The2022 South Carolina gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect thegovernor of South Carolina . IncumbentRepublican governorHenry McMaster ran for re-election for a second full term in office and secured the Republican nomination in the June 14 primary.Joe Cunningham , formerUnited States representative fromSouth Carolina's 1st congressional district , was the Democratic nominee.[ 1] McMaster won the general election with 58% of the vote — a larger margin than in2018 .
McMaster became the first Republican gubernatorial candidate to winCalhoun County since1994 , and the first to winClarendon County andDillon County since1990 . This election marks the largest gubernatorial victory in the state since1990 , when incumbent RepublicanCarroll Campbell won his re-election bid by a margin of 41.7%.
Eliminated in primary [ edit ] Harrison "Trucker Bob" Musselwhite, trucker and chairman of Legislate Liaison Committee for theGreenville County Republican Party[ 4] Running mate: Zoe Warren, filmmaker and editor-at-large forThe Standard SC [ 5] Henry McMaster
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Primary results by county: South Carolina gubernatorial Republican primary election, 2022 Party Candidate Votes % Republican Henry McMaster (incumbent) 306,555 83.0% Republican Harrison Musselwhite 61,545 16.7% Total votes 367,689 100%
Eliminated in primary [ edit ] Gary Votour, healthcare advocate and retiredGIS mapper[ 25] (running under Labor nomination) [ 7] [ 26] Joe Cunningham
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Charleston City Paper [ 33] Mia McLeod
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Amanda Bonfiglio Cunningham, ex-wife of Joe Cunningham[ 35] Primary results by county: 30-40%
40–50%
50–60%
60–70%
70–80%
80–90%
Lieutenant governor selection [ edit ] After winning the primary, on July 18, Cunningham released a shortlist of potential running mates.[ 36] He announced Tally Parham Casey as his running mate on August 1.[ 37]
Chosen as running mate [ edit ] Independence primary [ edit ] Jokie Beckett Jr., veteran[ 7] Michael Copeland[ 7] Independence primary results Party Candidate Votes % Independence Jokie Beckett Jr. Independence Michael Copeland Total votes
Independents and third parties [ edit ] Post-primary endorsements [ edit ] Henry McMaster (R)
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34 state representatives[ 49] 14 state senators[ 49] Sheriffs
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Joe Cunningham (D)
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Graphical summary
State Senate district results Swing by county Democratic — +7.5-10%
Democratic — +5-7.5%
Democratic — +2.5-5%
Democratic — +0-2.5%
Republican — +0-2.5%
Republican — +2.5-5%
Republican — +5-7.5%
Republican — +7.5-10%
Republican — +10-12.5%
Republican — +12.5-15%
Republican — +>15%
Trend by county Democratic — +7.5-10%
Democratic — +5-7.5%
Democratic — +2.5-5%
Democratic — +0-2.5%
Republican — +0-2.5%
Republican — +2.5-5%
Republican — +5-7.5%
Republican — +7.5-10%
Republican — +10-12.5%
Republican — +12.5-15%
Republican — +>15%
2022 South Carolina gubernatorial election[ 63] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Republican 988,501 58.04% +4.08% Democratic 692,691 40.67% −5.25% Libertarian Morgan Bruce Reeves Jessica Ethridge 20,826 1.22% N/A Write-in 1,174 0.07% Total votes 1,703,192 100.00% N/A Turnout 1,718,626 50.86% Registered electors 3,379,089 Republican hold
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican [ edit ] By congressional district [ edit ] McMaster won six of seven congressional districts.[ 64]
^ Key: A – all adults RV – registered voters LV – likely voters V – unclear ^ Reeves with 4% ^ Reeves with 2% Partisan clients
