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2018 South Carolina gubernatorial election

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Nominee Henry McMaster James Smith Party Republican Democratic Running mate Pamela Evette Mandy Powers Norrell Popular vote 921,342 784,182 Percentage 53.96% 45.92%

County results Congressional district results Precinct resultsMcMaster:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Smith:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%

Governor before election Henry McMaster Republican Elected Governor Henry McMaster Republican

Elections in South Carolina
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v t e

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.

Republicans won their fifth straight gubernatorial election in the state, their longest such streak in history.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Henry McMaster, incumbent governor
  • Running mate: Pamela Evette, businesswoman

Defeated in runoff

• John Warren, businessman
  • Running mate: Pat McKinney, businessman

Defeated in primary

• Kevin Bryant, incumbent lieutenant governor
• Yancey McGill, former Democratic lieutenant governor and former Democratic state senator
• Catherine Templeton, attorney, former director of the Department of Health and Environmental Control and former director of the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
  • Running mate: Walt Wilkins, Greenville County Solicitor

Declined

• Tom Davis, state senator
• Jeff Duncan, U.S. representative
• Mikee Johnson, businessman and former chairman of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce (endorsed Catherine Templeton)
• Tim Scott, U.S. senator
• Joe Taylor, former South Carolina secretary of commerce
• Billy Wilkins, former chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• Alan Wilson, attorney general (running for re-election)

Endorsements

State figures

• Ralph Norman, member of the United States House of Representatives from South Carolina.
• Wes Climer, state senator
• Bobby Harrell, former Speaker of South Carolina House of Representatives

Organizations

• Maggie's List

State figures

• Ralph Norman, member of the United States House of Representatives from South Carolina.
• Knox H. White, Mayor of Greenville
• Pat McKinney, former chairman of the State Ports Authority, later chosen as Warren's running mate
• Elise Bidwell, member of South Carolina Educational Television Commission
• Phil Robertson, star of Duck Dynasty
• Catherine Templeton, businesswoman and defeated candidate in gubernatorial Republican primary
• Kevin L. Bryant, 91st lieutenant governor of South Carolina and defeated candidate in gubernatorial Republican Primary
• Tom Davis, state senator

First round

Polling

Results

Runoff

Polling

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• James Smith, state representative
  • Running mate: Mandy Powers Norrell, state representative

Defeated in Primary

• Phil Noble, business and technology consultant and candidate for lieutenant governor in 1994
  • Running mate: Gloria Bromell Tinubu, former Atlanta, Georgia, city councilwoman, former Georgia state representative and nominee for SC-07 in 2012 and 2014
• Marguerite Willis, attorney
  • Running mate: John Scott, state senator

Declined

• Steve Benjamin, Mayor of Columbia
• Marlon Kimpson, state senator
• Inez Tenenbaum, former State Superintendent of Education, former chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2004

Endorsements

• Doug Jones, U.S. senator from Alabama

Polling

Results

Independents and third parties

Declared

• Phil Cheney (Independent), former Anderson City Councilman, candidate for SC-03 in 2006 and write-in candidate for SC-05 in 2017

Failed Nomination

• Martin Barry (American Party), medication researcher, nomination declined by the American Party
  • Running mate: James Cartee, theater director

General election

Predictions

Notes

1. The Fox News Midterm Power Rankings uniquely does not contain a category for Safe/Solid races

Endorsements

U.S. Executive Branch officials

• Donald Trump, 45th president of The United States
• Mike Pence, 48th vice president of the United States

State figures

• Tom Rice, U.S. representative (SC-7)
• Katrina Shealy, state senator
• Kevin Brackett, a South Carolina circuit solicitor
• Scarlett Wilson, a South Carolina circuit solicitor

Organizations

• NRA Political Victory Fund
• SC Citizens for Life

Newspapers

• The Post and Courier

Former U.S. Executive Branch officials

• Joe Biden, 47th vice president of the United States

U.S. senators

• Bernie Sanders, U.S. senator (I-VT)

U.S. representatives

• James Clyburn, U.S. representative (D-SC)

Local and statewide politicians

• Robert Barber, former state representative
• Steve Benjamin, current mayor of Columbia
• Floyd Breeland, former state representative
• Margie Bright Matthews, state senator
• Robert Brown, state representative
• Wendell Gilliard, state representative
• Jim Hodges, former governor of South Carolina
• Joe Jefferson, state representative
• Marlon Kimpson, state senator
• Marvin Pendarvis, state representative
• Vic Rawl, chairman of the Charleston County Council
• Richard Riley, former United States Secretary of Education and former governor of South Carolina
• Leon Stavrinakis, state representative
• Mary Tinkler, Charleston County Treasurer and former state representative
• Joe Riley, former mayor of Charleston, SC.

Individuals

• Jay Inslee, Governor of Washington and chairman of the Democratic Governors Association

Organizations

• Conservation Voters of South Carolina
• Our Revolution SC
• Planned Parenthood Action Fund
• Sierra Club South Carolina chapter
• South Carolina Equality
• VoteVets.org

Polling

Results

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Darlington (largest city: Hartsville)

By congressional district

McMaster won 6 of 7 congressional districts, including one that elected a Democratic representative.

See also

• 2018 South Carolina elections

References

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83. Caitlin Byrd (December 12, 2017). "Former Charleston Mayor Joe Riley endorses James Smith for governor: 'He can win'". Postandcourier.com. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
84. Jay Inslee. "An Army combat veteran who received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his service in Afghanistan, @JamesSmithSC has led a life of service to his country and to South Carolina. We've got great Democratic candidates ready to lead their states across the country". Twitter.
85. Williamson Pezé, Jennie; Tynan, John (April 19, 2018). "Conservation Voters Back James Smith for Governor - Conservation Voters of South Carolina". Conservation Voters of South Carolina. Board of Directors of Conservation Voters of South Carolina.
86. Ringer, Vicki (May 2, 2018). "Planned Parenthood Votes! South Atlantic Announces Endorsement of James Smith for South Carolina Governor". Plannedparenthoodaction.org.
87. "SC Sierra Club Endorses James Smith". FITSNews. March 22, 2018.
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89. Hegdahl, Rick (June 6, 2018). "VoteVets PAC Endorses James Smith for Governor". VoteVets.org.
90. The Trafalgar Group (R)
91. The Trafalgar Group (R)
92. The Trafalgar Group (R)
93. The Tarrance Group (R-RGA)
94. Garin-Hart-Yang (D-Smith)
95. "Dra 2020".

External links

• Candidates at Vote Smart
• Candidates at Ballotpedia

Official campaign websites

• Henry McMaster (R) for Governor
• James Smith (D) for Governor

• South Carolina gubernatorial elections
• 2018 United States gubernatorial elections
• 2018 South Carolina elections