Trump backs both Republicans in South Carolina governor runoff

President Donald Trump has moved from picking a favorite to backing both Republicans left standing in South Carolina’s governor’s race, a rare double endorsement that looks less like kingmaking than damage control. With Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and state Attorney General Alan Wilson headed to a June 23 runoff, Trump is trying to stay attached to the winner and avoid being blamed if his first choice falls short.

Evette had already received Trump’s endorsement before the June 9 primary, and she finished first in the crowded field. But she did not clear a majority, forcing a runoff with Wilson and keeping the race alive in a state where Trump remains a central force in Republican politics. The Republican primary also included U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman and businessman Rom Reddy, underscoring how many ambitious candidates were willing to run on their ties to Trump and on his approval with GOP voters.

The runoff is especially significant because South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster is term-limited and cannot run again, creating the state’s first open governor’s race since 2010. The winner will face Democratic state Rep. Jermaine Johnson in the November 3 general election. That makes the contest not just a fight for the Republican nomination, but the opening act in a nationalized race in a state that has often been seen as safely red.

Trump’s decision to back both Evette and Wilson reflects the limits of his endorsement power in a fractured primary. His seal of approval still matters, especially in South Carolina, where Republicans have kept tying their campaigns to him because of his popularity there. But the runoff also shows that even Trump-backed candidates can split the vote, muddying the race for donors and voters rather than settling it.

For Trump, the strategy is familiar: keep influence over the field without being trapped by one outcome. If Evette wins, he can claim he helped lift the eventual nominee. If Wilson wins, Trump can point to his broader backing and avoid wearing a loss in a high-profile red-state contest. What once looked like a decisive endorsement has become something more cautious, a sign that Trump’s grip on GOP primaries still reaches far, but no longer guarantees consolidation.