^ This poll was sponsored by Cunningham's campaign. ^ "South Carolina Primary Results" .CNNpolitics . CNN. RetrievedJune 15, 2022 .^ Byrd, Caitlyn."He's in: Democrat Joe Cunningham, former congressman, to announce run for SC governor" .The State .Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. RetrievedApril 26, 2021 . ^ "Meet Pamela" .henrymcmaster.com . RetrievedMarch 31, 2022 .^ Folks, Will (December 1, 2021)." 'Trucker Bob' Running For Governor Of South Carolina" .FITSNews .Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. RetrievedFebruary 17, 2022 . ^ Folks, Will (December 1, 2021)." 'Trucker Bob' Running For Governor Of South Carolina" .FITSNews .Archived from the original on March 14, 2022. RetrievedApril 1, 2022 . ^ Folks, Will (July 27, 2021)."Former Town Councilman From Chester County To Campaign For Governor Of South Carolina" .FITSNews .Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. RetrievedAugust 25, 2021 . ^a b c d e f g h i j k l Gale, Heather; Parkhouse, Emma (March 30, 2022)."Know Your Candidate: A brief look at who is running for the upcoming 2022 election season" .ABC 15 News .Archived from the original on March 31, 2022. RetrievedMarch 31, 2022 . ^a b c "South Carolina" .Politics1 . March 31, 2022. RetrievedMarch 31, 2022 .^ Folks, Will (July 27, 2021)."South Carolina Senate Majority Leader On 2022 Gubernatorial Bid: 'I'm Not Running' " . RetrievedAugust 2, 2021 . ^ "A South Carolina Senatorial Shakeup?" .FITSNews . June 25, 2019. RetrievedDecember 17, 2020 .^ Frazin, Rachel (August 9, 2019)."GOP Sen. Tim Scott says if he runs in 2022 it will be his last race" .The Hill . RetrievedApril 26, 2021 . ^ Folks, Will (September 8, 2021)."South Carolina Senator Katrina Shealy Mulls 2022 GOP Gubernatorial Bid" .FITSNews .Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. RetrievedDecember 5, 2021 . ^ Shain, Andy (May 19, 2019)."SC Gov. Henry McMaster already gearing up for 2022 re-election bid" .The Post and Courier . RetrievedDecember 16, 2020 . ^ Folks, Will (January 6, 2022)."John Warren Won't Run For Governor Of South Carolina In 2022" .FITSNews .Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. RetrievedMarch 31, 2022 . ^ Joseph Bustos (July 30, 2021)."Mike Pompeo endorses SC Gov. McMaster's reelection bid" .The State . ^ McFall, Caitlin (March 5, 2021)."Trump issues GOP endorsements in latest sign he is reentering political arena" .Fox News . RetrievedMarch 6, 2021 . ^ Kinnard, Meg (October 12, 2021)."SC's Tim Scott Gives Early Nod to McMaster in Governor Race" .U.S. News & World Report . RetrievedOctober 26, 2021 . ^ Bustos, Joseph (August 24, 2021)."Here's what potential presidential candidate South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said in SC" .The State . Anderson, S.C.Archived from the original on August 25, 2021. RetrievedAugust 25, 2021 . ^ Jamie Lovegrove (April 9, 2021)."Iowa governor to stump for McMaster's SC reelection campaign in sign of RGA support" .Post and Courier . ^ Thomas Novelly (August 21, 2021)."SC Democrat Joe Cunningham tells McMaster to 'step aside' in first TV ad in governor's race" .The Post and Courier . ^ Andy Shain (April 11, 2021)."McMaster campaign fundraising rises as COVID eases. Governor still has no major foes" .The Post and Courier . ^ Lexi Lonas (August 10, 2021)."Susan B. Anthony List backing SC governor in first 2022 endorsement" .The Hill . ^ Bean, Riley (April 26, 2021)."Former Congressman Cunningham officially announces run for governor" . WCSC 5. RetrievedApril 26, 2021 . ^a b c "Sen. McLeod to run for SC governor; A win would make her the first Black female governor in U.S. history" .The Associated Press . June 3, 2021. RetrievedJune 3, 2021 .^ Byrd, Caitlin; Derickson, Cailyn (April 22, 2021)."SC Democrat Joe Cunningham files preliminary paperwork for possible run for governor" .The State .Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. RetrievedApril 26, 2021 .Democratic activist Gary Votour of Columbia declared a bid earlier this year. ^a b c "Gary4GovSC" .Gary4GovSC . RetrievedApril 1, 2022 .