President Donald Trump endorses both Republican candidates in South Carolina’s governor race ahead of a GOP runoff election. According to NBC News and The Hill, Trump’s move comes after he previously backed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette for the Republican nomination during the May primary. With voters set to return to the polls for the runoff, Trump now supports both Evette and her opponent, state Attorney General Alan Wilson, reducing the risk of another primary or nomination setback for the president.
MSNBC reports that Trump tells voters they “can’t go wrong” with either candidate, naming Evette—whom he endorsed in the primary—and Wilson as the two choices in the runoff. MSNBC also notes that observers described signs of political weakness for Evette even before the dual endorsement, suggesting Trump’s decision is intended to strengthen his preferred ticket’s prospects in the runoff.
Across the outlets, the key point is that Trump departs from a typical single-candidate endorsement by backing both finalists in the state’s governor race runoff.
