GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) 鈥� 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.
President Donald Trump early on gave his endorsement of Graham, of the president, despite their on-again, off-again relationship. Graham also had secured the support of some leading state Republicans, Sen. and Gov. , to plow a path to another nomination.
Addressing Trump in his victory speech, Graham said “I鈥檓 going to help you change this world and change this country.鈥� He has been outspoken in favor of military action against Iran.
However, Evette only secured a runoff berth in the governor’s race a week after garnering Trump’s endorsement. She will face Wilson in the June 23 primary. Others in the race included U.S. Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman. Mace quickly threw her support to Wilson for the upcoming primary.
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 . This year, he’ll face Charleston pediatrician Annie Andrews in November.
Republican governor candidates have played largely to Trump
Competition among Republicans for Trump鈥檚 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鈥檚 first term. But in the 2024 campaign, Norman stumped for former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley instead of Trump.
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, hopes to bounce Lynch en route to 5th term
South Carolina鈥檚 other top contest Tuesday 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 for direct confrontation between Washington and Tehran. Graham cheered Trump鈥檚 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 鈥淎merica First鈥� candidate, Lynch campaigned as a Trump supporter. However, the president has called him a 鈥渓unatic鈥� and a 鈥渄isaster for the Republican Party.”
Winning statewide in November remains a tall order for SC Democrats
Democrats haven鈥檛 won the governor鈥檚 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鈥檚 characterized as Graham鈥檚 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 in the South Carolina governor鈥檚 race.
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鈥檚 Democratic response to McMaster鈥檚 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.
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This story has been corrected to show Jermaine Johnson won the Democratic nomination outright for South Carolina governor, not entering a runoff.
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Collins reported from Columbia, South Carolina.
Meg Kinnard can be reached at
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