Trump Endorsed
South Carolina Republican Governor nominee?
5hPamela Evette advanced to a June 23 runoff for the South Carolina GOP governor nomination, keeping her odds elevated in a market that is already pricing her as the clear favorite.
75%18%
South Carolina Republican Governor nominee?
$2.0M
JUN 10, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleLieutenant Governor
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyTrump-aligned Republican
Age58 years old (Aug 28, 1967)
GenderFemale
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LocationSouth Carolina
BackgroundPolitician
EducationMidpark High School (1985)
Notable personal detailsPamela Sue Evette is an American politician and businesswoman serving as the 93rd Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina since January 9, 2019. Before entering statewide office, she founded and led Quality Business Solutions, a payroll, HR, and benefits services company based in Travelers Rest. She has a business background in accounting and has been active in statewide initiatives related to small business, workforce, and education policy. In July 2025, she announced a campaign for governor of South Carolina in the 2026 election cycle.
SourcesShowHide
scstatehouse.govgovernor.sc.govnlga.uspamelaevette.comen.wikipedia.orgfoxcarolina.comthestate.comscdailygazette.comlive5news.comfitsnews.comen.wikipedia-on-ipfs.orgorangeburgcounty.orgbhsasc.orgsouthcarolinapublicradio.orgwtoc.comaol.comfoxnews.comapnews.comwrdw.comcatholicvote.orgwyff4.comallsides.comscpolicycouncil.orgcongress.govcommonsnews.orgwashingtonpost.comlatimes.commiamiherald.comjustfacts.votesmart.orgvotesmart.orgwikidata.orgvoterguide.ballotpedia.orgdeveloper.ballotpedia.orgcdn.ballotpedia.orgscott.senate.govcommons.wikimedia.orgupload.wikimedia.orgballotready.orgnga.orglgraham.senate.govgovinfo.gov
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
The candidate advocates eliminating South Carolina’s state income tax, advancing bold tax-cutting reforms for families and small businesses, and implementing government-efficiency measures to reduce spending and remove regulations. She proposes creating a state Department of Government Efficiency to cut waste and accelerate tax-rate reductions. These positions emphasize major tax reduction and smaller government approaches.
Healthcare
Opposes expanding Medicaid due to concerns about long-term state costs and the need for a state match, arguing that accepting more federal funds would require shifting resources from other state priorities. Emphasizes fiscal constraints and a business-oriented approach to managing healthcare-related budgets and benefits. No campaign position endorsing a public option or Medicare-for-All was found.
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Immigration & Border
The candidate supports enforcement-first immigration policies, including building state detention capacity for undocumented immigrants who commit crimes and cooperating with federal deportation efforts. She has proposed a state facility—'Palmetto Pen'—to detain violent undocumented immigrants and has pledged to enforce President Trump’s immigration agenda. Her public statements emphasize removing dangerous undocumented immigrants from communities and expanding tools for law enforcement to hold and deport them.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Pamela Evette identifies as pro‑life, says life begins at conception, supports strong abortion restrictions in South Carolina, and has backed state laws limiting abortion and banning taxpayer‑funded abortions. She has defended the state’s fetal heartbeat law and stated she will work to protect the unborn and restrict abortion access.
Climate & Energy
Supports an all-of-the-above energy approach that includes fossil fuels, opposes aggressive green-energy mandates and regulation, and has supported state measures to expand power generation and remove regulations hindering energy production. Emphasizes reliability and affordability of energy and criticizes policies she links to unreliable/expensive power.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports constitutional carry and robust Second Amendment protections, opposes efforts to weaken gun rights, and emphasizes strong support for law enforcement and public safety. Advocates keeping law-abiding citizens armed while resisting regulatory measures from political opponents.
Latest Insights
South Carolina Republican Governor nominee?
8hDonald Trump backed Pamela Evette, and she is currently at 75% in "South Carolina Republican Governor nominee?"
75%
News
AINews Summary
Last updatedMar 14, 2026
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette to succeed him, boosting her position in the 2026 Republican primary for governor. She is running against other GOP contenders including Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman. The endorsement is seen as potentially shaping party support in the race, including whether former President Donald Trump gets involved.
scstatehouse.gov+40
Polls
Polling Average
25%20%15%10%5%0%
17.2%
18.8%
16.8%
12.8%
12.2%
A. Wilson
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Endorsements
South Carolina Republican Governor nominee?
Endorsers of Pamela Evette for South Carolina Republican Governor nominee?
Donald Trump
Elected official
Donald Trump endorsed Pamela Evette for governor of South Carolina.
Henry McMaster
Elected official
Henry McMaster endorsed Pamela Evette for governor of South Carolina.
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Fundraising