The governor of South Carolina is the head of government of South Carolina. The governor is the ex officio commander-in-chief of the National Guard when not called into federal service. The governor's responsibilities include making yearly "State of the State" addresses to the South Carolina General Assembly,submitting an executive budget,and ensuring that state laws are enforced.
Henry Dargan McMaster is an American politician and attorney serving as the 117th governor of South Carolina since 2017. A member of the Republican Party,he was the 50th Attorney General of South Carolina from 2003 to 2011 and the 91st lieutenant governor of South Carolina from 2015 to 2017 under Governor Nikki Haley.
The 2010 South Carolina gubernatorial election took place on November 2,2010. Incumbent Republican Governor Mark Sanford was term limited and unable to seek re-election. Primary elections took place on June 8,2010,and a runoff election,as was necessary on the Republican side,was held two weeks later on June 22.
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.
James Emerson Smith Jr. is an American politician who served as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1996 to 2019. Smith is a combat veteran and a serving officer in the South Carolina Army National Guard,a small business owner,and a practicing attorney in Columbia,South Carolina.
Vincent Austin Sheheen is an American attorney and politician. He was a member of the South Carolina Senate from 2004 to 2020,representing the 27th District,which comprises Chesterfield,Kershaw,and Lancaster counties. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 2001 to 2004. He ran for Governor of South Carolina twice,in 2010 and 2014,losing both times to Nikki Haley. In 2020,Sheheen lost reelection to Republican Penry Gustafson.
Thomas C. Davis is a Republican member of the South Carolina Senate since January 14,2009. His district includes part of Beaufort County.
Lee Bright is an American politician who served as the South Carolina State Senator from the 12th district from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Republican Party,his district included Spartanburg County and Greenville County. Bright unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate in 2014 and U.S. House of Representatives in 2018.
The 2014 South Carolina gubernatorial election took place on November 4,2014,to elect the Governor of South Carolina,concurrently with the regularly-scheduled election and special election to both of South Carolina's U.S. Senate seats,as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
The 2014 United States Senate special election in South Carolina took place on November 4,2014,concurrently with the regular election for the other South Carolina Senate seat. The special-election Senate seat was formerly held by Republican Jim DeMint,who resigned on January 2,2013,to become president of The Heritage Foundation.
A special election for South Carolina's 1st congressional district was held on May 7,2013,to fill the seat following the resignation of U.S. Representative Tim Scott,who was appointed to the United States Senate by Governor Nikki Haley to fill the seat previously held by Jim DeMint. DeMint resigned from the Senate on January 2,2013,to accept a position as president of The Heritage Foundation.
J. Roland Smith is an American politician who served in the South Carolina House of Representatives. A native of Aiken,South Carolina,Smith is a former Pentecostal minister and postman.
Thomas Jonathan Ervin is an American attorney,former judge,one-time politician and former radio station owner. A past member of the Republican Party,he also served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1979 through 1983. He had been running for Governor of South Carolina in the 2014 gubernatorial election as an Independent,but in late October he dropped out and endorsed Democratic nominee Vincent Sheheen.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of South Carolina on November 4,2014. All of South Carolina's executive officers were up for election as well as both United States Senate seats,and all of South Carolina's seven seats in the United States House of Representatives.
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.
The 2020 United States Senate election in South Carolina was held on November 3,2020,to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of South Carolina,concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election,as well as other elections to the United States Senate,elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of South Carolina on November 6,2018. All of South Carolina's executive officers were up for election as well as all of South Carolina's seven seats in the United States House of Representatives.
A special election was held on June 20,2017,to determine the member of the United States House of Representatives for South Carolina's 5th congressional district. Representative Mick Mulvaney was nominated by President Donald Trump as director of the Office of Management and Budget and confirmed by the United States Senate on February 16,2017,necessitating his resignation from the House of Representatives.
Richard A. "Dick" Harpootlian is an American attorney and politician serving as a member of the South Carolina Senate from the 20th district. He served as the chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2011 to 2013. He also previously served as solicitor for the Fifth Judicial Circuit of South Carolina from 1991 until 1995.
Krystle N. Matthews is an American politician and engineering planner. She is a former member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 117th district,serving from 2018 to 2022. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
