4 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Eliminating South Carolina's state income tax, which supplies roughly 44% of annual state revenue.
Expanded lawsuit reform, building on the limited tort reform passed in 2025.
Universal school choice and more stringent English language comprehension standards earlier in school.
Cutting wasteful spending through an efficiency review modelled on the federal Department of Government Efficiency.
A 'quality of life' agenda: affordability, managing population growth and infrastructure investment.
'My number one goal as governor is to make people's lives better, which probably hearkens back to the Boy Scouts, who teach you to always leave the campsite better than you found it.'
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Attorney General of South Carolina since 2011; re-elected three times, most recently in 2022.
Iraq war veteran; served in the South Carolina Army National Guard.
As attorney general, oversaw prosecutions of violent offenders, child predators, drug dealers and public corruption cases over more than fifteen years.
His office prosecuted Alex Murdaugh in 2023; the South Carolina Supreme Court unanimously overturned the double murder conviction in May 2026 because of jury tampering by Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill.
Finished second in the June 9 2026 Republican primary with about 26% and won the June 23 runoff with about 68.6% over Pamela Evette.
Won the nomination after President Trump declined to make a clear endorsement in the race.
Arguments in favor
He has been the state's chief prosecutor for fifteen years — violent crime, child predators, drug trafficking and public corruption — which is the experience the job's law enforcement role calls for.
— Alan Wilson for Governor campaign
He would eliminate the state income tax and expand lawsuit reform and school choice, the fullest conservative programme on offer in the race.
— Alan Wilson for Governor campaign
He is running on quality of life rather than culture war — affordability, growth management and infrastructure — grounded in his service in Iraq and his wife's illness.
— Alan Wilson, in a September 2026 Statehouse Report interview
Arguments against
He 'should have done a better job getting a conviction' and 'screwed up the most high-profile trial in South Carolina history,' after the state Supreme Court threw out the Murdaugh murder verdicts. A Post and Courier editorial disputed this, arguing the reversal turned on a court clerk's misconduct rather than his prosecution.
— Advisers to Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, his Republican runoff opponent
It is rich for the party that has controlled every level of state government for twenty years to campaign as the agent of change.
— Jermaine Johnson, Democratic nominee
South Carolina has still not expanded Medicaid under his party's governance, leaving about 500,000 people without coverage while rural hospitals close.
— Jermaine Johnson, Democratic nominee
What we couldn’t verify
His official campaign website could not be verified, so no URL is listed.
How eliminating the income tax — about 44% of state revenue — would be paid for; no replacement plan was located.
His position on Medicaid expansion could not be established from a source read directly.
Expanding Medicaid to cover about 500,000 South Carolinians.
Education reform, and opposing school vouchers for private schools until public education is fixed first.
Repairing roads and bridges and expanding broadband, which he worked on as a legislator.
Keeping rural hospitals open.
Criminal justice reform and protecting working families.
'When I'm governor, we're going to start defining the success of South Carolina – not by how its businesses are doing, but by how its people are doing.'
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives since 2020, when he defeated a 22-year incumbent; the first African American to represent his district.
Grew up in South Central Los Angeles, experienced homelessness as a young person and attended seven high schools; earned a basketball scholarship to the College of Charleston and later played professionally in Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Portugal.
Holds a graduate degree in project management and a doctoral degree in organizational leadership; the first in his family to earn a doctorate.
As a legislator, worked on broadband expansion, road and bridge repair, and creating the Lower Richland Tech Academy.
Delivered the South Carolina Democratic response to the 2026 State of the State.
Won the June 9 2026 Democratic primary outright with roughly 58-60%, avoiding a runoff.
Arguments in favor
He would expand Medicaid to about 500,000 South Carolinians, which the state has refused to do for more than a decade while rural hospitals close.
— Dr. Jermaine Johnson for Governor campaign
He has lived what he is campaigning on — homelessness, seven high schools, a scholarship out — and says that is why he would judge the state by how its people are doing rather than how its businesses are.
— Dr. Jermaine Johnson for Governor campaign
In one term he delivered specific things for a rural district — broadband, road repair, the Lower Richland Tech Academy — after beating a 22-year incumbent.
— Dr. Jermaine Johnson for Governor campaign
Arguments against
He heads the most 'radical' ticket in South Carolina history — voters should 'Don't California My South Carolina.'
— Alan Wilson, Republican nominee
Fellow Democrats have questioned whether his legislative tenure represents a real break from entrenched state politics or simply a different face within the same system.
— South Carolina Democrats quoted by Statehouse Report / Charleston City Paper
His doctorate has drawn public scepticism because it was awarded by a private institution that no longer operates.
— Reporting by Statehouse Report / Charleston City Paper
What we couldn’t verify
The identity and accreditation status of the institution that granted his doctorate could not be verified from a source read directly, so the criticism above is reported rather than confirmed.
How Medicaid expansion would pass a Republican legislature that has blocked it repeatedly.
His position on South Carolina's abortion law could not be established from a source read directly.
Green Party nominee for governor of South Carolina in 2026; certified for the general election ballot.
Described in candidate listings as a businessman, a gun rights activist and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.
Has not held statewide office.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
His stated policy positions could not be established; no campaign website or platform document was located, so standsFor is left empty rather than filled in from the national Green Party platform.
Whether he has named a running mate for lieutenant governor.
No advocacy for and no criticism of him by name could be found, so no arguments are listed on either side.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
Open seat: Republican Henry McMaster is term-limited, as is Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette. Roster established from Wikipedia's race page, Politics1, SC Daily Gazette, Charleston City Paper, PBS/AP, NPR and WIS, cross-checked. In the June 9 2026 primaries, state Representative Jermaine Johnson won the Democratic nomination outright with roughly 58-60% (sources differ slightly) over Billy Webster and Mullins McLeod; on the Republican side, Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette led with about 29% to Attorney General Alan Wilson's 26%, ahead of Representatives Ralph Norman and Nancy Mace and businessman Rom Reddy, and Wilson then won the June 23 runoff with about 68.6%. South Carolina elects governor and lieutenant governor as a joint ticket: Wilson runs with state Senator Mike Reichenbach, Johnson with Sam Skardon. Two minor-party tickets are also on the ballot: Walid Hakim for the Green Party and Michael Addison, with Candace Brewer, for the United Citizens Party. A Workers Party filing by Gary Votour was reported in March but could not be confirmed as certified. Hakim and Addison are listed with empty argument sections — no organised advocacy for them and no criticism of them by name could be found.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A South Carolina ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at South Carolina Election Commission.