# 2026 South Carolina gubernatorial election

Elections in South Carolina :
Federal government
U.S. President
1788-89
1792
1796
1800
1804
1808
1812
1816
1820
1824
1828
1832
1836
1840
1844
1848
1852
1856
1860
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
Rep
Dem
2004
Dem
2008
Dem
Rep
2012
Rep
2016
Dem
2020
Dem
2024
Dem
Rep
U.S. Senate
1897
sp 1898
1902
1903
1907
1908
1909
1913
1914
1918
sp 1918
1920
1924
1926
1930
1932
1936
1938
sp 1941
1942
1944
1948
1950
1954
1956
1960
1962
1966
sp 1966
1968
1972
1974
1978
1980
1984
1986
1990
1992
1996
1998
2002
2004
2008
2010
2014
sp 2014
2016
2020
2022
2026
2028
U.S. House of Representatives
1788
1790
1793
1794
1796
1798
1800
1803
1804
1806
1808
1810
1812
1814
1816
1818
1820
1823
1824
1826
1828
1830
1833
1834
1836
1838
1840
1843
1844
1846
1848
1850
1853
1854
1856
1858
1860
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
7th 1901
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
4th 1915
1916
1918
6th 1919
7th 1919
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
4th 1953
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1st 1971
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2nd 2001
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
1st 2013
2014
2016
5th 2017
2018
2020
2022
2024
List of specials :
State offices
General elections
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Gubernatorial elections
1865
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1930
1934
1938
1942
1946
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
State Senate elections
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
State House elections
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Ballot measures
2006
Amendment 1
2008
2010
2012
2014 :
Charleston
Mayoral elections
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023 :
Columbia
Mayoral elections
2005
2009
2010
2013
2017
2021 :
Rock Hill
Mayoral elections
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023 :
Greenville
Mayoral elections
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023 :
vte :
The 2026 South Carolina gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the next governor of South Carolina. Incumbent Governor Henry McMaster is term-limited and cannot seek a third full consecutive term. He took office on January 24, 2017, upon the resignation of fellow Republican Nikki Haley to become U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under the first Trump administration and won full terms in 2018 and 2022.

## Republican primary
### Candidates
#### Publicly expressed interest

* Sean Bennett, state senator from the 38th district (2012–present)
* Pamela Evette, Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina (2019–present)
* Josh Kimbrell, state senator from the 11th district (2020–present)
* Nancy Mace, U.S. Representative from South Carolina's 1st congressional district (2021–present)
* Ralph Norman, U.S. representative from South Carolina's 5th congressional district (2017–present)
* Alan Wilson, South Carolina Attorney General (2011–present)

#### Potential

* Adam Morgan, former state representative from the 20th district (2018–2024) and candidate for South Carolina's 4th congressional district in 2024
* Mark Sanford, former governor (2003–2011) and former U.S. Representative from South Carolina's 1st congressional district (1995–2001; 2013–2019)
* John Warren, mortgage company executive and candidate for governor in 2018

#### Withdrawn

* Thomas Ravenel, former South Carolina State Treasurer (2007), candidate for U.S. Senate in 2004 and independent candidate in 2014

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Pamela Evette (R) | Nancy Mace (R) | Ralph Norman (R) | Alan Wilson (R) | Undecided |
| Trafalgar Group | March 8–10, 2025 | 1,127 (LV) | ± 2.9% | 31% | 29% | 11% | 27% | 2% |

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Publicly expressed interest

* Jermaine Johnson, state representative from the 70th district (2020–present)
* Mullins McLeod, trial attorney and candidate for governor in 2010

#### Potential

* Ivory Thigpen, state representative from the 79th district (2016–present)

#### Declined

* Russell Ott, state senator from the 26th district (2024–present)

## General election
### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Solid R | January 23, 2025 |
| Inside Elections | Solid R | February 6, 2025 |