In a surprising twist of political strategy, Attorney General Alan Wilson clinched the Republican nomination for South Carolina governor, with President Donald Trump's last-minute co-endorsement playing a pivotal role in the GOP runoff. Wilson's victory over Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette on Tuesday marks a significant win bolstered by Trump, who initially supported Evette alone.

Trump, facing the risk of a tarnished endorsement record after setbacks in Georgia and Iowa, opted for a dual endorsement when polls suggested Evette was lagging. "I can't hurt one of them by only Endorsing the other, so, therefore, I am going to Endorse, for Governor of South Carolina, both Pam Evette and Alan Wilson! It’s a Wealth of Riches – With either one you can’t go wrong," Trump declared on Truth Social last Friday.

Wilson's campaign gathered steam during the two-week runoff, leveraging endorsements from nearly all his primary rivals, including the notably outspoken Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.). His momentum was further boosted by support from prominent Republicans outside South Carolina, such as Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, who endorsed him before Trump.

A seasoned politician, Wilson, 52, has been South Carolina's top law enforcement officer for 15 years and gained brief national attention during the prosecution of Alex Murdaugh. The local attorney was convicted of murdering his family members, a case that resurfaced just before the primary. Wilson, also an Iraq war veteran, is the son of Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.).

South Carolinians participated in their first open gubernatorial race since 2010, following the term-limited tenure of Gov. Henry McMaster. This year, Wilson will face Democratic nominee state Rep. Jermaine Johnson in the November election. Given the state's strong Republican leanings, Wilson is widely anticipated to secure a comfortable victory, with South Carolina not having elected a Democrat as governor since 1998.