2022 South Carolina gubernatorial election

The 2022 South Carolina gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of South Carolina. Incumbent Republican Governor Henry McMaster ran for re-election for a second full term in office and secured the Republican nomination in the June 14 primary. Joe Cunningham, former United States representative from South Carolina's 1st congressional district, was the Democratic nominee. McMaster won the general election with 58% of the vote — a 4.08% improvement over his 2018 margin.

McMaster became the first Republican gubernatorial candidate to win Calhoun County since 1994, and the first to win Clarendon County and Dillon County since 1990. This election marks the largest gubernatorial victory in the state since 1990, when incumbent Republican Carroll Campbell won his re-election bid by a margin of 41.7%.

Republican primary Candidates Declared Henry McMaster, incumbent governor Running mate: Pamela Evette, incumbent lieutenant governor

Eliminated in primary Harrison "Trucker Bob" Musselwhite, trucker and chairman of Legislate Liaison Committee for the Greenville County Republican Party Running mate: Zoe Warren, filmmaker and editor-at-large for The Standard SC

Withdrew Al Bellavance, former Fort Lawn town councilor Mindy L. Steele, political consultant

Declined A. Shane Massey, majority leader of the South Carolina Senate Tim Scott, U.S. senator (ran for re-election) Katrina Shealy, state senator John Warren, Greenville businessman and candidate for governor in 2018

Endorsements

Results

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Joe Cunningham, former U.S. representative for

Eliminated in primary Carlton Boyd Mia McLeod, state senator Calvin "CJ Mack" McMillan, singer William H. Williams, former postmaster, veteran and candidate for in 2020

Withdrew Gary Votour, healthcare advocate and retired GIS mapper (running under Labor nomination)

Declined Stephen K. Benjamin, former mayor of Columbia Mandy Powers Norrell, former state representative and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2018 (endorsed McLeod) Todd Rutherford, minority leader of the South Carolina House of Representatives

Endorsements

Results

Lieutenant governor selection After winning the primary, on July 18, Cunningham released a shortlist of potential running mates. He announced Tally Parham Casey as his running mate on August 1.

Chosen as running mate Tally Parham Casey, law firm CEO and former South Carolina Air National Guard fighter pilot

Made shortlist Rosalyn Glenn, financial planner and nominee for South Carolina State Treasurer in 2018 Jermaine Johnson, state representative Kimberly Johnson, state representative Meghan Smith, Spartanburg city councilor Ed Sutton, real estate agent and U.S. Air Force pilot Spencer Wetmore, state representative Kathryn Whitaker, law firm chief marketing officer

Declined Mia McLeod, state senator and runner-up in the gubernatorial primary Teresa Wilson, Columbia city manager

Independents and third parties Candidates Declared Jokie Beckett Jr., veteran (Independence) Michael Copeland (Independence) Morgan Bruce Reeves (Libertarian), United Citizens and Green nominee for governor in 2010 and United Citizens nominee in 2014 Gary Votour (Labor), healthcare advocate and retired GIS mapper. Running mate: Harold Geddings III, candidate for South Carolina's 2nd congressional district in 2014

General election Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report July 26, 2022Inside Elections July 22, 2022 Sabato's Crystal Ball June 29, 2022PoliticoApril 1, 2022 RCPJune 8, 2022Fox News May 12, 2022538July 31, 2022Elections DailyNovember 7, 2022

Post-primary endorsements

Polling Graphical summary

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error HenryMcMaster (R) JoeCunningham (D) Other UndecidedEchelon Insights (R)Echelon Insights (R)August 24 – September 7, 2022600 (LV)± 3.7%50%44%6%0%Impact Research (D)Impact Research (D)August 24–30, 2022700 (LV)± 3.7%49%42%4%5%The Trafalgar Group (R)The Trafalgar Group (R)August 25–28, 20221,071 (LV)± 2.9%51%43%2%4%Blueprint Polling (D)Blueprint Polling (D)August 24–25, 2022721 (LV)± 3.7%50%39%1%9%

Debates and forums 2022 South Carolina gubernatorial debates Date Host Moderator Link Republican Democratic Libertarian LaborKey: Participant Non-invitee Henry McMaster Joe Cunningham Morgan Reeves Gary Votour McMaster, Cunningham set to face off in SC governor debate. How to watch Oct 26, 2022 South Carolina ETV Gavin JacksonAndy Shain NN

