Key facts
- President Donald Trump stated that both Republican gubernatorial candidates in South Carolina, Pamela Evette and Alan Wilson, would be good picks.
- Trump previously gave Evette his "Complete and Total Endorsement."
- Both Evette and Wilson have publicly acknowledged Trump's support.
- Trump's endorsements have had mixed success in recent primary elections.
President Donald Trump has altered his stance on the upcoming South Carolina gubernatorial runoff, now indicating that either Republican candidate would be a suitable choice. This shift comes after Trump had previously offered his "Complete and Total Endorsement" to Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump praised both Evette and state Attorney General Alan Wilson, stating, “Both have had amazing careers, and have been with me from the beginning. They are MAGA and America First all the way!” This move suggests a hedging of Trump's bets amid a primary season where some of his endorsed candidates have faced defeat, raising questions about his influence.
Evette, who secured a first-place finish in the primary with Trump's backing, expressed confidence in winning the June 23 runoff. Wilson also posted on social media, stating his honor at receiving Trump's endorsement. The article notes that Trump's endorsements have yielded mixed results in other gubernatorial races this year, citing examples in Iowa and Georgia where his chosen candidates did not secure nominations.
The report also references past instances where Trump has endorsed multiple candidates in a primary, such as in a 2022 Missouri Senate race and a 2024 Arizona governor's race, where his endorsements were initially given to one candidate before later extending to another. Trump-backed candidates Vivek Ramaswamy and Tommy Tuberville have dominated their primaries, while others like Burt Jones in Georgia and Randy Feenstra in Iowa lost their bids.