Democrats and Republicans Select 2026 General Election Candidates in South Carolina and Nevada Primaries
South Carolina and Nevada held primary elections on Tuesday, with several races advancing to runoffs scheduled for June 23. In South Carolina, Republican Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson will face off in a GOP gubernatorial runoff, while Democrat Jermaine Johnson, a former basketball player and state representative, won the Democratic nomination. Nevada's gubernatorial race will pit Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford against Republican incumbent Gov. Joe Lombardo in what is expected to be a closely watched competitive general election.
Primary elections across South Carolina and Nevada on Tuesday produced mixed results, with several races remaining undecided and headed to runoffs. In South Carolina's Republican gubernatorial primary, a crowded field prevented any candidate from securing a decisive victory, leading to a June 23 runoff between state Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette (29% of votes, endorsed by President Trump) and state Attorney General Alan Wilson (26.1%). Congressional Representatives Ralph Norman and Nancy Mace, who had sought the nomination, failed to advance. On the Democratic side, Jermaine Johnson, a former professional basketball player who served three terms representing a Columbia-area district, won the gubernatorial nomination, though Democrats face a significant challenge in the general election after not winning a statewide gubernatorial race in South Carolina for nearly three decades. In Nevada, both major party nominees secured their nominations: Democrat Aaron Ford, the state attorney general backed by former Vice President Kamala Harris, and Republican incumbent Gov. Joe Lombardo. Ford defeated Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill and has centered his campaign on affordability concerns.
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South Carolina and Nevada Democrats chose their challengers for swing races and other primary takeaways
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