McMaster backs Evette to replace him as South Carolina governor. Is Trump's endorsement next?

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster is endorsing Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette ’s bid to succeed him in office, an attempt to clear the field in the crowded Republican primary that could pave the way for a coveted endorsement from President Donald Trump.

Evette's campaign shared with The Associated Press a video message from McMaster that will be released Thursday, when they're scheduled to appear together in Columbia.

McMaster said Evette has been his partner in making South Carolina “the best place to live, work and raise a family.”

“With Pamela Evette as our next governor, we’ll keep winning,” he added.

Evette is competing for the nomination against Rep. Nancy Mace, Rep. Ralph Norman and state Attorney General Alan Wilson. In the deep red state, the competition for the president’s support has been the most intense part of the race, but McMaster's endorsement suggests Evette may have the inside track.

McMaster has been close to Trump for years, and they're nearly always aligned in backing the same candidates. As South Carolina's lieutenant governor in 2016, McMaster became the first statewide elected official in the country to endorse Trump at a time when the party's establishment was still hesitant to embrace the New York businessman and reality television star.

The wager paid off when Trump chose Nikki Haley, then South Carolina's governor, to be his ambassador to the United Nations, allowing McMaster to ascend to the state's top position.

The relationship helped cement Trump's political influence in South Carolina, where he helped oust a five-term Republican congressman who crossed him in 2022 and then trounced Haley in the state's presidential primary in 2024.

Evette said Wednesday in an extensive interview with the AP that McMaster’s endorsement was “a clear sign” that she could continue his success. She also said she’d “been loyal to the president since day one.”

“He remembers who was loyal, and who was with him when it wasn’t easy to be with him,” she said. “There’s a lot of communication. We have a lot of tentacles that tie us together.”

Evette, who visited the White House last year and plans to return next month, called Trump’s endorsement “extremely important” to the governor’s race, which she said “becomes a mountain that’s a lot harder to climb” without it.

Trump hasn’t endorsed a candidate in the race, and it’s unclear if or when he will.

Using the motto “Keep South Carolina Great,” akin to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” mantra, Evette has made the president a focal point. A businesswoman new to politics when she ran alongside McMaster in 2018, Evette has touted her “unwavering support” for Trump, and a banner image atop her campaign releases features a photo of her posing with Trump and McMaster.

Evette has also hired a campaign team that includes one of Trump’s top lieutenants, his longtime pollster Tony Fabrizio. A $1 million multimedia buy last year featured a video snippet of Trump praising Evette as she stumped for him in 2024.

Other candidates are trying similar approaches.

Mace described herself as “Trump in high heels” and has pointed out the president's favorable social media posts about her.

Wilson has played up his support for Trump from both his campaign and government office.

Norman, a member of the House Freedom Caucus and one of the chamber’s most conservative members, backed Trump during his first term but endorsed Haley in 2024. He was at the White House for Trump’s event honoring Purple Heart recipients last summer.

South Carolina’s primary elections are June 9, with a runoff two weeks later if needed. In 2018, Trump made a last-minute trip to stump with McMaster, helping him secure a runoff win en route to his first full term.

The filing deadline for gubernatorial candidates is still more than a month away, so it’s still possible that the field isn’t completely set. Two Democrats have announced their campaigns, but Republicans hold all statewide-elected positions in South Carolina and have won the governor’s office for the past two decades.

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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP