Trump hedges on SC governor’s race. Endorses both Evette, Wilson in GOP runoff
Hedging his bet in the South Carolina governor’s race, President Donald Trump has now endorsed Attorney General Alan Wilson along with Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette.
After originally backing Evette on May 29, the dual endorsement comes after polling ahead of Tuesday’s Republican runoff for governor has shown Wilson leading, and is an indication of Trump’s desire to support the winning candidate in the race.
“Both have had amazing careers, and have been with me from the beginning,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “They are MAGA and America first all the way! These were the two that I was hoping would get into a runoff, and they did. I can’t hurt one of them by only endorsing the other, so, therefore, I am going to endorse, for governor of South Carolina, both Pam Evette and Alan Wilson! It’s a wealth of riches.”
Wilson celebrated the endorsement.
“I’ve proudly stood with President Trump from the very beginning, defended him when others would not, and fought alongside him against the radical left,” Wilson said in a news release. “I am deeply honored to have his support because he understands I am focused on making South Carolina more affordable for families and profitable for businesses.”
On Friday, after Trump’s latest endorsement was released, Evette touted her first place finish in the primary.
“I was proud to come in first as President @realDonaldTrump’s endorsed candidate for governor on June 9th. Looking forward to doing it again on June 23rd,” Evette posted on X.
Trump initially endorsed Evette about a week-and-a-half before the June 9 primary, which helped her finish first in the race. But Evette and Wilson advanced to a June 23 runoff because no candidate received a majority of the vote.
“The president called me last Tuesday after the primary, and he said, ‘I’m so proud of you. You’re going to win this runoff. You’re going to win it big, and you and I are going to do it together, Pamela.’ ” Evette told reporters after the June 16 debate.
Since the primary, Wilson has been able to consolidate support around his candidacy, growing his endorsement list to 47 state lawmakers. He also has the backing of former rivals in the race, state Sen. Josh Kimbrell, U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman. On Friday, he also added U.S. Sen. Tim Scott to his list of endorsers.
According to a person familiar with the matter, Scott has been helping Wilson raise money for his campaign. The two will attend church together on Sunday.
Evette has 30 state lawmakers backing her campaign, as well as Gov. Henry McMaster and Treasurer Curtis Loftis.
When reports came out that Trump was considering a dual endorsement in the race, Wilson said he had no contact with the White House about the president making the move.
“I’ve already endorsed the president. If he were to endorse me, it would, of course, mean a lot to me. But at the end of the day, the most important endorsement is the endorsement that each voter gives me when they walk into that booth and they check my name on their ballot. That is the most important endorsement I’m looking for,” Wilson said.
Sun News Reporter Maria Elena Scott contributed to this article.
This story was originally published June 19, 2026 at 6:27 PM.
