Alan Wilson projected to win GOP runoff in SC governor’s race

COLUMBIA, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - Alan Wilson is projected to win the runoff election for the Republican nomination in the South Carolina governor’s race, according to the Associated Press.

Wilson advanced to a runoff against Lt. Governor Pamela Evette after the Primary Election on June 9. While Evette was initially endorsed by President Donald Trump, the president issued a statement co-endorsing Wilson last week.

The Associated Press called the race in favor of Wilson shortly before 7:30 p.m.

Wilson is set to face Democratic nominee Jermaine Johnson in the General Election in November.

WILSON AT A GLANCE

Party: Republican

Age: 52

Hometown: West Columbia, S.C.

Current Title: Attorney General of South Carolina

Campaign Website: alanwilson.com

BACKGROUND & BIOGRAPHY

Alan McCrory Wilson was born on July 16, 1973, in West Columbia, South Carolina. His biological father, an Army captain and Vietnam veteran, died in a military training exercise. His mother later married Joe Wilson, who currently serves as the U.S. Representative for South Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District and who adopted Alan when he was three years old. Wilson grew up with three brothers and is an Eagle Scout.

Wilson earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Francis Marion University in 1996 and a law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2002. Following college, he joined the South Carolina National Guard, where he currently holds the rank of Colonel in the Judge Advocate General Corps. He has described himself as a 30-year career soldier and combat veteran who has led soldiers under hostile conditions. After law school, Wilson worked as an assistant solicitor and assistant attorney general before entering private practice.

Wilson and his wife Jennifer have a daughter, Anna Grace. He has cited his faith as a guiding force in his public service.

POLITICAL CAREER & PUBLIC SERVICE

Wilson was first elected Attorney General of South Carolina in 2010 and has been re-elected three times, most recently in 2022. As the state’s top law enforcement officer for more than 15 years, he has overseen thousands of prosecutions of violent criminals, child predators, drug dealers, and corrupt public officials. He has also fought the Biden and Obama administrations hundreds of times in courts of law and has been the only person in the governor’s race to have defended President Trump’s agenda in a court of law, according to his own debate statements.

Wilson officially announced his candidacy for governor on June 23, 2025, and filed to run on March 19, 2026. He has chosen Republican state Sen. Mike Reichenbach of Florence County as his running mate for lieutenant governor.

• 2011 - Present: Attorney General of South Carolina
• Notable: 15-year record as state’s top prosecutor; Colonel in the SC Army National Guard; endorsed by nearly 80% of Republican sheriffs in South Carolina; endorsed by former Bob Jones University President Dr. Bob Jones III
• Selected state Senator Mike Reichenbach as his running mate for Lt. Governor
• Co-endorsed by President Donald Trump along with challenger Pamela Evette

KEY ISSUES & POLICY POSITIONS

Positions below are sourced from the candidate’s campaign materials, public statements, and debate appearances.

EDUCATION

Wilson supports universal school choice and has made it a top campaign priority. At the April 1 gubernatorial debate, he drew on a personal experience, saying: “I had specific individual needs and those weren’t being met by a public school. My parents had to sacrifice to send me to a small Christian school where I could have those needs met... Parents, you should have the same right and the same opportunity to give your kid the option to give them the education that best meets their needs. As governor, I will support that choice for each and every one of you.”

ABORTION

Wilson describes himself as unequivocally pro-life and holds a 100% pro-life rating. At the April 21 debate, he said he would veto S. 1095, the bill that would eliminate exceptions for rape, incest, and fatal fetal anomalies. He said: “When dealing with policies and approaching an issue like abortion, we must have compassion for the unborn and the mother. We must build consensus for everyone moving forward and apply common sense, which is why I would veto that bill.” He added that as governor he would work to “build a culture of life in South Carolina by reforming our adoption, as well as our foster care systems and making sure crisis pregnancy centers are adequately funded.”

IMMIGRATION

Wilson has made immigration enforcement a key part of his public safety platform. At the April 21 debate, he framed himself as the only candidate who has actually defended immigration enforcement in court, noting his record fighting the Biden and Obama administrations. He has called for modernizing the SC Department of Transportation and has emphasized law-and-order as a core theme, including cracking down on fentanyl trafficking and violent crime.

STATE INFRASTRUCTURE

Wilson has proposed a multi-pronged approach to infrastructure funding that avoids raising taxes. At the April 21 debate, he said: “We need to be more innovative in how we approach infrastructure funding. First, we modernize and we reform the Department of Transportation. We privatize that grass between the interstates. We turn it into private express lanes that can be tolled.” He also called for ensuring shovel-ready projects are in place so that “when the money is appropriated, we are ready to go.”

DATA CENTERS

At the April 21 debate, Wilson expressed conditional support for data centers, emphasizing local community choice and responsible regulation. He said communities that want data centers should be able to have them, and proposed incentivizing data centers to generate their own energy and return excess power to local utility companies to lower rates. He also called for a statewide regulatory framework to monitor environmental, noise, and light impacts. Wilson framed data centers as a national security issue, saying: “I’d rather have our data controlled out of Berkeley than Beijing to protect your kids, and we can do that without destroying the ACE Basin.”

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

“We are here tonight because this is a job interview. The office of governor doesn’t belong to me. It doesn’t belong to anyone on this stage. It belongs to you, the people of South Carolina, and I am here to ask you to hire me to do this job.” -Alan Wilson, Republican Gubernatorial Debate, Charleston, April 21, 2026

“When dealing with policies and approaching an issue like abortion, we must have compassion for the unborn and the mother. We must build consensus for everyone moving forward and apply common sense, which is why I would veto that bill.” -Alan Wilson, Republican Gubernatorial Debate, Charleston, April 21, 2026

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