Trump’s Endurance Test: Evette Advances to Runoff in South Carolina
President Donald Trump’s endorsement power faced a critical test in South Carolina on Tuesday, as Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette finished first in a five-way Republican gubernatorial primary but fell short of the majority needed to avoid a runoff. Evette will face South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson in a June 23 runoff, according to Fox News.
The Primary Results
Evette secured approximately 29% of the vote, while Wilson took roughly 26%, triggering the runoff since no candidate exceeded 50%. The outcome came just one week after Trump-endorsed Rep. Randy Feenstra lost the Iowa GOP gubernatorial primary to Zach Lahn, a businessman and farmer backed by the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, as NPR reported.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a longtime Trump ally, won his Senate primary outright, avoiding a runoff despite challenges from five candidates, including conservative businessman Mark Lynch who criticized Graham’s support for the Iran war.
A record number of South Carolinians voted early over the two weeks leading up to the primary, reflecting heightened interest in the open-seat race to replace term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster.
Trump’s Endorsement in Play
Trump endorsed Evette on May 29, calling her a “good friend, fighter, and WINNER” and giving her his “Complete and Total Endorsement” on Truth Social. He had remained neutral for months before making the pick, as Fox Carolina reported.
Evette credited Trump’s backing for her first-place finish. “No doubt President Trump’s strong support was the rocket fuel that propelled us to first place,” she said in a statement after advancing to the runoff, according to NBC News.
The Mace Factor and Epstein Files Controversy
Rep. Nancy Mace, who had sought Trump’s endorsement but lost it after pushing for the release of Justice Department files related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, finished a distant fifth in the primary. Mace, a survivor of sexual assault, framed her stance as a matter of principle, stating: “I know I put the likelihood of an endorsement on the line when I demanded transparency on the Epstein files. I demanded it because you deserved the truth — ALL OF IT. If this is the price of an endorsement, I will never pay it.” She subsequently endorsed Wilson for the runoff, a move that could prove significant in consolidating anti-Evette support.
The McMaster Jr. Controversy
Trump’s endorsement post suggested that Henry McMaster Jr., the governor’s son, would be Evette’s running mate, sparking accusations of a backroom deal from rival campaigns. Wilson seized on the issue, saying “Conservatives said this office must be earned, not arranged.” McMaster Jr. later took himself out of consideration, saying “now is simply not the right time.”
Policy Alignment and the Runoff Ahead
There is little policy difference between Evette and Wilson on key issues. Both support maintaining South Carolina’s current six-week abortion law — a position that polling bears out among state voters — and eliminating the state’s 5.21% personal income tax, which has been gradually reduced. Both also advocate for making government more efficient through audits.
The runoff will likely hinge on personality, perceived electability, and the relative weight of Trump’s endorsement versus Wilson’s 15 years of experience as attorney general. Wilson also serves as a Colonel in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps for the South Carolina Army National Guard and is the son of 2nd District Congressman Joe Wilson.
Wilson gained national attention through his office’s work on the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial, though the conviction was overturned by the state Supreme Court in May 2026 due to jury tampering by the Colleton County Clerk of Court. The case is set to be retried in the coming months.
What the Iowa Upset Means
The Iowa loss to Feenstra snapped Trump’s endorsement-winning streak in high-profile primaries — a streak that had seen his backed candidates oust incumbents in Indiana, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Texas throughout 2026. The Iowa upset was fueled by the rising influence of the MAHA movement aligned with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Turning Point USA, as the Daily Caller News Foundation reported.
What to Watch For
Evette and Wilson are scheduled to face off in a runoff debate on June 16 at Coastal Carolina University. The winner of the June 23 runoff is considered the clear favorite in the general election in the solidly red state, where state Rep. Jermaine Johnson won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
The South Carolina result, combined with the Iowa upset, delivers a mixed verdict on Trump’s political clout. Evette’s first-place finish reaffirms that Trump’s endorsement remains a powerful force in Republican primaries, but her inability to secure a majority — securing only about 29% in a five-way race — demonstrates that his influence is not absolute. The June 23 runoff will be a critical test of whether Trump’s backing alone can carry a candidate to victory, or whether other factors like experience, local endorsements, and campaign organization will prove decisive. The outcome will have significant implications for the 2026 midterm elections and the future direction of the Republican Party.