2026 South Carolina gubernatorial election

Last updated

2026 South Carolina gubernatorial election
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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 first Trump administration and won full terms in 2018 and 2022.

Contents

Democrats have not won a gubernatorial election in South Carolina since Jim Hodges was elected in 1998.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Withdrawn

Endorsements

Pamela Evette
State legislators
Party officials
Individuals
Josh Kimbrell
State legislators
Ralph Norman
Executive branch officials
U.S. senators
State legislators
Organizations
Alan Wilson
Executive branch officials
State legislators
County officials
  • 23 county sheriffs [16]

Polling

Aggregate polls

Source of poll
aggregation		Dates
administered		Dates
updated		Pamela
Evette		Alan
Wilson		Nancy
Mace		Ralph
Norman		Other/
Undecided [a] 		Margin
RealClearPolitics [17] September 18 – October 19, 2025November 18, 202519.0%14.8%18.0%10.0%41.2% [b] Evette +1.0%
Race to the WH [18] through October 19, 2025November 18, 202516.6%13.1%17.4%8.9%52.9% [c] Mace +0.8%
Decision Desk HQ [19] through October 4, 2025November 18, 202514.6%16.6%18.2%9.4%41.2%Mace +1.6%
Average16.7%14.8%17.9%9.4%45.1%Mace +1.2%
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size [d] 		Margin
of error		Pamela
Evette		Josh
Kimbrell		Nancy
Mace		Ralph
Norman		Alan
Wilson		OtherUndecided
Wick [20] November 24–26, 2025600 (LV)± 4.0%16%2%11%12%22%–38%
Winthrop University [21] October 2–19, 20251,331 (RV)± 3.9%16%3%17%8%8%1% [e] 47%
Quantus Insights (R) [22] [A] October 1–4, 2025600 (RV)± 4.2%17%5%16%11%16%–35%
22% [f] 6%20%13%23%–16%
Trafalgar Group (R) [23] September 30 – October 2, 20251,094 (LV)± 2.9%20%1%16%9%12%–41%
co/efficient (R) [24] September 18–19, 20251,094 (LV)± 3.2%18%2%19%10%16%–35%
Meeting Street Insights (R) [25] [B] August 11–12, 2025600 (LV)± 4.0%6%3%25%10%17%–38%
7% [f] 4%30%12%21%–26%
Targoz Market Research/
South Carolina Policy Council [26] 		July 21–25, 20251,200 (RV)± 2.8%8%3%16%6%15%–52%
yes. every kid. (D) [27] July 18–21, 2025406 (LV)± 4.86%9%3%19%8%20%2%37%
First Tuesday Strategies (R) [28] March 19–21, 2025500 (LV)± 4.4%7%2%16%6%21%1% [g] 47%
Trafalgar Group (R) [29] March 8–10, 20251,127 (LV)± 2.9%31%–29%11%27%–2%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

  • Jermaine Johnson, state representative from the 80th district [h] (2020–present) [30]
  • Mullins McLeod, trial attorney and candidate for governor in 2010 [31]

Declined

Endorsements

Jermaine Johnson
State legislators

General election

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report [34] Solid RSeptember 11, 2025
Inside Elections [35] Solid RAugust 28, 2025
Sabato's Crystal Ball [36] Safe RSeptember 4, 2025
Race to the WH [37] Lean RNovember 25, 2025

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Calculated by taking the difference of 100% and all other candidates combined.
  2. ↑ Kimbrell at 3%
  3. ↑ Kimbrell at 2.3%, Bennett at 1.2%
  4. ↑ Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  5. ↑ "Prefer not to say" with 1%
  6. 1 2 With voters who lean towards a given candidate
  7. ↑ Sean Bennett with 1%
  8. ↑ Multiple districts; 52nd district since 2024

