One week after President Donald Trump\u2019s endorsement-winning streak in high-profile Republican primaries was snapped, the president\u2019s immense clout over his party is facing another key test in South Carolina\u2019s GOP gubernatorial nomination face-off.
\nA week and a half ago, the president handed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette 11th-hour support as she seeks to succeed a top Trump ally, term-limited Republican Gov. Henry McMaster.
\nEvette is facing off in the GOP primary against a handful of top rivals. They are longtime South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, and multimillionaire businessman Rom Reddy.
\nSince no candidate was expected to top 50% of the primary vote and land a majority, the top two finishers will advance to the June 23 Republican runoff.
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The brute force of the president\u2019s endorsement power has been on display in GOP primaries over the past month, with his candidates ousting incumbents he targeted in showdowns in Indiana, Louisiana, Kentucky and Texas that grabbed plenty of national attention.
\nBut Trump\u2019s last-minute endorsement of Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra of Iowa in the race to succeed retiring GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds \u2014 which came on the same day he also backed Evette \u2014 wasn\u2019t enough to muscle the three-term congressman to victory.
\nFeenstra was narrowly edged out by Zach Lahn, a businessman, farmer and former political strategist who was backed by the political wings of MAHA \u2014 the acronym for the Make America Healthy Again movement aligned with Trump Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. \u2014 and Turning Point USA, the powerful conservative organization co-founded by the late Charlie Kirk.
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In the South Carolina GOP gubernatorial primary, the major contenders had long been highlighting their support for Trump and his agenda in hopes of landing his support.
\nTrump, after staying neutral for months, endorsed Evette, praising her as an \u201cAmerica First Patriot\u201d and a \u201cWINNER\u201d in his announcement.
\nThe president also headlined a tele-rally for Evette on the eve of the primary.
\nHours later, on the morning of the primary, Evette once again spotlighted the president\u2019s backing of her campaign.
\nIn a social media post, she wrote that Trump \u201cneeds a strong partner as Governor who will deliver on our conservative America First agenda. It\u2019s why he gave me his \u2018complete and total endorsement.\u2019 Don\u2019t let President Trump down. Get to the polls, bring your friends & family, and VOTE EVETTE!\u201d
\nBut Trump, in a social media post endorsing Evette, also said he expected Evette to choose Henry McMaster Jr., the governor\u2019s son, as her running mate for lieutenant governor.
\nThe comment by the president led to blowback in South Carolina political circles and speculation that McMaster, who succeeded then-Gov. Nikki Haley when she stepped down to serve as U.N. ambassador during Trump\u2019s first term and who is in his 10th year as governor, was trying to give his son a political boost.
\nBut McMaster denied any deal or pressure, and Evette has said she wouldn\u2019t name any running mate until after the primary is over.<\/p>\n
And on Friday, the younger McMaster took his name out of contention, saying it was \u201cincredibly humbling\u201d to be mentioned as a possible lieutenant governor candidate, but that \u201cnow is simply not the right time.\u201d
\nPointing to what he said was a smaller-than-expected bounce in the polls for Evette, longtime South Carolina political strategist Dave Wilson told Fox News Digital he thinks the Trump endorsement \u201cbackfired\u201d because of the president\u2019s push for the younger McMaster to join the Evette ticket.
\n\u201cIn South Carolina, we really don\u2019t take it very well when Washington tries to tell us what to do,\u201d Wilson emphasized.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"