never back down to the woke mob. Over these next two weeks we’re going to highlight a very clear contrast between myself and a career politician, Alan Wilson,” she said.
Wilson, the son of longtime U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, has served as the state’s top prosecutor since 2011. In 2024, he traveled to New York to support Trump as he stood trial in a hush money case.
He praised his fellow candidates and asked voters for their support, even if he wasn't their “first choice” on Tuesday.
“Hire me to be your next governor. I will be a fighter for you," he said.
Republican governor candidates played largely to Trump
Competition among Republicans for Trump’s support seemed more intense than any other facet of the primary campaign.
Even before Evette received the president's endorsement, she frequently featured photos and videos of herself with Trump in campaign materials. She was backed by McMaster, the term-limited outgoing governor, a longstanding ally of Trump whose support telegraphed the president's own.
Mace also wanted Trump's support, and he endorsed her congressional reelection in 2024 even though she criticized his actions of Jan. 6, 2021, when his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol.
Norman, among the most conservative members of the House and a member of the Freedom Caucus, strongly supported Trump in the president’s first term. But in the 2024 campaign, Norman stumped for former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley instead of Trump.
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Rom Reddy, a coastal businessman who has eschewed campaign donations and self-funded his effort, had touted his lack of political experience as an asset, drawing comparisons between Trump and himself.
Graham, backed by Trump, gets Republican nod to seek a 5th term
South Carolina’s other top contest saw Graham clinching the Republican nomination without need of a runoff.
Although their relationship has undulated through the years, Graham has remained close with Trump, who fulfilled the senator's longstanding wish for direct confrontation between Washington and Tehran. Graham cheered Trump’s decision to strike nuclear sites last year and recently said he often speaks to the president about the ongoing conflict.
Among Graham's primary foes was Greenville businessman Mark Lynch, who said Graham wasn't conservative enough to represent the state. Calling himself an “America First” candidate, Lynch campaigned as a Trump supporter. However, the president has called him a “lunatic” and a “disaster for the Republican Party."
Winning statewide in November remains a tall order for Democrats
Democrats haven’t won the governor’s office or a Senate seat in South Carolina for decades.
Andrews, the Charleston pediatrician, ran unsuccessfully against Mace in 2022. Now running for Senate against Graham, she's challenged what she’s characterized as Graham’s waffling positions over the course of his political career.
She is among the Democrats hoping to capitalize on dissatisfaction with Trump this year.
In the governor's race, state Rep. Jermaine Johnson won the Democratic nomination.
Johnson has represented a district in the Columbia area for three terms. Seen as a rising star in the state party, Johnson was tapped to give this year’s Democratic response to McMaster’s state of the state address. McMaster has been in office since Nikki Haley left her term early to join the first Trump administration.
Democrats have not won a general election for governor in South Carolina since 1998, and Republicans have controlled all statewide-elected offices in the state for more than a decade.
In other results, Rep. James Clyburn clinched the Democratic nomination in South Carolina’s 6th Congressional District. A nationally recognized figure in his party, he's running for his 18th term.
In addition, Rep. Joe Wilson — Alan Wilson's father — won the Republican nod in South Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District. He's seeking a 14th term.