Partisan clients

  1. ↑ Poll sponsored by Mace's campaign

References

  1. ↑ Bustos, Joseph (July 14, 2025). "Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette joins race for South Carolina governor. 5 things to know". The State . Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  2. ↑ Moore, Stephanie (June 23, 2025). "Sen. Josh Kimbrell announces run for SC governor". WYFF . Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  3. ↑ Goba, Kadia (August 4, 2025). "Rep. Nancy Mace, Trump critic-turned-ally, to run for South Carolina governor". The Washington Post . Retrieved August 4, 2025.
  4. ↑ Kinnard, Meg (July 25, 2025). "Rep. Ralph Norman, among House's most conservative, set to enter South Carolina governor's race". Associated Press . Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  5. ↑ Kinnard, Meg (June 23, 2025). "Alan Wilson, South Carolina's four-term Republican attorney general, enters 2026 governor's race". Associated Press . Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  6. ↑ Chornobroff, Shaun (February 11, 2025). "Former SC treasurer and reality TV star ends bid for governor, days after announcement". South Carolina Daily Gazette . Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Mace wants Trump to force mass layoffs to motivate Democrats on spending plan". The Greenville News. Archived from the original on December 1, 2025. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  8. ↑ Carpentier, Bella (September 24, 2025). "SC Rep. Bruce Bannister endorses Pamela Evette for South Carolina governor". The Greenville News . Retrieved September 26, 2025.
  9. 1 2 O'Neill, Nora (August 1, 2025). "SC senator announces run for Ralph Norman's 5th District seat in Congress". Rock Hill Herald . Retrieved August 4, 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Brown, Andrew (October 29, 2025). "Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette lands major endorsements in Horry County". MyHorryNews.com. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  11. ↑ Deanne, Emily (November 19, 2025). "Rep. Gatch backs Evette, stressing shared goals on transparency and business policies". WCIV. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Bustos, Joseph. "With 3rd quarter fundraising reports in, who has edge in SC GOP governor's race". The State. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  13. ↑ Bustos, Joseph (April 14, 2025). "Top GOP figures dominate buzz for SC governor's race. Can others gain traction?". The State . Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  14. ↑ Byrd, Caitlin (July 22, 2025). "SC Medal of Honor recipient James Livingston backs Pam Evette for governor in 2026 GOP primary". The State . Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  15. 1 2 3 Atkinson, Macon (July 27, 2025). "Nikki Haley and Jim DeMint endorse Ralph Norman for SC governor as he launches campaign in Rock Hill". The Post and Courier . Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  16. ↑ Dorsch, Eric (July 22, 2025). "Alan Wilson endorsed for Governor by 22 Republican sheriffs". WSAV-TV . Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  17. ↑ "2026 South Carolina Governor - Republican Primary | RealClearPolling". RCP. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Latest Polling for Governor Races - 2025-2026". Race to the WH. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
  19. ↑ "SC Gov 2026". DDHQ. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
  20. ↑ Burrell, David (December 1, 2025). "New SC GOP Primary Poll". Wick. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
  21. ↑ "October 2025 Winthrop Poll". Winthrop University . October 28, 2025. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
  22. ↑ Corley, Jason (October 7, 2025). "South Carolina Republican Primary Survey". Quantus Insights. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  23. ↑ "South Carolina Governor GOP Primary Poll" (PDF). The Trafalgar Group . October 6, 2025. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  24. ↑ "South Carolina 2026 Republican Primary" (PDF). co/efficient. September 19, 2025. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Key Survey Data Among South Carolina Republican Primary Voters". Meeting Street Insights. August 13, 2025. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  26. ↑ Mueller, Julia (July 29, 2025). "Mace leading South Carolina Republican gubernatorial primary polling". The Hill . Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  27. ↑ "Toplines" (PDF). yes. every kid. Foundation. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
  28. ↑ "SCGOP Primary - March 2025" (PDF). FITSNews . Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  29. ↑ Reagan, Nick (March 12, 2025). "Early poll gives SC lieutenant governor edge in 2026 race". WCSC-TV . Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  30. ↑ Bustos, Joseph (October 28, 2025). "'I'm not a sacrificial lamb.' Jermaine Johnson launches his bid for SC governor". The State . Retrieved October 28, 2025.
  31. ↑ Reynolds, Nick (August 11, 2025). "With little publicity, Charleston attorney Mullins McLeod enters Democratic race for governor". The Post and Courier . Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  32. ↑ Bustos, Joseph (November 14, 2024). "Who might run for South Carolina governor and US senator in 2026? Here are names to watch". The State . Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Democrat candidate for governor announces slate of endorsements from state legislators". ABC4News. November 18, 2025.
  34. ↑ "2026 CPR Governor Race ratings". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  35. ↑ "Gubernatorial Ratings". Inside Elections . Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  36. ↑ "2026 Governor". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
  37. ↑ "Governor Forecast - 2026-2026". Race to the WH. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
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