Gov. Henry McMaster has endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in the crowded Republican primary to succeed him, releasing a video statement and planning a joint appearance in Columbia. The endorsement could strengthen Evette's bid for a coveted endorsement from former President Donald Trump, who has not yet weighed in. Evette has signaled strong loyalty to Trump, hired his longtime pollster Tony Fabrizio and ran a roughly $1 million multimedia ad campaign featuring a clip of Trump. South Carolina's primary is June 9, with a potential runoff two weeks later.
McMaster Endorses Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette — Could Trump’s Endorsement Follow?
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, left, listens as Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, right, speaks at a news conference on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has formally endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in her bid to succeed him, releasing a video statement and planning a joint appearance in Columbia to make the announcement.
In the video, McMaster praised Evette as his partner in making South Carolina "the best place to live, work and raise a family," adding, "With Pamela Evette as our next governor, we'll keep winning." Evette characterized the endorsement as "a clear sign" she can continue McMaster's agenda and emphasized her longstanding loyalty to former President Donald Trump.
What This Means for the GOP Primary
Evette is competing in a crowded Republican primary against U.S. Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman and state Attorney General Alan Wilson. In reliably Republican South Carolina, securing Trump's endorsement has become a major prize — and McMaster's backing could give Evette an inside track for that support. Trump has not yet endorsed in the governor's race, and it remains unclear if or when he will.
Background and Political Ties
McMaster and Trump have a long history of alignment. As lieutenant governor in 2016, McMaster was the first statewide official to publicly back Trump when many GOP insiders were hesitant to do so. That alliance paid off politically when Trump's pick of Nikki Haley as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations allowed McMaster to become governor. Trump's influence has remained strong in the state: he helped unseat a five-term Republican congressman who opposed him in 2022 and decisively beat Nikki Haley in South Carolina's 2024 presidential primary.
Evette: "He remembers who was loyal, and who was with him when it wasn't easy to be with him. There's a lot of communication. We have a lot of tentacles that tie us together."
Campaign Moves
Evette has made Trump a focal point of her campaign. She has visited the White House, plans to return next month and has used the slogan "Keep South Carolina Great," an echo of Trump’s "Make America Great Again." Her campaign has added Republican operatives with ties to Trump, including longtime pollster Tony Fabrizio, and reportedly spent about $1 million last year on multimedia advertising that included a clip of Trump praising her.
Other candidates are also staking their claims to Trump's favor. Mace has styled herself as "Trump in high heels" and points to the president's favorable social media posts about her. Wilson highlights his Trump support both as a candidate and as attorney general. Norman, a member of the House Freedom Caucus and a reliably conservative voice, supported Trump in his first term but backed Nikki Haley in 2024.
Timing And The Road Ahead
South Carolina’s primary is scheduled for June 9, with a runoff two weeks later if no candidate wins a majority. The filing deadline for governor is more than a month away, so the field could still change. Two Democrats have announced campaigns, but Republicans hold all statewide elected offices in South Carolina and have held the governorship for the past two decades.
What to watch: whether Trump decides to endorse a candidate and whether McMaster's backing consolidates GOP support around Evette ahead of the June primary.
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