South Carolina Governor Race 2026: Wilson vs. Johnson

South Carolina is an open seat with Gov. Henry McMaster term-limited. Attorney General Alan Wilson (R), the state’s top prosecutor since 2011, won the nomination after Trump endorsed both him and his runoff rival. He faces state Rep. Jermaine Johnson (D), a former College of Charleston basketball standout who talks about safer communities, better schools, and repairing roads and bridges. Wilson’s affordability plan centers on doing away with the state income tax, reworking property taxes, letting a governor pause the gas tax for up to 120 days, and adding energy competition; Johnson proposes targeted income tax relief for lower-income families and state reinvestment in roads, trade schools, and manufacturing. At their only scheduled debate, Johnson backed Medicaid expansion, a moratorium on new data centers, and a statewide ban on Flock license plate cameras; Wilson warned expansion could crowd out teacher raises and law enforcement services, opposed a data center moratorium in favor of local control, and defended the cameras as a law enforcement tool. Michael Addison (United Citizens) and Walid Hakim (G) are also on the ballot. Wilson is the heavy favorite.