Elections will be held in the state of South Carolina on November 3, 2026, alongside the nationwide midterm elections. Elections will be held for a U.S. Senate seat, governor, as well as other statewide executive offices, all 7 of the state's U.S. House of Representatives seats and all seats in the State House. Primary elections were held on June 9, 2026, with runoff elections held on June 23.[1]

A solidly red state, South Carolina has consistently supported Republicans in recent decades. Democrats have not won South Carolina on the presidential level since 1976, when Jimmy Carter won most of the Deep South.[2] Democrats have not won any statewide office in South Carolina since 2006, when Jim Rex was elected as Superintendent of Education.[3] Democrats fielded candidates for all open federal and state offices for the first time in decades.[4]

United States Senate

Incumbent Republican senator Lindsey Graham, who was re-elected in 2020 with 54.4% of the vote, is running for re-election to a fifth term in office.[5] He won the Republican primary with 56.8% of the vote, thereby avoiding a runoff.[6] He will be challenged in the general election by pediatrician Annie Andrews, who won the Democratic nomination with 61.5% of the vote.[7]

United States House of Representatives

All of South Carolina's 7 seats in the United States House of Representatives are up for election in 2026.

6 seats are currently held by Republicans, and 1 is currently held by a Democrat.[8]

State executive

Governor

Incumbent Republican governor Henry McMaster, who was re-elected with 58.04% of the vote in 2022, is term-limited and cannot seek re-election a third full term in office.[9]

Attorney general Alan Wilson won the Republican nomination with 68.6% of the vote in a runoff election over lieutenant governor Pamela Evette.[10] Evette won the initial primary election with 29% of the vote to Wilson's 26%;[11] congressman Ralph Norman (17%), businessman Rom Reddy (14%), and congresswoman Nancy Mace (11%) were all eliminated in the primary.[12] State senator Josh Kimbrell dropped out of the race six days before the primary and endorsed Wilson.[13] The Democratic primary was won by state representative Jermaine Johnson with just under 60% of the vote.[14]

Attorney General

Incumbent Republican attorney general Alan Wilson, who was re-elected unopposed in 2022, declined to seek re-election to a fifth term in order to run for governor.[15]

Eighth Judicial Circuit solicitor David Stumbo won the nomination with 55.75% of the vote in a runoff over state senator Stephen Goldfinch.[16] First Judicial Circuit solicitor David Pascoe was eliminated in the initial primary election.[17] The general election will match Stumbo against Richard Hricik, a lawyer who won the Democratic primary unopposed.[18]

Secretary of State

Incumbent Republican secretary of state Mark Hammond, who was re-elected in 2022 with 63.3% of the vote, is running for a seventh term in office; he won the Republican primary unopposed. The Democratic nominee is Jason Belton, vice president of the Greater Columbia Central Labor Council. He narrowly defeated real estate agent Edwina Winter in the primary with 50.6% of the vote.[19][20]

Treasurer

Incumbent Republican treasurer Curtis Loftis, who was re-elected in 2022 with 79.7% of the vote, is running for re-election to a fifth term in office.[21] The South Carolina Senate voted to remove Loftis from office in a 33–8 vote in April 2025 following his involvement in a $1.8 billion accounting error, but the House did not vote on his removal before the end of their legislative session.[22]

Loftis won the Republican primary unopposed. The Democratic primary was won by banker Vincent Coe, who carried 55.8% of the vote against former deputy state treasurer and former South Carolina Democratic Party chair Trav Robertson Jr.[23][20]

Comptroller General

Republican Comptroller Richard Eckstrom, who was re-elected unopposed in 2022, left office on April 30, 2023, following the discovery of a $3.5 billion accounting error.[24] Governor Henry McMaster appointed Democrat Brian J. Gaines to serve the remainder of Eckstrom's term. He is not running for a full term.[25][26]

Superintendent of Education

Republican Superintendent Ellen Weaver was first elected in 2022 with 55.5% of the vote. She is eligible to run for re-election to a second term in office, but has not yet stated if he will do so.[27]

Lisa Ellis, the Democratic nominee for Superintendent of Education in 2022, is running in 2026.[27] She is being challenged in the Democratic primary by Sylvia Wright.[28]

Commissioner of Agriculture

Incumbent Republican commissioner Hugh Weathers was re-elected in 2022 with 77.6% of the vote. He is retiring.[29]

Fred West, the director of market development at the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, is running for the Republican nomination. He is endorsed by Weathers.[29]

State House of Representatives

All 124 seats in the South Carolina House of Representatives are up for election in 2026.

