Trump-backed Pamela Evette Leads South Carolina Primary Results Push
South Carolina primary results are being decided Tuesday as voters choose nominees for governor, the U.S. Senate, and congressional seats. Donald Trump’s endorsements shape several Republican contests, including Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette’s bid for governor and Sen. Lindsey Graham’s reelection race. Winners need a majority to avoid a June 23 runoff.
Pamela Evette and the governor race
Seven Republicans and three Democrats are running to replace Gov. Henry McMaster, who is term-limited after 10 years in office. Trump endorsed Evette, while U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman and state Attorney General Alan Wilson are also in the Republican field. The Democratic candidates are state Rep. Jermaine Johnson, attorney Mullins McLeod and businessman Billy Webster.
Mace’s campaign for governor leaves her 1st Congressional District seat open. Seven Democrats and 11 Republicans are on the primary ballot there, and former Gov. Mark Sanford has dropped out of the race.
Lindsey Graham and Trump
Graham is seeking a fifth term and faces five Republican primary challengers. Trump has endorsed him, too. As of May 20, Graham had spent more than $29 million on his reelection bid and had about $4.2 million remaining in the bank.
Among the Democrats running for Graham’s seat is Annie Andrews. The Senate race gives Republicans and Democrats a statewide contest that will reach beyond Tuesday’s vote if no candidate clears a majority.
June 23 runoff threshold
Primary winners must receive more than half the vote to avoid a June 23 runoff between the top two vote-getters. That makes the first count only part of the result in crowded fields, especially in the governor’s race and Graham’s Senate contest.
South Carolina is expected to again hold critical first-in-the-South presidential primaries, and Greenville, Horry, Charleston, Richland and Spartanburg counties play significant roles in primaries for both parties. None of the state’s seven congressional seats is expected to be especially competitive in November, so the immediate stakes are the nominations voters settle Tuesday.
