Donald Trump’s influence over Republican primaries is facing another important check as voters weigh in on South Carolina’s GOP gubernatorial contest. The race has drawn attention because Trump endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette shortly before the vote, after staying neutral for months.
The South Carolina primary is part of a broader stretch of Republican contests in which Trump-backed candidates have made gains, but not without setbacks. In Iowa, his late endorsement of Rep. Randy Feenstra did not secure a win, showing that his support can still be powerful without being absolute.
South Carolina race centers on Trump’s late backing
Evette is competing against several prominent Republicans, including Attorney General Alan Wilson, Rep. Nancy Mace, Rep. Ralph Norman and businessman Rom Reddy. The field is crowded enough that no candidate was expected to clear 50% of the vote, which means the top two finishers would move on to the June 23 Republican runoff.
Trump called Evette an “America First Patriot” and a “WINNER” when he announced his endorsement. He also headlined a tele-rally for her on the eve of the primary, signaling a direct effort to help her close the race strongly.
His endorsement did more than shape the contest itself. Trump also said in a social media post that he expected Evette to choose Henry McMaster Jr., the governor’s son, as her running mate for lieutenant governor.
Political fallout followed the vice governor comment
That remark stirred immediate speculation in South Carolina political circles about whether Gov. Henry McMaster was trying to position his son for higher office. McMaster denied any deal or pressure, while Evette said she would not name a running mate until after the primary ended.
The younger McMaster later removed himself from consideration, saying it was “incredibly humbling” to be mentioned but that “now is simply not the right time.” The episode added another layer to a race already shaped by Trump’s late intervention and the state’s internal Republican politics.
Trump’s endorsement power remains strong, but not guaranteed
Over the past month, Trump’s backing has helped Republican candidates defeat incumbents he targeted in states including Indiana, Louisiana, Kentucky and Texas. Those results reinforced how much weight his endorsement can carry when voters in GOP primaries are deciding whether to align with his political brand.
Still, the failed push for Feenstra in Iowa showed the limits of that influence. Feenstra was narrowly defeated by Zach Lahn, a businessman, farmer and former political strategist backed by MAHA-aligned political groups and Turning Point USA, underscoring that other conservative networks can still matter in Republican contests.
What the primary results mean going forward
For South Carolina Republicans, the outcome offers another measure of how much Trump can shape candidate fields after waiting until late in the process to weigh in. It also shows that candidates continue to seek his blessing as a way to gain momentum in crowded primaries.
The broader pattern now includes both clear victories and notable misses for Trump-backed contenders, keeping attention on whether his support can still decide high-stakes GOP races when several well-known Republicans are competing at once.
