Six candidates are vying to be the Republican nominee for South Carolina Governor: Ralph Norman, Pamela Evette, Nancy Mace, Josh Kimbrell, Alan Wilson and Rom Reddy.
Current SC Governor Henry McMaster is term limited.
Kimbrell did not respond to our candidate guide. We will post his responses if we get them.
Ralph Norman
What is your occupation?
Retired business owner and Member of Congress
Why are you running?
Columbia has a corruption and RINO problem. People are treating being in the office like a retirement plan; we are dumping millions of dollars into projects without an end date or transparency, and taxpayer dollars are treated like Monopoly money. No business would ever survive being run this way, and the good people of our state deserve so much better. We need someone with business experience who can streamline unnecessary processes, cut red tape, and say no to companies that come in and run us dry. We also need someone with public service experience who can preserve our South Carolinian charm, restore real constitutional conservative principles, and treat people like people, not products.
What is the top priority for the state, and how do you plan to address it?
We the People are no longer in charge. Our judges are handpicked by our lawyers; our lawmakers can’t be counted on to follow through. Bills are being pushed through left and right that have sneaky backdoor pay raises or clauses that have nothing to do with the issues at hand. People in office are experiencing life so differently from folks at home who make hard decisions and are affected by this entitlement. If we don’t get someone in, not a part of this elitist club, but who knows who and what needs to go, then we won’t recognize our state in four years. When I am the CEO of South Carolina, transparency and integrity will be my major drivers of change.
Would you say South Carolina is suffering from a crisis of affordability? If so, how do you plan to tackle it?
South Carolina is facing an affordability crisis. Families across our state are paying more for groceries, housing, insurance, energy, childcare, and healthcare while their paychecks stretch thinner every single month. The problem is that career politicians in Columbia keep talking about economic growth and giving themselves pay raises while everyday South Carolinians struggle to keep up. We need leadership focused on lowering costs and expanding opportunity, not more political theater from the establishment. That starts with cutting taxes for working families and small businesses, reducing burdensome regulations that drive up costs, and bringing more high-paying jobs into South Carolina through smart growth so people can actually afford to live where they work.
What is your position on abortion? Should South Carolina pursue additional abortion restrictions/penalties?
I am a father and a grandfather. There is nothing more sacred than a human life, and I will do whatever it takes to protect the unborn.
What is your stance on legalizing gambling in South Carolina?
I’ve spoken with law and drug enforcement agencies; everyone agrees that gambling is a gateway to crime. Drugs, prostitution, backdoor rooms, and whatever else are not something we need.
What sets you apart from your opponents?
I have a unique balance of experience as an outsider. I am versed in our complex political system, understanding how it operates and where issues get caught in red tape or held up. I have seen firsthand the outrageous entitlement politicians feel they have to “power”, or to your wallets, and I am no stranger to calling that out. Our system is rife with corruption, and just showing up brazenly without knowing how to accomplish goals is like putting a data analyst in as head coach at Clemson. I also have extensive executive experience, and I can tell you, running a large business demands grit, mental clarity, strategy, and execution. You can’t run a business without collaboration. I know how to evaluate return on investment in our rapidly growing state by focusing on what truly benefits our people. This balance, and a true CEO, is exactly what will move the needle with real results and success that our state feels.
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Pamela Evette
What is your occupation?
Lt. Governor
Why are you running?
As a self-made business woman, Christian, and mother of three, I’m running to lead our state forward and continue the conservative success we’ve seen under the McMaster-Evette Administration. I will work to advance President Trump’s America First agenda and do whatever I can to make our state better for our people and future generations of South Carolinians. I will use everything I’ve learned in business, combined with my time in the executive branch, to Keep South Carolina Winning.
What is the top priority for the state and how do you plan to address it?
As governor, my top priority will be putting more money back into the pockets of hardworking families and small businesses. We can do this by eliminating the state income tax once and for all and lowering property taxes.
Would you say South Carolina is suffering from a crisis of affordability? If so, how do you plan to tackle it?
South Carolina families are suffering from a crisis of affordability due to government spending. The single largest driver of inflation in any sector, anywhere in the world is government spending.
