South Carolina Governor Race

2026 Election • Open Seat (Term Limited)
Back to Governor Races

Primary

Democratic Primary

Held June 9, 2026.

CandidateVotes%
Jermaine Johnson ✓ 221,751 59.7%
Billy Webster 110,267 29.7%
William Mullins McLeod Jr. 39,739 10.7%
Mullins Mcleod 39,710 10.7%

Republican Runoff

Held June 23, 2026.

CandidateVotes%
Alan Wilson ✓ 218,548 68.6%
Pamela Evette 100,220 31.4%

Full calendar and every race: South Carolina primary guide

Race Overview

Incumbent
OPEN (Henry McMaster)
Party
Republican
Open Seat
Yes
Current Rating
Likely R our polls experts: Safe R
Term Limited
Yes
Polls
2 polls

PollingSource Rating

Likely R
Our polling average R+9.0 · 2 polls

General Election Polling Trend

Showing the published average. The rating above uses this figure.

The right edge is that same average of the last three polls. This is an average, not a forecast.

</> Embed this chart on your site

Free to embed — the chart credits and links back to PollingSource.

Share X Facebook Race page

Expert Ratings

Cook Political Report

Solid R

Inside Elections

Solid Republican

Candidates

Jermaine Johnson Nominee

Democrat
Alan Wilson

Alan Wilson Nominee

Republican

General Election Polling Average

Democrat
38.5%
Republican
47.5%
Margin
R+9.0
Last Poll
Oct 3, 2026

Average is the unweighted mean of the last three scientific public polls. Fewer than three uses the polls that exist. The rating uses that average when the newest poll ended in the last 30 days. The table lists the polls in that average, plus the most recent 30 days or the newest 3 polls, whichever is more. How accurate is each pollster? →

PollsterDateSampleMoEDemRep
Resonance Media 2026-10-03 638 RV ±3.70 Jermaine Johnson 35.00% Alan Wilson 45.00%
Hart Research partisan·D 2026-08-15 LV Jermaine Johnson 42.00% Alan Wilson 50.00%

Questions About This Race

Who is winning the 2026 South Carolina governor's race?

Alan Wilson leads Jermaine Johnson 47.5% to 38.5% in the PollingSource polling average — a R+9.0 margin based on 2 polls, the last three or fewer.

Is the 2026 South Carolina governor's race competitive?

It is not considered a top-tier battleground: the PollingSource polling average rates it Likely R, the current rating band. An upset is not impossible.

What does the latest poll of the 2026 South Carolina governor's race say?

The most recent public poll, from Resonance Media (completed October 3, 2026), found Jermaine Johnson (D) at 35% and Alan Wilson (R) at 45%.

When is the 2026 South Carolina governor's race decided?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

How is the PollingSource average calculated?

The PollingSource average is the unweighted mean of the last three scientific public polls, or fewer when fewer exist. One poll sets the rating when it ended in the last 30 days. We do not exclude pollsters. The table lists recent polls, including ones older than those three. Full details: pollingsource.com/methodology.

Race Notes

Term-limited, open seat

Race News

Get the daily email and the spending series