^ "Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin won't run again, will focus on family, law firm" .wltx.com . February 4, 2021.^a b Lovegrove, Jamie."State Sen. Mia McLeod launches 2022 Democratic bid for SC governor" .Post and Courier . RetrievedJune 4, 2021 . ^ Garrison, Steve."Former Alabama U.S. Senator Doug Jones rallies local Dems at Blue Jamboree" .Post and Courier . ^ Adcox, Seanna (June 7, 2022)."Endorsement in SC governor's race turns into Democrat vs. Democrat squabble" .The Post and Courier . RetrievedJune 12, 2022 . ^ Byrd, Cailtin (April 28, 2021)."Joe Cunningham wants to change SC Democrats' gubernatorial chances. But can he?" .The State . RetrievedMay 6, 2021 . ^ Schechter, Maayan (June 14, 2021)."National pro-science PAC endorses Democrat Joe Cunningham's 2022 SC governor bid" .The State . RetrievedJune 14, 2021 . ^ "Our View: Elect Joe Cunningham to be South Carolina's next governor" .Charleston City Paper . October 12, 2022. RetrievedOctober 16, 2022 .^ "Sen. Kimpson endorses Mia McLeod in SC governor's race" .WOLO-TV . June 3, 2022. RetrievedSeptember 6, 2022 .^ "Ex-wife of Joe Cunningham endorses Mia McLeod for governor" . June 13, 2022. RetrievedSeptember 6, 2022 .^a b c d e f g h i j k "Dem. Lieutenant Governor Selection" .thestate . RetrievedDecember 22, 2022 .^a b "Cunningham picks former fighter pilot as SC gov running mate" . August 2022.^ Folks, Will (August 12, 2014)." "Pharaoh" Is On The Ballot Again" .FITSNews .Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. RetrievedMarch 31, 2022 . ^ " "Labor Party Argues Whether to Put Candidates on SC Ballot" " .US News and World Report . Associated Press. August 5, 2022. RetrievedNovember 12, 2022 .^ " "SC Democrats sue to keep Labor Party candidates off ballot" " .WPDE-TV . Associated Press. August 13, 2022. RetrievedNovember 12, 2022 .^ "2022 Governor Race Ratings" .The Cook Political Report . RetrievedFebruary 4, 2021 .^ "Gubernatorial Ratings" .Inside Elections . RetrievedFebruary 19, 2021 .^ "2022 Gubernatorial race ratings" .Sabato's Crystal Ball . RetrievedMarch 11, 2021 .^ "South Carolina Governor Race 2022" .Politico . April 1, 2022.^ "2022 Governor Races" .RCP . January 10, 2022. RetrievedJanuary 10, 2022 .^ "2022 Election Forecast" .Fox News . May 12, 2022. RetrievedMay 12, 2022 .^ "2022 Election Forecast" .FiveThirtyEight . June 30, 2022. Archived fromthe original on June 30, 2022. RetrievedJune 30, 2022 .^ Szymanski, Joe (November 7, 2022)."Elections Daily Unveils Final 2022 Midterm Ratings" .Elections Daily . RetrievedNovember 28, 2022 . ^a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Endorsements - Henry McMaster for Governor" .henrymcmaster.com . RetrievedOctober 26, 2022 .^ "Governor McMaster kicks off Early Voting with rally" . October 24, 2022.^ "Small business group backs McMaster for governor" .WIS News 10 . September 6, 2022. RetrievedSeptember 25, 2022 .^ "South Carolina Grades & Endorsements" .nrapvf.org . NRA-PVF. Archived from the original on November 8, 2022. RetrievedFebruary 15, 2023 .^ "Cunningham to hold campaign rally in Charleston on Monday" . August 20, 2022.^ "Joe Riley endorses Joe Cunningham in SC governor's race" . June 2, 2022. RetrievedSeptember 6, 2022 .^ "Joe Cunningham's Ratings and Endorsements" .justfacts.votesnart.org . RetrievedOctober 26, 2022 .^ "South Carolina Endorsed Candidates" .Planned Parenthood . RetrievedOctober 26, 2022 .^ Gatlin, James (September 27, 2022)."Joe Cunningham accepts South Carolina Education Association Endorsement in Governor's Race" .WACH FOX 57 . RetrievedSeptember 29, 2022 . ^ Echelon Insights (R) ^ Impact Research (D) ^ The Trafalgar Group (R) ^ Blueprint Polling (D) ^ McMaster, Cunningham set to face off in SC governor debate. How to watch ^ Results State of South Caroline. Retrieved March 11, 2023^ "DRA 2020" .Daves Redistricting . RetrievedAugust 18, 2024 .Official campaign websites
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