As governor, I will launch the South Carolina Office of Government Efficiency (S.C.O.G.E) which will utilize technology to root out waste, fraud, and abuse and run state government more efficiently. By cutting wasteful spending and running state government more efficiently, we can put more money back into the pockets of hardworking South Carolina families and small businesses.
What is your position on abortion? Should South Carolina pursue additional abortion restrictions/penalties?
As a woman of faith, mother of three, and proven defender of the unborn, I am unapologetically pro-life.
I’m proud of the work Gov. McMaster and I have done to protect the unborn in South Carolina. Together with the State Legislature, we passed the historic Heartbeat Bill. We also fought to prevent taxpayer dollars from funding abortion clinics — a battle the Attorney General declined to take up. That case ultimately went to the U.S. Supreme Court, where Governor McMaster and our legal team prevailed, establishing a national precedent. We have also worked to protect faith-based pregnancy centers and adoption services across the state.
We must continue to work to change hearts and minds when it comes to protecting the unborn. And while I pray to see a day in S.C. where abortion no longer exists, I am fully committed to keeping South Carolina a state that champions the values of faith, family, and life. I’m honored to have the national endorsement of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and a 100% rating on the South Carolina Citizens for Life Candidate Survey.
What is your stance on legalizing gambling in South Carolina?
In South Carolina, we definitely don’t want to see giant, windowless buildings that attract the worst aspects of a society and prey on vulnerable people. When it comes to facilities and businesses that are going to be net positive and attract economic stimulus in local communities, I say what I say for most things: we need to listen to the people in that local community and allow them to weigh in on such decisions.
What sets you apart from your opponents?
I’m the only candidate in this race who has stood by President Trump since Day One in 2015 and never wavered in my support for him and his America First Agenda. I’m the only candidate in this race whom Gov. Henry McMaster endorsed. And I’m the only candidate in this race who has a proven record of results in both the private and public sector, bringing over 30 years of experience in the business world and eight years of experience in the executive branch of government. I built a billion dollar business from the ground up and together with Governor McMaster have delivered one of the greatest conservative success stories in the nation.
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Nancy Mace
What is your occupation?
United States Congresswoman representing South Carolina’s First Congressional District and Republican candidate for Governor of South Carolina.
Why are you running?
South Carolina deserves bold leadership that answers to the people - not to Columbia insiders, not to the establishment and not to the highest donor. I am running to eliminate the state income tax, fix our roads, and end corruption. I will be the most productive governor this state has ever seen.
What is the top priority for the state and how do you plan to address it?
The cost of living. South Carolina is the fastest growing state in the nation and it must become the most affordable. My Five Years to Zero plan eliminates the state income tax entirely.
Would you say South Carolina is suffering from a crisis of affordability? If so, how do you plan to tackle it?
As governor I will eliminate the state income tax, require data centers to bear the full cost of their energy consumption so ratepayers.
What is your position on abortion? Should South Carolina pursue additional abortion restrictions/penalties?
I am pro-life and I voted for South Carolina’s heartbeat bill as a member of the State House. Abortion policy should be decided at the state level and South Carolina has made its decision. As governor I will uphold that law.
What sets you apart from your opponents?
Record and resolve. I am the only candidate who voted to force the Epstein files out of Washington. The only one who took on and removed a sanctuary sheriff in South Carolina. The only one with a detailed plan to eliminate the state income tax. The only one who has drafted bills to cut taxes on families.
Tune in to The Political Beat on June 7 for an interview with Nancy Mace.
Alan Wilson
What is your occupation?
I serve as South Carolina’s Attorney General. I’ve spent my career as a prosecutor and public servant, and I also serve as a Colonel in the Army National Guard, with nearly three decades of military service, including a combat tour to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Why are you running?
I’m running for Governor because South Carolina families are being squeezed from every direction, and they deserve leadership that will fight for them. State government has grown too big, costs are too high, and people feel like they’re working harder but falling further behind. I’m running to bring accountability back to government, cut wasteful spending, and make South Carolina more affordable for families and more profitable for businesses.
