South-Carolina
Could Democrats’ change at top of ticket impact down-ballot races in SC?
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – President Joe Biden’s decision to not seek reelection adds even more intrigue to an already closely followed election.
But hundreds of other races will also be on South Carolina ballots this November, many for seats in the state legislature.
For the last few weeks, since the presidential debate, some South Carolina Democrats privately said they were concerned about down-ballot races.
They worried if voters were not motivated by Biden to get to the polls, they likely would not go to cast a ballot for races at the State House, where Democrats can’t afford to lose many seats.
“If we lose one seat in the Senate, [Republicans] will have a supermajority,” Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine said. “We already have an uphill battle most of the time, and so I’m committed to make sure all of our Democratic senators come back. I hope we can add one or two.”
Devine said Democrats are reenergized in a way she hasn’t seen in a while with Vice President Kamala Harris now the party’s de facto nominee.
Devine, a Richland County Democrat, said she personally was not overly concerned about down-ballot races if Biden was still running but believes this switch could help Democrats running for the state legislature.
“It certainly was a concern for me that if people aren’t thinking about the election right now, it’s going to be hard for us to really get that momentum after Labor Day,” she said. “Now with this announcement, we’ve got people who are talking about elections. They’re excited about the election.”
Republicans are close to having a supermajority in the South Carolina Senate, and they already have one in the House of Representatives.
A University of South Carolina political science professor said he believes this could at least get Democratic enthusiasm back to where it was before the debate when panic started to set in for some members of the party.
“It was just like, people were getting disheartened, and people were recognizing this is an election where we just don’t have a chance. So it would have kind of discouraged turnout among Democrats,” USC professor Bob Oldendick said.
South Carolina Republican Party Chair Drew McKissick said this change does not make a difference in his party’s plans for State House and other down-ballot races.
“It’s really all about turnout on our side. If we do our jobs and turn out our voters in a state like South Carolina, we’re going to win and we’re going to win big, no matter who they have on their ticket,” McKissick said.
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South-Carolina
Trump jumps into 2 GOP governor primaries, backing Evette in South Carolina and Feenstra in Iowa – WTOP News
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — President Donald Trump endorsed two Republican gubernatorial candidates Friday, wading into contests in South Carolina and…
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — President Donald Trump endorsed two Republican gubernatorial candidates Friday, wading into contests in South Carolina and Iowa that have pitted allies against each other in a fierce competition for their party leader’s blessing.
In a pair of social media posts, Trump gave his backing to South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Iowa Rep. Randy Feenstra, as primary elections in both states approach.
Iowa’s primary is Tuesday, and South Carolina’s is on June 9.
For two terms, Evette has served alongside Gov. Henry McMaster, one of Trump’s earliest backers during his first presidential campaign. Earlier this year, the long-serving governor endorsed his No. 2, telegraphing to some that Trump’s backing could be next.
On Friday, Trump expressed both appreciation for Evette and the state she represents, noting that she stumped for him in 2024. He also said “A BIG added plus” for her campaign is that Henry McMaster Jr. — the sitting governor’s son — may be Evette’s running mate.
In the deep red state of South Carolina, the competition for the president’s support has been the most intense part of the primary race.
In a separate post, Trump described Feenstra as “MAGA all the way” and said he would “fight tirelessly” for the state on issues including the economy, border security and support of law enforcement.
Both Evette and Feenstra have been vocal about wanting Trump’s endorsement, in the hopes that it would carry weight in states that helped propel Trump’s return to office in 2024. Feenstra said earlier this year that he asked for Trump’s support, and much of Evette’s campaign media has featured photos of her next to Trump.
Along with Feenstra, four other Republicans — state Rep. Eddie Andrews, businessman and former conservative political director Zach Lahn, former state Rep. Brad Sherman and former director of the state Department of Administrative Services Adam Steen — are in the primary to replace outgoing Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, who opted out of a third bid.
Evette is competing for the South Carolina nomination against Rep. Nancy Mace, Rep. Ralph Norman and state Attorney General Alan Wilson.
Both states are having their first competitive Republican gubernatorial primaries in years, with Reynolds and McMaster in office for roughly a decade each.
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Hannah Fingerhut contributed reporting from Des Moines, Iowa.
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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP
Copyright
© 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) — A loud boom was heard and felt across the Midlands around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Viewers reported hearing and feeling the boom from as far as North Augusta to Darlington County.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a M 0.0 sonic boom occurred 3.7 miles northeast of the St. Andrews area.
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