South Carolina Governor's Office Addresses Redistricting Delay and Endorses Lt. Gov. for 2026 Race

In May 2026, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster stated that the state would not have a new congressional map in place for the 2026 election after the state Senate's vote made clear the redistricting bill would not advance. The General Assembly, which had returned for a special session called by McMaster, adjourned to June 10 without giving the bill a required third reading. McMaster urged South Carolinians to vote confidently in the state's June 9 primary despite the unresolved map. Separately, in February 2026, McMaster endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette to succeed him in a five-way Republican gubernatorial primary. The endorsement took place at an event in Columbia, where McMaster described Evette as his "eyes and ears." At the time of the endorsement, polling on the primary race showed "undecided" as the leading response among voters. The redistricting matter remains unresolved, as no new congressional map had been finalized before the June 9 primary, though the reports do not specify whether further legislative action was expected afterward. The gubernatorial primary was ongoing as of the endorsement, with the race's outcome and the impact of McMaster's endorsement on voter support not yet determined based on available reporting.