SC Governor Runoff
South Carolina Attorney General Wins GOP Governor Runoff; Primaries Progress in Four States
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson crushed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in Tuesday's Republican gubernatorial runoff, winning 65.5% to 34.5%, according to FITSNews. The AP called the race at 7:27 PM EDT with only about 8% of votes counted — a sign of how lopsided the result was.
Wilson will face Democratic state Rep. Jermaine Johnson in November. A Democrat has not won the South Carolina Governor's Mansion since 1998, according to Ballotpedia.
Wilson Comes From Behind to Obliterate Evette
Evette led the June 9 primary with 28.86% to Wilson's 26.14%, per SOE Software. No candidate hit the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff. But Wilson flipped the script in a massive way — turning a 2.7-point deficit into a 31-point blowout in just two weeks.
Wilson declared victory at a downtown Columbia ballroom. "As a husband, father of two, combat veteran, and proven prosecutor, I will be a Governor focused on protecting South Carolina families," he said, per SCETV. Wilson has served as the state's attorney general since 2011.
Trump's Last-Minute Shift Gave Wilson Political Cover
Evette had the early backing of both sitting Gov. Henry McMaster and President Donald Trump. But on June 19 — four days before the runoff — Trump softened his stance. He moved from an exclusive Evette endorsement to calling both candidates "good picks," according to Las Vegas Sun.
Analysts say Trump's move was a strategic retreat to avoid backing a loser in a high-profile race. By declaring both candidates acceptable, he could claim credit no matter who won. The shift gave Wilson's supporters room to rally without feeling they were going against the president.
Mace Buries the Hatchet, GOP Looks Ahead to November
Rep. Nancy Mace had a contentious history with Wilson and raised it often during the primary. She finished fifth. But on primary night, Mace endorsed Wilson — a move 19th News says is key to keeping the Republican base unified heading into the general election.
Wilson has vowed to end "backroom deals" and "corporate incentive packages negotiated behind closed doors," per SCETV. He oversees a state budget that recently invested $1 billion in infrastructure. His Democratic opponent, Jermaine Johnson, is a former professional basketball player who won his primary outright on June 9, according to The Guardian.
Four-State Primary Night Sets Up Midterm Battles
South Carolina was one of four states holding primaries Tuesday, alongside Maryland, New York, and Utah. In Maryland, Adrian Boafo emerged as the frontrunner to replace retiring Rep. Steny Hoyer in the MD-5 Democratic primary, per Maryland Matters. In Utah, a new district map in Salt Lake City could give Democrats a rare pickup opportunity in a deep-red state, according to Las Vegas Sun.
The November midterms will decide control of both chambers of Congress. Primary turnout in South Carolina exceeded 25% on June 9 — well above historical off-year averages, per The State. High turnout could cut either way in a general election that will test whether Democrats can compete in a state that has leaned reliably Republican for nearly three decades.
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