Results

By county McMaster won 34 of 46 counties. CountyHenry McMasterRepublicanJoe CunninghamDemocraticVarious candidatesOther partiesMarginTotal#%#%#%#%Abbeville6,01069.88%2,49829.04%931.08%3,51240.83%8,601Aiken35,94865.53%18,01432.84%8981.64%17,93432.69%54,860Allendale56230.88%1,23467.80%241.32% -672 -36.92%1,820Anderson46,14472.76%16,54126.08%7341.16%29,60346.68%63,419Bamberg1,73643.59%2,19255.03%551.38% -456 -11.45%3,983Barnwell3,64358.22%2,54340.64%711.13%1,10017.58%6,257Beaufort41,83958.35%29,26540.81%6020.84%12,57417.54%71,706Berkeley39,82955.78%30,59242.85%9791.37%9,23712.94%71,400Calhoun3,23857.60%2,30140.93%831.48%93716.67%5,622Charleston66,47543.31%85,43355.66%1,5801.03% -18,958 -12.35%153,488Cherokee12,30076.20%3,68522.83%1570.97%8,61553.37%16,142Chester5,76260.13%3,69538.56%1261.31%2,06721.57%9,583Chesterfield7,98363.57%4,43535.32%1391.11%3,54828.26%12,557Clarendon6,37455.63%4,98343.49%1000.87%1,39112.14%11,457Colleton7,15957.07%5,23941.76%1471.17%1,92015.30%12,545Darlington11,53557.57%8,33441.59%1690.84%3,20115.97%20,038Dillon4,34154.85%3,50844.32%660.83%83310.52%7,915Dorchester27,35854.94%21,74143.66%6951.40%5,61711.28%49,794Edgefield5,90767.08%2,79031.68%1091.24%3,11735.40%8,806Fairfield3,65843.48%4,61954.90%1361.62% -961 -11.42%8,413Florence22,74154.88%18,18943.89%5091.23%4,55210.98%41,439Georgetown16,37359.54%10,88939.59%2390.87%5,48419.94%27,501Greenville108,22260.75%66,94337.58%2,9691.67%41,27923.17%178,134Greenwood14,19665.12%7,33033.62%2751.26%6,86631.49%21,801Hampton2,66547.34%2,90751.63%581.03% -242 -4.30%5,630Horry92,70869.36%39,81329.79%1,1400.85%52,89539.57%133,661Jasper6,25956.25%4,74942.68%1201.08%1,51013.57%11,128Kershaw14,02462.60%8,07236.03%3061.37%5,95226.57%22,402Lancaster22,39964.83%11,65333.73%4991.44%10,74631.10%34,551Laurens13,76669.45%5,77129.12%2841.43%7,99540.34%19,821Lee2,11640.27%3,08258.65%571.08% -966 -18.38%5,255Lexington64,32864.55%33,74533.86%1,5831.59%30,58330.69%99,656Marion3,84645.70%4,48453.28%861.02% -638 -7.58%8,416Marlboro3,20949.09%3,24749.67%811.24% -38 -0.58%6,537McCormick2,75760.37%1,75938.52%511.12%99821.85%4,567Newberry8,41365.55%4,24833.10%1741.36%4,16532.45%12,835Oconee21,62274.65%6,98824.13%3551.23%14,63450.52%28,965Orangeburg9,50136.28%16,48162.93%2090.80% -6,980 -26.65%26,191Pickens30,02074.67%9,54623.74%6391.59%20,47450.92%40,205Richland41,00832.20%84,54166.38%1,8191.43% -43,533 -34.18%127,368Saluda4,69571.57%1,78327.18%821.25%2,91244.39%6,560Spartanburg63,80665.74%31,93932.91%1,3061.35%31,86732.84%97,051Sumter14,29246.59%16,05152.32%3341.09% -1,759 -5.73%30,677Union5,72266.04%2,85932.99%840.97%2,86333.04%8,665Williamsburg3,85839.40%5,83959.63%950.97% -1,981 -20.23%9,792York58,15460.59%36,14137.66%1,6831.75%22,01322.94%95,978Totals988,50158.04%692,69140.67%22,0001.29%295,81017.37%1,703,192 Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Calhoun (largest city: St. Matthews) Clarendon (largest city: Manning) Dillon (largest city: Dillon) Jasper (largest city: Hardeeville)

By congressional district McMaster won six of seven congressional districts. District McMaster Cunningham Representative 55% 44%Nancy Mace 56% 42%Joe Wilson 71% 28%Jeff Duncan 61% 37%William Timmons 62% 37%Ralph Norman 36% 63%Jim Clyburn63%36%Tom Rice (117th Congress)Russell Fry (118th Congress)

2022 South Carolina gubernatorial election

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