South Carolina goes to the polls on Tuesday for a primary in which voters across the state will pick their nominees for Congress and, in the race drawing the most attention, for the state's next governor. With voting only days away, attention has turned to a crowded field of candidates and an unusually energetic early turnout.
The Republican contest for governor features several well-known names. Among them are Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, state Attorney General Alan Wilson, and Congresswoman Nancy Mace, who urged supporters on social media not to sit the contest out.
South Carolina uses an open primary system, which shapes how the vote works. Any registered voter can turn up to the polls and choose either a Republican or a Democratic ballot, without having to register with a party beforehand, giving voters flexibility in which contest they take part in.
Turnout in the early phase has been notable. Early voting ran for two weeks and closed on Friday, and more than 200,000 votes had already been cast. Just under two-thirds of those were Democratic ballots and about one-third Republican, a split that points to strong energy on the Democratic side, though Republicans are expected to turn out in force on primary day itself.
The polling picture has shifted with Trump's intervention. Most surveys since his endorsement have put Evette in front, with a Trafalgar poll placing her at around 20 percent before the endorsement, rising to roughly 26 percent afterwards and then easing to about 23 percent later in the week. Other polls have put Wilson in first place at around 19.4 to 19.5 percent, leaving the race competitive.
The rules mean the contest may not end on Tuesday. If no candidate reaches 50 percent plus one in the primary, the top two finishers advance to a runoff on June 23, which would set up roughly two more weeks of campaigning regardless of how the first round falls.
Trump's endorsement carried an added element that stirred debate. It also name-checked the current governor's son, Henry McMaster Jr, as a potential running mate, a suggestion that drew criticism, including from Mace, as the candidates make their final push before voters decide.