South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial primary shifted dramatically Friday after President Donald Trump endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, handing her a major political victory and denying Rep. Nancy Mace the endorsement she had spent months seeking.
The endorsement ends months of speculation and underscores a political reality that continues to shape Republican politics nationwide: no endorsements carry more weight with GOP primary voters than Trump’s.
Trump Makes His Choice
In announcing his endorsement, Trump praised Evette’s loyalty and highlighted her support for his political agenda, particularly during the 2024 presidential campaign.
The move is widely viewed as one of Trump’s most important endorsements of the 2026 election cycle and comes at a pivotal moment in South Carolina politics as Republicans prepare to choose a successor to term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster.
For Evette, the endorsement provides immediate momentum and could help consolidate support among Republican voters looking for a candidate aligned with Trump’s vision for the party.
A Major Blow for Nancy Mace
The decision is particularly notable because Mace spent much of the campaign positioning herself as one of Trump’s strongest allies.
Over the past several years, Mace worked to strengthen her relationship with Trump following what was initially a complicated political history. In the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, Mace publicly criticized Trump and at one point suggested his political legacy had been severely damaged.
However, as the Republican Party once again consolidated around Trump, Mace steadily moved closer to the president and became a vocal supporter of many of his policies, frequently emphasizing her commitment to the America First agenda.
In February 2022, facing a Trump-backed primary challenge from Katie Arrington, Mace released a video filmed outside Trump Tower highlighting her work on Trump’s 2016 campaign and portraying herself as a loyal ally.
Her effort to align with the now-dominant MAGA wing of the Republican Party accelerated from that point forward.
Mace ultimately survived Arrington’s challenge and later voted to remove former Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023, a move widely viewed as an appeal to the party’s populist and anti-establishment base.
By 2024, she had fully endorsed Trump’s presidential campaign and later spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention.
During her 2026 gubernatorial campaign, Mace sought to further cement that relationship, famously declaring, “I am Trump in high heels.”
Using that slogan, she argued she would be the candidate most committed to advancing Trump’s priorities in Columbia.
Despite a political realignment years in the making, Trump ultimately chose to endorse Evette instead, dealing a significant blow to Mace’s strategy of making herself the race’s most closely identified Trump ally.
Evette Builds on Existing Support
Evette entered the race with a major advantage already in place: the endorsement of Gov. Henry McMaster.
McMaster, one of Trump’s earliest supporters during the 2016 presidential campaign, remains one of the president’s closest allies in state government. Many South Carolina Republicans viewed McMaster’s support for Evette as an indication that Trump could eventually follow suit.
That expectation has now become reality.
With endorsements from both McMaster and Trump, Evette enters the next phase of the campaign with support from two of the most influential figures in South Carolina Republican politics.
A Crowded Republican Field
The Republican primary remains competitive and includes several high-profile candidates.
Among those seeking the nomination are:
- Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette
- Rep. Nancy Mace
- South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson
- Rep. Ralph Norman
- Other Republican contenders
Because South Carolina remains a reliably Republican state, many political analysts view the GOP primary as the contest most likely to determine the state’s next governor.
What Trump’s Endorsement Means
Trump’s backing does not guarantee victory, but it remains one of the most valuable endorsements available in Republican politics.
Polling throughout the race has shown a fragmented field, with no candidate establishing a commanding lead. In such an environment, a presidential endorsement has the potential to influence undecided voters and reshape campaign dynamics.
Mace still enters the race with significant advantages, including statewide name recognition, an established fundraising network, and a loyal base of supporters developed during her time in Congress.
However, she now faces the challenge of competing against a candidate who carries the explicit endorsement of the Republican Party’s most influential figure.
Another Demonstration of Trump’s Influence
The South Carolina governor’s race is the latest example of Trump’s continued influence within Republican primaries.
Even while serving his second term in the White House, Republican candidates across the country continue to aggressively pursue his endorsement, recognizing the weight it carries with GOP voters.
By backing Evette, Trump did more than simply endorse a candidate. He signaled his preferred choice to lead South Carolina after the McMaster era and offered Republican voters a clear indication of where he stands in one of the party’s most closely watched gubernatorial contests.
For Nancy Mace, the endorsement is a major blow after years spent cultivating a close political relationship with Trump and positioning herself as one of his most loyal allies.
For Pamela Evette, it may prove to be the defining breakthrough of her political career.
READ NEXT: Why A Billionaire Republican Is Leaving America
