South Carolina voters head to the polls for primary elections in governor and Senate races, with Republican candidates competing for President Trump's endorsement. Incumbent Sen. Lindsey Graham and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, backed by Trump, face challenges from opponents like Rep. Nancy Mace. Democrats seek their first statewide win in 20 years but face an uphill battle.
FILE - Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. , speaks with supporters after filing his reelection paperwork, March 16, 2026, in Columbia, S.C. COLUMBIA, S.C.
— South Carolina voters on Tuesday are aiming to winnow the field in high-profile races for governor and U.S. Senate, with Republicans seeking to maintain a statewide winning streak that stretches back decades. Republican contenders have trumpeted their loyalty to President Donald Trump, who has remained popular in the state despite some nationwide wavering as the war with Iran continues. Sen.
Lindsey Graham, among Trump’s top allies on Capitol Hill, notched the president’s endorsement before his campaign had even begun. In the governor’s race, Trump backed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette over several opponents, including U.S. Rep.
Nancy Mace. The primary will determine whether the endorsement can help Evette win outright or if there will be a runoff on June 23. Democrats are searching for their first victory in a statewide race here in 20 years, but their campaigns for governor and Senate will be an uphill climb. Competition among Republicans for Trump’s support has seemed more intense than any other facet of the primary campaign.
Even before Evette received the president’s endorsement, she frequently featured photos and videos of herself with Trump in campaign materials. She was backed by outgoing Gov. Henry McMaster, a longstanding ally of Trump whose support telegraphed the president’s own. Mace also wanted Trump’s support, and he endorsed her congressional reelection in 2024 even though she criticized his actions of Jan. 6, 2021, when his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol.
Rep. Ralph Norman, among the most conservative members of the House and a member of the Freedom Caucus, strongly supported Trump in the president’s first term. But in the 2024 campaign, Norman stumped for former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley instead of Trump.
Rom Reddy, a coastal businessman who has eschewed campaign donations and self-funded his effort, has touted his lack of political experience as an asset, drawing comparisons between Trump and himself. South Carolina’s other top contest Tuesday is its Senate race, where Graham is competing for the Republican nomination as he seeks a fifth term. A political confidant and regular golfing partner of the president, Graham has routinely batted back primary challengers over the years.
Some of this year’s contenders — including Project 2025 chief architect Paul Dans and former Lt. Gov. André Bauer — dropped out months ago. Although their relationship has undulated through the years, Graham has remained close with Trump, who fulfilled the senator’s longstanding wish for direct confrontation between Washington and Tehran.
Graham cheered Trump’s decision to strike nuclear sites last year and recently said he often speaks to the president about the ongoing conflict. Among Graham’s primary foes are including Greenville businessman Mark Lynch, who has said Graham isn’t conservative enough to represent the state. Calling himself an “America First” candidate, Lynch has campaigned as a Trump supporter, but on social media the president has called him a “lunatic” and a “disaster for the Republican Party.
”Democrats haven’t won the governor’s office or a Senate seat in South Carolina for decades. McMaster defeated his opponent by nearly 18 percentage points in 2022. Graham won by 10 points in 2020, defeating Jaime Harrison after the most expensive race in state history. Some Democrats hope to capitalize on dissatisfaction with Trump this year.
In the governor’s race, State Rep. Jermaine Johnson, seen as a rising star in the party, is facing several opponents, including political newcomer Billy Webster, a payday loan company founder who lent his campaign $2 million. There’s also attorney Mullins McLeod, who withstood calls from party leaders to shutter his campaign after dashcam video of his 2025 disorderly conduct arrest was released.
In the Senate race, Charleston physician Annie Andrews — who unsuccessfully challenged Mace in 2022 — is vying for the Democratic nomination against Brandon Brown, a funeral homeowner and former House candidate. COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina voters on Tuesday are aiming to winnow the field in high-profile races for governor and U.S. Senate, with Republicans seeking to maintain a statewide winning streak that stretches back decades.
Republican contenders have trumpeted their loyalty to President Donald Trump, who has remained popular in the state despite some LAS VEGAS — Nevadans are choosing their party nominees Tuesday for two closely watched congressional seats and the governor’s race, among others, as the state grapples with an affordable housing shortage, exploding energy demand from data centers and federal cuts to key state programs. The state has a closed primary, meaning only registered Democrats PORTLAND, Maine — Graham Platner has attracted a following of enthusiastic supporters and been confronted with a string of controversies as he has transformed from a political unknown into the leading Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in one of the year’s most critical races.
Platner is running in Tuesday’s primary for the chance to Asian shares were mixed Tuesday, with tech shares leading gains after Wall Street recovered some of its sell-off from last week. Oil prices fell back after surging on Monday as fighting flared between Israel and Iran, threatening to pull the region back into full-scale war. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 gained 1% to 64,654.22. Computer chip equipment MONTGOMERY, Ala.
— A federal appeals court ruled Monday that Alabama’s use of nitrogen gas to put prisoners to death needs more study of whether it violates a constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment, days before a scheduled execution by that method. The execution method, first used in 2024 by the state of JUNEAU, Alaska — Alaska U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan acknowledges that sharing a name and party affiliation with the incumbent Republican gives him “an instant megaphone” in the crowded primary race.
But Sullivan said his campaign isn’t a sham or something Democrats put him up to doing. He said friends for years have jokingly Why 45 is the new 50: The updated playbook for colon cancer screenings Colon cancer is one of the most common and deadliest types of cancer, and routine screenings are the best way to reduce your chances of becoming a statistic.
Redmond HVAC contractor earns triple recognition in 60 days, reflecting a shift in how homeowners vet contractors Three independent organizations that evaluate home service contractors each reached the same conclusion: Home Comfort Alliance is among the most reliable in its market. WSECU Community Champion: Chrystal Ortega’s mission to feed Spokane Chrystal Ortega's tireless dedication recently earned her the WSECU Community Champions Award and a $1,000 grant to further the mission.
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