Republicans currently hold 88 seats in the State House, and Democrats hold 36.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2026 State Primary Election Dates". National Conference of State Legislatures. September 26, 2025. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  2. ↑ Martinez, Elizabeth (October 31, 2024). "A look into South Carolina's presidential election voting history". Spectrum News. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  3. ↑ Brams, Sophie (October 21, 2024). "Here are the reddest and bluest counties in South Carolina based on recent election results". WCBD 2. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  4. ↑ Carter, Tatiana (March 30, 2026). "For the first time, SC Democrats run in every state and federal race". WLOS. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
  5. ↑ Atkinson, Macon (January 13, 2025). "US Sen. Lindsey Graham announces 2026 reelection team and a $15 million fundraising war chest". The Post and Courier. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  6. ↑ Hernandez, Alec (June 9, 2026). "Sen. Lindsey Graham wins primary over 'America First' challenger". Politico. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Dr. Annie Andrews wins Democratic nomination for U.S Senate". WCIV. June 9, 2026. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  8. ↑ Collins, Jeffrey; Phillips, Patrick (November 5, 2024). "Mace, Clyburn, Fry win reelection to US House seats in South Carolina". WCSC 5. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  9. ↑ "SC - Election Night Reporting". South Carolina Election Commission. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  10. ↑ Bustos, Joseph (June 25, 2026). "How Alan Wilson ran up score in decisive runoff win in GOP bid for SC governor". The State. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  11. ↑ Smith, Allan (June 9, 2026). "Trump-backed Pamela Evette advances to GOP primary runoff against Alan Wilson in South Carolina governor's race". NBC News. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  12. ↑ Holdman, Jessica (June 9, 2026). "Evette, Wilson head to runoff in SC governor's race. Johnson clinches Democratic nomination". South Carolina Daily Gazette. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  13. ↑ Carpentier, Bella (June 4, 2026). "Josh Kimbrell exits SC governor race, leaves GOP field at five". The Greenville News. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  14. ↑ Moore, Stephanie (June 28, 2026). "Jermaine Johnson wins Democratic nomination for governor in South Carolina". WYFF. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  15. ↑ Kinnard, Meg (June 23, 2025). "Alan Wilson, South Carolina's four-term Republican attorney general, enters 2026 governor's race". Associated Press. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  16. ↑ "2026 Statewide Primary Runoffs Official Results - Attorney General, Republican". South Carolina State Election Commission. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  17. ↑ Moore, Stephanie (June 9, 2026). "South Carolina Attorney General race advances to runoff". WYFF. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  18. ↑ "David Stumbo wins GOP primary for S.C. attorney general". WRDW. June 23, 2026. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  19. ↑ Ashford, Adrian (March 31, 2026). "'A real choice': Democrats celebrate full slate of candidates for SC ballots". South Carolina Daily Gazette. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  20. 1 2 Cronin, Ruth (June 9, 2026). "Here are results in SC statewide primary election races". The Greenville News. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  21. ↑ Bustos, Joseph (April 2, 2025). "After saying he wouldn't run in 2026, SC Treasurer Loftis launches reelection bid". The State. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  22. ↑ Collins, Jeffrey (May 1, 2025). "State treasurer's role in a $1.8 billion accounting error likely won't cost him his job". Fortune. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  23. ↑ Byrd, Caitlin (March 30, 2026). "The 2026 South Carolina primary ballots are set. Here are some of the major races to watch". The Amazing Digital CircusPost and Courier. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  24. ↑ Flowers, Marcus (March 23, 2023). "S.C. Comptroller General resigning after accounting error". WIS 10. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  25. ↑ Meija, Jessica (May 12, 2023). "Governor McMaster appoints Brian Gaines as Comptroller General". ABC 25 Columbia. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  26. ↑ Adcox, Seanna (May 12, 2023). "McMaster calls SC Legislature back to work, makes history with pick for chief accountant". Palmetto Politics. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  27. 1 2 Grenier, Ian (September 5, 2025). "Democratic nominee in 2022 superintendent of education race running again for top SC education post". The Post and Courier. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  28. ↑ Brams, Sophie (September 8, 2025). "Two longtime educators launch Democratic primary bids for state superintendent". WCBD 2. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  29. 1 2 Bustos, Joseph (March 18, 2025). "SC Agriculture leader won't seek re-election. He wants this Midlands man to succeed him". The State. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_South_Carolina_elections