President Donald Trump endorsed Republican Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette for governor of South Carolina on Friday ahead of the June 9 primary.
In making the endorsement, Trump snubbed Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who is one of six candidates seeking the Republican nomination. Though he did not mention Mace in his announcement, the president suggested all of the gubernatorial candidates besides Evette were not as loyal to him.
“Highly Respected and very popular Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, Pam Evette, is an America First Patriot who has been with me from the very beginning,” he posted on Truth Social. “She never wavered, never let me down, and was the only South Carolina Gubernatorial Candidate to Endorse me as soon as I launched my 2024 Presidential Campaign. She crisscrossed South Carolina and other States for me, and I said, at the time, that this is truly something which I cannot forget!”
Trump then touted his sweeping victories in South Carolina for each of his three presidential elections over the past decade and listed the goals that Evette, if elected, will accomplish in office.
“As your next Governor, Pam will fight hard to Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Champion our Amazing Farmers and Ranchers, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Military/Veterans, Safeguard our Elections, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment,” he wrote.
Trump called her a “good friend” and said she will be “terrific” as governor. He similarly praised term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster (R-SC), who also backs Evette. Notably, his son is expected to be Evette’s running mate.
“A BIG added plus for Pam is that, I hear, Henry McMaster, Jr., the brilliant and very competent son of Henry and Peggy, will be running with her as the next Lieutenant Governor,” Trump said, adding that he loves South Carolina.
In addition to Evette and Mace, the GOP primary field consists of Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, former business executive Rom Reddy, and South Carolina state Sen. Josh Kimbrell.
Though he did not win the president’s endorsement, Wilson projected optimism that he can still perform well in the crowded primary.
“No one’s fought harder or risked more for President Trump and his agenda than I have,” he posted on X. “I look forward to continuing to deliver real results for South Carolina families as their next Governor.”
Meanwhile, Evette thanked Trump for his support.
“Your walk down that golden escalator is what propelled me into politics,” she said of his 2015 presidential campaign announcement at Trump Tower. “You showed what a businessperson can do to make America Great Again. I am incredibly grateful for your support and will never let you down.”
Mace also issued a statement after her primary opponent’s endorsement, saying she still has “enormous respect” for Trump but recognizes the state needs change.
“We have a state that’s corrupt. A system that’s broken. And an establishment who wants to stay in the shadows,” she said in part. “It’s been that way for the last decade since Pam Evette’s been in office, and with the governor’s son Henry Jr. as her running mate, South Carolina can expect more of the same.”
The congresswoman acknowledged she may have lost the endorsement when she signed the discharge petition that forced a House vote on compelling the Department of Justice to release the Epstein files last year. Mace was reportedly pressured by the White House to remove her signature at the time, but she said transparency on the files was important given her experience as a sexual assault survivor.
“If this is the price of an endorsement, I will never pay it,” she declared.
Hours earlier, Mace went after Evette in multiple social media posts. One of them showed an AI-generated video of Mace and Trump with the message: “Pamela Evette is NOT ENDORSED by DONALD TRUMP. Do not believe her LIES.”
Another post said: “We all know Pam has been lying about Trump’s endorsement for over a year now but even she must realize that after her administration royally screwed up the redistricting fight that no one in the White House wants her as Governor. Absolutely no one. FACT.”
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Evette is consistently leading the primary field in some of the latest polls.
With less than two weeks before the GOP primary, early voting is underway. The primary could lead to a runoff election, scheduled for June 23, if none of the six candidates receive an outright majority among Republican voters early next month.