How Does South Carolina’s Competitive 2026 GOP Gubernatorial Field Rank in Party History?

The 2026 showdown is poised for the fifth Republican primary runoff for the office in South Carolina

Republican U.S. Representative Nancy Mace’s long-expected entrance into South Carolina’s open 2026 gubernatorial race solidifies the Palmetto State’s GOP primary field as one of the most-watched in the nation.

Mace joins fellow U.S. Representative Ralph Norman, Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, long-serving state Attorney General Alan Wilson, and State Senator Josh Kimbrell in a field that already saw another former state officer (Treasurer Thomas Ravenel) withdraw from the race.

To be sure, the once Democratic-dominated state does not have a long, rich history of competitive Republican gubernatorial primaries.

The few GOP nominees that appeared on a general election ballot for governor prior to 1974 were selected by state party convention – e.g. State Representative Joseph Rogers in 1966 and U.S. Representative Albert Watson in 1970.

Without a deep party bench, it was rare to see more than one household name on a Republican primary ballot for governor until the 21st Century.

In 1974, State Senator James Edwards defeated retired U.S. Army General William Westmoreland by 15.4 points. Edwards became the first Republican governor in the state since Reconstruction that November and would later serve as U.S. Secretary of Energy under Ronald Reagan.

In 1978, the GOP primary pitted former one-term U.S. Representative Edward Young against former state Tax Commissioner Raymon Finch. Young eked out a 2.8-point victory but lost the general election by nearly 25 points to former state legislator Richard Riley.

The 1982 primary was also a two-candidate affair with conservative journalist and 1962 U.S. Senate nominee William Workman the only recognizable figure. Workman defeated retired Timmonsville warrant officer Roddy Martin by 63.6 points but was trounced by Governor Riley in November.

In 1986, Republicans were unified behind four-term U.S. Representative Carroll Campbell who was elected that November and in 1990 – nominated without primary opposition in both cycles.

In 1994, former State Representative David Beasley won a plurality of the primary vote against three-term U.S. Representative Arthur Ravenel and former three-term U.S. Representative Tommy Hartnett and defeated Ravenel in the run-off.

Beasley was elected governor and received a token primary challenger during his 1998 bid, defeating Little Mountain lawyer Bill Able by 44.4 points.

By the early 2000s, the South Carolina Republican Party had taken control of both legislative chambers and held most state executive offices (all but Treasurer and Commissioner of Education).

That deep bench resulted in a very competitive 2002 GOP gubernatorial primary with a record seven candidates: U.S. Representative Mark Sanford, Lieutenant Governor Bob Peeler, Attorney General Charlie Condon, Secretary of State Jim Miles, State Senator Bill Branton, nuclear scientist Reb Sutherland, and Ken Wingate – a lawyer and son-in-law of former Governor James Edwards.

Sanford defeated Peeler by 20+ points in the runoff and was elected that November. He dispensed of a lone Republican challenger, physician Oscar Lovelace, by 29.6 points en route to a second term in 2006.

While Republican primary voters had only four candidates from which to choose during the 2010 cycle, each had a strong resume: State Representative Nikki Haley, four-term U.S. Representative Gresham Barrett, two-term Attorney General Henry McMaster, and two-term Lieutenant Governor André Bauer.

Haley almost won the nomination outright with 48.9 percent and then easily defeated Barrett in the run-off with 65 percent. Haley ran unopposed in the GOP primary during her successful 2014 reelection bid.

The 2018 Republican primary for governor featured five candidates: Governor Henry McMaster (ascending from Lieutenant Governor after Haley resigned to become United Nations Ambassador), businessman and military veteran John Warren, attorney Catherine Templeton, Lieutenant Governor Kevin Bryant (ascending from the State Senate to replace McMaster), and former State Senator and (ascended) Lieutenant Governor Yancey McGill.

McMaster defeated Warren by 7.2 points in the run-off and cruised to a 66.6-point victory in the 2022 primary against trucker Harrison Musselwhite.

There is still plenty of time for candidates to jump into (and out of) the race prior to the March 16-30 filing window next year. The primary will be held on June 9th with a run-off, if necessary, two weeks later.

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