2026 South Carolina gubernatorial election

Last updated

2026 South Carolina gubernatorial election
Flag of South Carolina.svg
  2022 November 3, 20262030 
 
Party Republican Democratic

Incumbent Governor

Henry McMaster
Republican



The 2026 South Carolina gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the next governor of South Carolina. Incumbent Governor Henry McMaster is term-limited and cannot seek a third full consecutive term. He took office on January 24, 2017 upon the resignation of fellow Republican Nikki Haley to become U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under the Trump administration and won full terms in 2018 and 2022.

Contents

Republican primary

Candidates

Potential

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asa Hutchinson</span> Governor of Arkansas from 2015 to 2023

William Asa Hutchinson II is an American attorney, businessman, and politician who served as the 46th governor of Arkansas from 2015 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a U.S. attorney, U.S. representative, and in two roles in the George W. Bush administration. He was a candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikki Haley</span> American politician and diplomat (born 1972)

Nimarata Nikki Haley is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 116th governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017 and as the 29th U.S. ambassador to the United Nations from January 2017 to December 2018. A Republican, Haley is the first Indian American to serve in a presidential cabinet. She was a candidate in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries. Her victory in the Washington, D.C. primary on March 3, 2024, made her the first woman ever to win a Republican Party presidential primary contest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Scott</span> American politician and businessman (born 1965)

Timothy Eugene Scott is an American businessman and politician serving as the junior United States senator from South Carolina since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the Charleston County Council, a state representative, and a U.S. Representative. He also worked in financial services before entering politics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 South Carolina gubernatorial election</span>

The 2018 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the Governor of South Carolina. Incumbent Republican Governor Henry McMaster, who took office after Nikki Haley resigned to become U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, ran for election to a full term. The primary was held on June 12, with the Democrats nominating State Representative James E. Smith Jr. McMaster failed to win a majority of the vote, and then defeated John Warren in the Republican runoff on June 26. In the general election, McMaster defeated Smith, winning election to a full term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 United States Senate elections</span>

The 2022 United States Senate elections were held on November 8, 2022, concurrently with other midterm elections at the federal, state, and local levels. Regularly scheduled elections were held for 34 of the 100 seats in the U.S. Senate, the winners of which will serve 6-year terms beginning with the 118th United States Congress. 2 special elections were held to complete unexpired terms. While pundits considered the Republican Party a slight favorite to gain control of the Senate, the Democrats outperformed expectations and expanded the majority they had held since 2021, gaining a seat for a functioning 51–49 majority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 South Carolina gubernatorial election</span>

The 2022 South Carolina gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of South Carolina. Incumbent Republican Governor Henry McMaster ran for re-election for a second full term in office and secured the Republican nomination in the June 14 primary. Joe Cunningham, former United States Representative from South Carolina's 1st congressional district, was the Democratic nominee. McMaster won the general election with 58% of the vote — a larger margin than in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 United States Senate election in Virginia</span>

The 2024 United States Senate election in Virginia will be held on November 5, 2024, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the Commonwealth of Virginia. Democratic incumbent Tim Kaine is seeking a third term. He is being challenged by Republican former U.S. Navy captain Hung Cao. Primary elections took place on June 18, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 United States Senate election in South Carolina</span>

The 2022 United States Senate election in South Carolina was held on November 8, 2022, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of South Carolina. Incumbent senator Tim Scott won reelection to a second full term, defeating state representative Krystle Matthews. This was the third consecutive election for this seat where both major party nominees were black.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina</span>

The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 8, 2022, to elect the seven U.S. representatives from the state of South Carolina, one from each of the state's seven congressional districts. The elections coincided with other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2026 United States Senate elections</span>

The 2026 United States Senate elections are scheduled to be held on November 3, 2026, with 33 of the 100 seats in the Senate being contested in regular elections, the winners of which will serve 6-year terms in the United States Congress from January 3, 2027, to January 3, 2033. Senators are divided into 3 groups, or classes, whose terms are staggered so that a different class is elected every 2 years. Class 2 senators were last elected in 2020, and will be up for election in 2032.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 North Carolina gubernatorial election</span>

The 2024 North Carolina gubernatorial election will be held on November 5, 2024, to elect the governor of North Carolina, concurrently with the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various other state and local elections. Democratic state attorney general Josh Stein and Republican lieutenant governor Mark Robinson are seeking their first term in office. The winner will succeed Democratic incumbent Roy Cooper, who is term limited. This is the only Democratic-held governorship up for election in 2024 in a state Donald Trump won in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 West Virginia gubernatorial election</span>

The 2024 West Virginia gubernatorial election will be held on November 5, 2024, to elect the governor of West Virginia, concurrently with the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Republican State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is running against Huntington Mayor Steve Williams for Governor. Incumbent Jim Justice is term-limited and cannot seek re-election to a third consecutive term in office; he is instead running for the U.S. Senate. First elected in 2016 as a Democrat by 6.8 percentage points, Justice switched parties in August 2017 and won re-election in 2020 as a Republican by 33.3 percentage points. Primary elections took place on May 14, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2026 United States gubernatorial elections</span>

United States gubernatorial elections are scheduled to be held on November 3, 2026, in 36 states and three territories. The previous gubernatorial elections for this group of states took place in 2022, except in New Hampshire and Vermont, where governors serve two-year terms and will elect their governors in 2024. Many of the states with elections in this cycle have incumbents who are officially term-limited.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina</span>

The 2024 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina will be held on November 5, 2024, to elect the fourteen U.S. representatives from the State of North Carolina, one from all fourteen of the state's congressional districts. The elections will coincide with the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections. The primary elections took place on March 5, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2026 Alabama gubernatorial election</span>

The 2026 Alabama gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the next governor of Alabama. Incumbent Governor Kay Ivey is term-limited and ineligible to seek a third full consecutive term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Missouri Attorney General election</span>

The 2024 Missouri Attorney General election will be held on November 5, 2024, to elect the attorney general of the state of Missouri. It will coincide with the concurrent presidential election, as well as various state and local elections, including for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and governor of Missouri. Primary elections took place on August 6, 2024. Incumbent Andrew Bailey won the Republican nomination.

This is a list of endorsements for declared or potential candidates in the Republican primaries for the 2024 United States presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 South Carolina Republican presidential primary</span>

The 2024 South Carolina Republican presidential primary was held on February 24, 2024, as part of the Republican Party primaries for the 2024 presidential election. 50 delegates to the 2024 Republican National Convention were allocated on a selection basis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 North Carolina Attorney General election</span>

The 2024 North Carolina Attorney General election will be held on November 5, 2024, to elect the next attorney general of North Carolina, concurrently with the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the U.S. Senate and various state and local elections, including for U.S. House and governor of North Carolina. Democratic congressman Jeff Jackson and Republican congressman Dan Bishop are seeking their first term in office. The winner will succeed Democratic incumbent Josh Stein, who is not seeking re-election in order to run for governor. Republicans have not won a North Carolina attorney general election since 1896.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Brack, Andy (February 24, 2023). "BRACK: Race for governor in 2026 already underway". Statehouse Report. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  2. "South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott abruptly ends 2024 presidential bid, shocking even his campaign staff". AP News. November 13, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  3. "SC Attorney General calls Trump trial a 'travesty of justice' outside Manhattan courthouse". WCBD News 2. May 20, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2024.