Trump Endorses Both Candidates in SC Runoff After Iowa Loss
President Donald Trump doubled down on his endorsement strategy Friday, backing both Republican candidates in South Carolina's gubernatorial runoff just weeks after his endorsement failed to carry Rep. Randy Feenstra to victory in Iowa's own GOP primary for governor.
Why Did Trump Endorse Both Pamela Evette and Alan Wilson?
Trump took to Truth Social to announce his support for both Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson ahead of Tuesday's runoff. The president explained his reasoning plainly, saying he “can’t hurt one of them by only Endorsing the other.”
Trump had already endorsed Evette late last month. She also carries the backing of term-limited Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, a longtime Trump ally. Friday's additional endorsement of Wilson appears to be a strategic hedge, ensuring Trump maintains influence regardless of which candidate prevails.
This is not the first time the president has made dual endorsements in the same Republican race. He is currently backing both Gina Swoboda and Jay Feely in Arizona's 1st Congressional District. Most famously, Trump endorsed “ERIC” in the 2022 Missouri GOP Senate primary, where Eric Schmitt and Eric Greitens were the leading candidates. Both claimed the endorsement, with Schmitt ultimately winning.
What Happened in the South Carolina Primary?
Evette finished on top of a crowded primary field that included Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, along with multimillionaire businessman Rom Reddy. Wilson placed second. Since no candidate secured a majority, Evette and Wilson advanced to the June 23 runoff.
The runoff has turned combative. In Tuesday's final debate, both candidates launched personal attacks and accused each other of misrepresenting their records.
Wilson has worked to contrast his tenure as attorney general with what he describes as Evette's largely ceremonial role as lieutenant governor. He has emphasized his background as a combat veteran, prosecutor, and the state's top law enforcement official.
Evette has positioned herself as an outsider and a Trump-endorsed businesswoman, while casting Wilson as a career politician. She also picked up endorsements from Mace and Norman after they were eliminated from the race.
Wilson, meanwhile, secured the backing of Sen. Ted Cruz, the conservative firebrand from Texas, who endorsed him roughly a week ago.
It has been 28 years since a Democrat won a gubernatorial election in South Carolina. The winner of the GOP runoff will be the clear favorite in the general election against Democratic nominee Jermaine Johnson, a state representative.
How Does Iowa's Feenstra Loss Factor In?
For Iowa voters, the South Carolina runoff carries a familiar echo. Trump's endorsement streak in statewide and congressional Republican primaries was snapped just three weeks ago right here at home.
Trump's last-minute endorsement of Rep. Randy Feenstra in the race to succeed retiring Gov. Kim Reynolds was not enough to push the three-term congressman across the finish line. Feenstra was narrowly defeated by Zach Lahn, a businessman, farmer, and former political strategist.
Lahn was backed by the political wings of the Make America Healthy Again movement, aligned with Trump Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as well as Turning Point USA, the powerful conservative organization co-founded by the late Charlie Kirk. The loss demonstrated that while Trump's endorsement remains a formidable force, it is not always decisive, particularly when grassroots energy and alternative conservative coalitions rally behind another candidate.
Has Trump's Endorsement Power Shifted?
Trump rebounded quickly after the Iowa loss. Evette finished first in South Carolina's GOP gubernatorial primary, and longtime Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham won a majority in the Republican Senate primary, avoiding a runoff altogether.
Graham, endorsed by Trump, faced primary challenges from five candidates, including conservative businessman Mark Lynch, who criticized the senator over his support for the war in Iran. Lynch was backed by some MAGA leaders critical of the president.
Across other states, Trump-backed candidates have seen mixed results. In solidly red Alabama, House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Barry Moore, a longtime Trump supporter, comfortably defeated rival Jared Hudson, a former Navy SEAL sniper backed by prominent figures on the right.
In battleground Georgia, Trump's last-minute endorsement helped boost Rep. Mike Collins, a MAGA champion, to victory over former college football coach Derek Dooley, who was supported by popular conservative Gov. Brian Kemp. Collins will face Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in a race that could determine whether Republicans hold their slim Senate majority.
But in Georgia's GOP gubernatorial runoff, the candidate Trump backed, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, lost to Rick Jackson, who ran as an outsider. A Trump political operative noted that Jackson set a spending record for a statewide Republican primary, pouring over $100 million of his own money into the race.
“Rick bearhugged Trump,” the operative said. “All of his ads and material was about how he's going to be Trump's favorite governor. So the race was not really a referendum on Trump.”
What Does the Double Endorsement Mean for GOP Voters?
Trump's decision to back both Evette and Wilson in South Carolina reflects a pragmatic approach. Rather than risking another loss that critics could seize on, the president is ensuring he stands with whichever candidate emerges victorious. For GOP voters, the dual endorsement effectively leaves the choice in their hands, turning the runoff into a contest of qualifications and vision rather than a proxy battle over Trump's favor.
The strategy also underscores a broader lesson from the Iowa primary. Endorsements matter, but they are not a substitute for grassroots enthusiasm, local connections, and a compelling campaign. Feenstra had the president's backing and the establishment's support, but Lahn had the ground game and the energy of activists who wanted a different direction for the state.
As South Carolina heads to the polls Tuesday, and as Iowa watches from the sidelines, the takeaway is clear. In today's Republican primaries, the voters still have the final say.
