Evette, Wilson head to June 23 runoff for South Carolina governor as Mace finishes fifth at 12%
South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson advanced to a June 23 runoff for the Republican gubernatorial nomination after none of the six candidates in the June 9 primary reached th.
At a glance
- No candidate reached a majority in the six-way South Carolina GOP gubernatorial primary on June 9, 2026; Pamela Evette and Alan Wilson advanced to a June 23 runoff
- Rep. Nancy Mace finished fifth with 12% of the vote, conceded and endorsed Wilson
- Trump endorsed Evette shortly before the primary, calling her a 'good friend, fighter, and WINNER'
- Incumbent Gov. Henry McMaster is term-limited; eliminated candidates included Josh Kimbrell, Ralph Norman and Rom Reddy
- Sen. Lindsey Graham won the GOP Senate primary and will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November
VERDICT — CONFIRMED
South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson advanced to a June 23 runoff for the Republican gubernatorial nomination after none of the six candidates in the June 9 primary reached the majority required for outright victory. US Representative Nancy Mace, once viewed as a leading contender, finished fifth with 12% of the vote; the eliminated field also included Josh Kimbrell, US Representative Ralph Norman and businessman Rom Reddy.
President Donald Trump endorsed Evette shortly before the primary, calling her a 'good friend, fighter, and WINNER' — a late intervention that helped carry the lieutenant governor into the runoff. Mace conceded on Tuesday night and endorsed Wilson, who has served as attorney general for more than 15 years, saying: 'As a survivor, I chose to stand on principle and stand against the Epstein cover-up.
And apparently, I chose wrong if the goal was winning an election.' The runoff winner will be favored to succeed term-limited Governor Henry McMaster in the solidly Republican state. On the same ballot, Senator Lindsey Graham won renomination and will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November.
Why it matters
the Evette-Wilson runoff becomes a direct test of Trump's endorsement power in an open-seat governor's race, while Mace's fifth-place collapse prices the cost of breaking with the White House over the Epstein files.
Update log · verification desk
Key facts on file
- No candidate reached a majority in the six-way South Carolina GOP gubernatorial primary on June 9, 2026; Pamela Evette and Alan Wilson advanced to a June 23 runoff
- Rep. Nancy Mace finished fifth with 12% of the vote, conceded and endorsed Wilson
- Trump endorsed Evette shortly before the primary, calling her a 'good friend, fighter, and WINNER'
- Incumbent Gov. Henry McMaster is term-limited; eliminated candidates included Josh Kimbrell, Ralph Norman and Rom Reddy
- Sen. Lindsey Graham won the GOP Senate primary and will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November
