Republican State Attorney General Alan Wilson appeared to be headed to a closer-than-expected victory Tuesday night over Richland County Democratic S.C. Rep. Jermaine Johnson in a South Carolina governor’s race that saw a record non-presidential turnout of about two million voters.
As of 10:30 p.m., Wilson and his lieutenant governor running mate, Florence County Sen. Mike Reichenbach, were leading Johnson and Charleston clean energy executive Sam Skardon by a 52%-47% margin.
With almost all of the results int, Johnson had not conceded the race by 11 p.m. Tuesday.
But in a 10 p.m. statement, Wilson declared victory, congratulating Johnson on a well-run race and saying he was “deeply humbled and grateful for the trust the people of South Carolina have placed in me.”
“Now it’s time to turn that vision into action, bring our state together, and deliver the results South Carolinians deserve,” Wilson said. “The campaign may be over, but our work is just beginning. God bless South Carolina.”
Candidates representing two third-party tickets — the United Citizens Party’s Michael Addison and Candace Brewer, and the Green Party’s Walid Hakim and Arnold E. Karr — had less than 1% each.
For Wilson, the win came at the end of a 16-month effort that saw him emerge from a crowded seven-person Republican primary field to force Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, then running with President Donald Trump’s “complete and total” endorsement, into a June 23 runoff. But with polls showing Wilson pulling away during the two-week sprint, Trump hedged his Evette bet in the closing days of the race by offering a rare dual endorsement of both candidates, setting the stage for Wilson’s nearly 40-point victory.
That momentum then carried into the fall campaign, with Wilson consistently dominating public polling and outraising his Democratic opponent almost 5-1 through Oct. 15.
Issues that divided the major party candidates during the race included health care, with Johnson favoring Medicaid expansion, and casino gambling, which Wilson said he would oppose even if voters supported it in a referendum.
Other constitutional offices
As with the governor’s race, all of the statewide constitutional office contests were unexpectedly close as of 10:30 p.m.
Secretary of State: In a race that saw little attention, six-term incumbent Republican Mark Hammond led Democratic challenger James Belton 53% to 47%.
State Treasurer: Despite a state accounting scandal that resulted in an S.C. Senate vote to remove him from office, longtime GOP Treasurer Curtis Loftis was ahead of Democratic nominee Vincent Coe 52% to48%.
Attorney General: In the seat opened up by Wilson’s gubernatorial bid, Republican Eighth Circuit Solicitor David Stumbo was up by a 52-48 margin against Lowcountry Democratic attorney Richard Hricik.
Comptroller General: In the fight for this open seat, Republican businessman Mike Burkhold leds Democratic CPA Tiffany Boozer by a four-point margin.
State Superintendent of Education: Following a first term that made her a political lightning rod for some, incumbent Ellen Weaver led North Charleston educator Sylvia Wright 51% to48%, with United Citizens Party candidate Baba Amin Ojuok under 1%.
Commissioner of Agriculture: In this open seat, Republican Cody Simpson led Democratic nominee DeShawn Blanding 52% to 46%. Meanwhile, Libertarian Michael Sullen has 2% and the United Citizens Party’s Chris Nelums has just under 1%.
S.C. House of Representatives
With state Democrats hoping to pick up the seven seats they’d need to break the GOP majority in the S.C. House, all eyes were on a handful of tight S.C. House races, as well as one Democratic pick-up opportunity and one Democratic open seat. All of the following numbers were as of 10:30 p.m.
The pick-up opportunity is in State House District 116, where Democratic nominee Clay Middleton is leading incumbent Republican James Teeple 56% to44% in the Charleston area.
Meanwhile, in the open State House District 115 seat vacated by the retirement of Democratic incumbent Spencer Wetmore, Democratic candidate Nick Uricchio was leading Republican Johnny Garmon 58% 42% in a district that includes Folly Beach and James Island.
And in area races that are going down to the wire:
- State House 94: Rep. Gil Gatch (R) 51%, Sally Hebert (D) 49%.
- State House 110: Rep. Tom Hartnett (R) 50%, K.J. Atwood 50%.
- State House 112: Rep. Joseph M. Bustos (R) 50%, Jenna Arsenault (D) 50%.
- State House 114: Rep. Gary Brewer (R) 51%, Kelly Hough (D) 49%.
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