Trump tweets support for McMaster as candidates for SC governor make final campaign stops

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster ended his statewide bus tour on Saturday at a Columbia gun show, where he touted his endorsement from the National Rifle Association and picked up new voters ahead of Tuesday's primary.

"I'm going with Henry McMaster," said Brian McElwain, who accompanied his 23-year-old daughter, Kelsie, to the gun show at the Fairgrounds on Saturday.

"It was a close-up between him and John Warren. But there's something about him, some kind of honesty in his eyes and in his handshake. He supports the NRA. He supports our state 100 percent. When I walked in it was a tossup, but after this ... it's McMaster."

"He sounds very confident, and he is to the point," said Kelsie, who is leaning toward voting for McMaster. "With politicians, you don't find that a lot."

This weekend, candidates for S.C. governor swarmed the state, hoping to pick up undecided voters and score last-minute political points before South Carolinians head to the ballot box Tuesday and decide on the Democratic and Republican nominees.

McMaster might have done just that Saturday, when the Columbia Republican picked up another helpful boost to push him past Tuesday — a personal shout-out on Twitter from President Donald Trump.

"Henry McMaster loves the people of South Carolina and was with me from the beginning," Trump tweeted Saturday. "He is strong on Crime and Borders, great for our Military and our Vets. He is doing a fantastic job as your Governor, and has my full endorsement, a special guy. Vote on Tuesday."

Presumed Democratic Party front-runner state Rep. James Smith of Columbia spent most of his weekend in the Upstate, traditionally a conservative stomping ground for Republican candidates.

Florence anti-trust attorney Marguerite Willis made campaign stops in Charleston, Florence and Columbia, where Sunday she will join teachers for a town hall on education.

On the GOP side, Mount Pleasant attorney Catherine Templeton met with voters in Berkeley and Mount Pleasant, while Greenville businessman John Warren made stops in and around Pickens County.

Recent polling has shown a tight race in both party primaries, leading to speculation of at least one runoff, or two.

McMaster told reporters Saturday he is hoping to bring home a win on Tuesday.

"If we don't, we'll do it two weeks later," he said. "But we will win this election."

This story was originally published June 9, 2018 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Trump tweets support for McMaster as candidates for SC governor make final campaign stops."