President Donald Trump has endorsed Pamela Evette in South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial primary, giving the lieutenant governor a potentially significant boost in one of the country’s most closely watched gubernatorial races.
In a Truth Social post, Trump praised Evette’s loyalty and support dating back to his 2024 presidential campaign.
“Pam Evette is an America First Patriot who has been with me from the very beginning,” Trump wrote.
He highlighted her early endorsement of his presidential campaign and her efforts campaigning on his behalf in South Carolina and other states.
Trump also expressed confidence that Evette would continue the policies of current South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) while advancing his America First agenda at the state level.
Evette quickly embraced the endorsement and credited Trump with inspiring her political career.
“Your walk down that golden escalator is what propelled me into politics,” she said. “I am incredibly grateful for your support and will never let you down.”
The endorsement is particularly notable because Trump declined to back two prominent Republican rivals already in the race: Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman.
Following the announcement, Mace issued a statement emphasizing her continued support for Trump while criticizing South Carolina’s political establishment.
“I have enormous respect for President Trump and everything he has done for our country and for South Carolina,” Mace said.
She added that South Carolina has “a system that’s broken” and argued that entrenched political interests continue to dominate state government.
The endorsement arrives as polling suggests a highly competitive Republican primary.
A recent survey cited in the report showed Evette narrowly leading the field with 19.9% support.
Alan Wilson followed closely behind at 19.4%, as Trending Politics reported.
Businessman Rom Reddy and Congressman Norman were both reported at roughly 15.9%, while Mace stood at 14.6%.
More than 5% of voters remained undecided.
The endorsement could reshape the race because Trump continues to maintain substantial influence among Republican primary voters in South Carolina, a state he carried comfortably in the last three presidential elections.
With multiple high-profile candidates competing for the nomination, Trump’s decision to publicly back Evette immediately elevates her position in the contest and places additional pressure on the rest of the field as the campaign intensifies.
The South Carolina governor’s race is expected to be one of the most closely watched Republican primaries of the 2026 election cycle, with the winner likely becoming the favorite in the general election.
