South Carolina Gubernatorial Race Heats Up as Republican Candidates Court Trump's Endorsement

South Carolina's Lt. Gov. Evette is launching a $1 million multimedia campaign, including a TV ad featuring President Trump praising her, as the Republican candidates in the gubernatorial race compete intensely for the president's backing. Trump's support remains high in the state, and the competition among the GOP contenders has shaped up to be a more intense battle than the nomination battle itself. With Republicans holding all statewide-elected positions in South Carolina and having won the governor's office for over 20 years, securing Trump's endorsement is seen as crucial for the Republican hopefuls.

Key Takeaways:

The South Carolina gubernatorial race has become a heated contest, with Republican candidates competing fiercely for President Trump's endorsement.
Lt. Gov. Evette is launching a $1 million multimedia campaign, including a 30-second TV ad featuring Trump praising her, which will run for a month across the state.
The ad is part of Evette's "Keep South Carolina Great" campaign, mirroring Trump's "Make America Great Again" mantra, and highlighting her "unwavering support" for the president.
All four top Republican hopefuls, including Reps. Nancy Mace, Ralph Norman, and state Attorney General Alan Wilson, have made it clear they understand Trump's influence and the benefit his endorsement would bring.
Elected alongside Gov. Henry McMaster in 2018, Evette has touted her time serving with the popular McMaster, a longtime Trump ally, and highlighted her business experience and emphasis on growing the state's economy.
Mace has called herself "Trump in high heels" and argued she is best positioned to carry out his agenda in South Carolina, where he has remained popular since his 2016 state primary win.
Wilson has sent news releases defending Trump against a New York case and showcasing his authoring of a multistate friend-of-the-court brief defending the president.
Republican candidates are competing for Trump's endorsement, with the South Carolina primary elections set for June 9, and a runoff two weeks later if needed.

Statistics:

The South Carolina gubernatorial race is expected to be highly competitive, with Republicans having won the governor's office for over 20 years.
President Trump's support remains high in the state, with a 2016 state primary win that helped cement his status as the GOP presidential nominee.
The $1 million multimedia campaign by Lt. Gov. Evette's campaign is a significant investment in securing Trump's endorsement.
The ad will run for a month across the state, with the Republican candidates competing intensively for the president's backing.

Sources:

(AP) — South Carolina Lt. Gov. Evette is playing up her connection to President Trump in the first TV campaign ad of a hotly contested gubernatorial race.