South Carolina has settled one of the most closely watched contests of the night in its race for governor. According to the reporting, ABC News projects that Attorney General Alan Wilson has come out on top in the Republican primary runoff, defeating Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette. The projection gives Wilson the party's nomination in a race that had drawn the most attention among the state's primaries.
The runoff itself was the product of South Carolina's election rules, which require a candidate to clear a majority to win outright. According to the reporting, South Carolina is a place where, if candidates do not cross 50 percent in the initial primary, they have to go to a runoff. With no contender reaching that threshold weeks earlier, the top two finishers advanced to the head-to-head vote decided on this night.
President Trump's role in the contest was unusual and shaped much of the coverage. According to the reporting, the president had initially endorsed Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette in the first round of voting. Then, just days before the runoff, he also voiced support for Alan Wilson, effectively backing both candidates as they headed into the decisive vote.
Analysts noted that the dual endorsement allowed the president to come out ahead no matter the result. According to the reporting, by backing both candidates the president was able to declare a win regardless of the outcome, and his choice appeared to be vindicated as the attorney general emerged as the projected winner. The approach underscored how closely the runoff was tied to Trump's influence within the party.
For Wilson, the projected victory clears a major hurdle on a possible path to the governor's office. According to the reporting, the result potentially gives the attorney general the pathway to become the next governor of the Palmetto State, with supporters gathering at a watch party to await his remarks. The win positions him as the Republican standard-bearer heading toward the general election.
The South Carolina runoff was only one piece of a broader primary night unfolding across the country. According to the reporting, voters in four states, including South Carolina, Maryland, New York and Utah, weighed in on key races for Congress and for governor. Those contests could help reshape the battle for control of Congress as the parties head into a consequential set of midterm elections.