Alan Wilson, South Carolina's attorney general, defeated Lieutenant Governor Pam Evette in the Republican primary runoff for governor on Tuesday, despite President Donald Trump's unusual dual endorsement of both candidates just days earlier.
Trump's Conflicting Endorsements
Trump initially gave Evette a full-throated endorsement on May 16, calling her a "true America First fighter" in a 354-word statement. But after she led Wilson by fewer than 3 percentage points in the June 9 primary, Trump switched tactics. In a June 27 social media post, he wrote: "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!"
Trump has long boasted that his endorsement is a near-guarantee of victory, but his record relies heavily on backing incumbents with little opposition or waiting until a frontrunner emerges. The South Carolina result follows recent losses for Trump-endorsed gubernatorial candidates in Iowa and Georgia.
General Election Outlook
Wilson will face Democratic nominee Jermaine Johnson in November. Johnson, a state legislator and former professional basketball player who played overseas, won a clear majority in the June 9 primary. South Carolina has not elected a Democratic governor since 1998, and no Democrat has won statewide office since 2006.
