South Carolina Republicans Vote In Governor’s Race Shaped By Trump Endorsement

It’s Election Day in the Palmetto State, and here is where things stand in South Carolina’s competitive Republican gubernatorial primary.

As Gov. Henry McMaster is term-limited, the race to replace him has drawn a very crowded field and become a test of name recognition, conservative credentials and President Donald Trump’s influence in the state.

Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette has leaned on the backing of McMaster and, most recently, Trump’s endorsement, raising the question of how much power the MAGA endorsement still holds in South Carolina. The field includes Attorney General Alan Wilson, South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace and South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman, all of whom bring their own bases of support and statewide appeal.

Mace has argued that Trump’s endorsement has not sealed the race for Evette, telling Fox News Digital the endorsement was “not going over well” with the grassroots and that Evette got “maybe a five point bump — not much.”

Evette led the GOP gubernatorial field at 16%, followed by Norman at 15%, Wilson at 14%, Mace at 13% and businessman Rom Reddy at 10%, according to a South Carolina Policy Council poll conducted by Conquest Group from May 18–21 among 500 likely Republican primary voters.

If no candidate wins a majority, the race will move to a runoff later this month, meaning Tuesday’s results may only be the first round in the fight for the Republican nomination.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.