What is the top priority for the state and how do you plan to address it?
My top priority is affordability. Everything ties back to whether families can get ahead and build a better life here. I will cut wasteful government spending, push to eliminate the state income tax, lower property taxes, and make sure every dollar is being used responsibly. That includes modernizing government, rooting out fraud and abuse, and making smart, conservative decisions that lower costs and create opportunity.
Would you say South Carolina is suffering from a crisis of affordability? If so, how do you plan to tackle it?
Yes, absolutely. Families are feeling it every day at the grocery store, at the gas pump, and in their utility bills. My approach is straightforward: cut waste, reduce spending, and lower taxes. State government shouldn’t be making life more expensive. As Governor, every decision I make will be focused on helping families keep more of their hard-earned money and restoring economic opportunity across our state.
What is your position on abortion? Should South Carolina pursue additional abortion restrictions/penalties?
I am unapologetically pro-life. As Attorney General, I’ve defended South Carolina’s pro-life laws and stood for the protection of the unborn. As Governor, I will continue to support a culture of life while also ensuring that we support mothers, partner with crisis pregnancy centers, strengthen adoption and foster care, focus on prenatal and postnatal care, and stand with families.
What is your stance on legalizing gambling in South Carolina?
Gambling and brick and mortar casinos bring real social and law enforcement challenges. The potential tax revenue would not be worth the negative costs of rise in crime like human trafficking, drug trafficking, and more. As Governor, every decision I’ll make will be based on this question: how will this affect South Carolina families?
What sets you apart from your opponents?
What sets me apart is that I’ve been tested in ways that go far beyond politics. I’ve led under fire, literally. I served in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom II and have spent nearly 30 years in the Army National Guard. When lives were on the line, I had to make real decisions under pressure. That kind of leadership stays with you.
I’ve brought that same mindset to my work as Attorney General, taking on violent criminals, defending our laws, and standing up to federal overreach, including being one of the only candidates willing to put my career on the line to defend President Trump.
This race is a job interview. South Carolina doesn’t need someone learning on the job. It needs a proven leader who has been tested, who understands duty and service, and who will fight every day for the people of this state.
An interview with Alan Wilson will air in The Political Beat on May 31.
Rom Reddy
What is your occupation?
Candidate for Governor
Why are you running?
To end the weaponization of government and return money and power to the citizen.
What is the top priority for the state and how do you plan to address it?
The top priority is to shrink government and reboot it. We must cut regulations in half. We must also return money to the citizen by eliminating the income tax, eliminating property tax on automobiles and reducing property tax overall. I will get education and roads to the top 20 in the nation in 4 years. To do this I will reassert article 4 authority to restore power to the executive branch. I will fix the broken family court system.
Would you say South Carolina is suffering from a crisis of affordability? If so, how do you plan to tackle it?
Affordability is a national issue. What S.C. can do is tamp down inflation by slashing government spending that has doubled in 10 years and putting money back in the citizens’ pockets by eliminating the income tax and property tax on automobiles and reducing all other property taxes
What is your position on abortion? Should South Carolina pursue additional abortion restrictions/penalties?
I am personally pro life. SC legislators spend a major portion of each legislative session arguing about abortion. They finally reached some kind of consensus with the 6 week ban. Now they are arguing again. Time to put this issue to bed and ask the citizen via a referendum if they believe abortion needs to tightened further and whether the people support prison terms for women, which is part of the new bill. The US Supreme Court said the people should decide this not the loudest voices in the ruling class.
What is your stance on legalizing gambling in South Carolina?
I am fine with legalizing gambling as adults can decide what to do with their life. However I strongly oppose casinos because the casinos and the surrounding lodging become hubs for child trafficking which my family has been fighting for two decades.
What sets you apart from your opponents?
I am a CEO with governing skills and a very successful record. My opponents are all politicians with 53 years combined in government. I accept no campaign donations and cannot be bought. My opponents are knee deep in dark money PAC’s so the voter has no idea who bought and paid for them as South Carolina’s disclosure rules do not require they reveal their source donors.
Tune in to The Political Beat on June 7 for an interview with Rom Reddy.