South Carolina Closes Runoff Polls After 72,500 Early Votes in Governor and 1st District Races

Q: How did a candidate secure a landslide victory after his opponent initially held the sole presidential endorsement?

Alan Wilson won in a landslide because Pamela Evette lost the one advantage that had set her apart, while Wilson unified much of the rest of the Republican field behind him. Evette initially had Donald Trump’s sole endorsement before the June 9 primary, and that helped her finish first. But her lead was small, and she remained under 30% in a crowded field, suggesting limited support beyond that endorsement. Observers said many voters did not see a strong independent case for her candidacy. Before the June 23 runoff, Trump changed course and endorsed both Evette and Wilson, saying he did not want to hurt either candidate by backing only one. That effectively stripped Evette of her clearest political asset. Reports said internal and public polling had already shown her weakening, and the dual endorsement reinforced that she was no longer the clear favorite. Wilson then capitalized by consolidating support from across the party. He picked up endorsements from former rivals and prominent Republicans, including Sen. Tim Scott, Rep. Ralph Norman, and other eliminated candidates. That gave him a broader coalition going into a low-turnout runoff, where mobilization matters more and each vote carries greater weight. The result was decisive: Wilson took about 66% of the vote to Evette’s 34%. In short, Evette’s exclusive endorsement advantage disappeared, while Wilson built a much wider base of support and dominated the runoff electorate.

3 articles · Updated · Live 5 News WCSC · Jun 23

Polling places closed Tuesday across South Carolina, ending a runoff election centered on the Republican governor’s race and party nomination contests in the 1st Congressional District.
72,500-plus voters had already cast ballots during the early-voting period, according to the South Carolina Election Commission, giving campaigns a sizable bank of votes before Election Day ended.
Pamela Evette and Alan Wilson faced off in the Republican gubernatorial runoff, while Lowcountry voters also helped decide closely watched congressional nominees.
Runoff turnout typically falls 30% to 60% from primary levels, election experts said, making each remaining vote more consequential as results are tallied.