“Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R), a once-rising star whose career was derailed in a bizarre personal scandal, is quietly discussing a potential comeback bid in 2026,” Pluribus News reports.
“Four sources with knowledge of Sanford’s conversations say he has been speaking with potential donors about a bid to replace Gov. Henry McMaster (R), who faces term limits.”
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) said that she is “seriously considering” a gubernatorial run in 2026 and will make a final decision in the coming weeks, the AP reports.
Mace said that she plans to ask for support from President Trump, who has maintained popularity in the state since his 2016 primary win there helped cement his status as the GOP presidential nominee.
“Just weeks after winning reelection to her House seat, Rep. Nancy Mace is already looking at a statewide bid in 2026,” NOTUS reports.
“The sources said Mace has been discussing two positions: South Carolina governor or a Senate race. (Sen. Lindsey Graham is up for reelection in 2026.)”
“But three of the sources said Mace is particularly looking at the governor’s seat, which Henry McMaster has held since 2017 when he replaced Nikki Haley after she was appointed to be Donald Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations. McMaster is term-limited in 2026 and can’t run again.”
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Joe Cunningham (D) raised more than $400,000 in the first 48 hours of his bid for South Carolina governor, besting the total that incumbent Gov. Henry McMaster (R) brought in over the first three months of the year, the Charleston Post & Courier reports.
Former Rep. Joe Cunningham (D) confirmed to the Charleston Post and Courier that he will announce his 2022 campaign for governor of South Carolina on April 26.
“The move puts an end to months of speculation about whether the ambitious one-term congressman would enter the political arena again. Now, he’s challenging Republican Gov. Henry McMaster (R) in a bid to become the first Democrat in the South Carolina governor’s mansion since 1998.”
Former Rep. Joe Cunningham (D) filed paperwork to mount a formal challenge against incumbent South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) in 2022, the Columbia State reports.
“Potential 2020 presidential contender Cory Booker (D) will come to South Carolina — a crucial early primary state — to campaign for James Smith, the Democratic nominee for governor,” The State reports.
“South Carolina has become an important test for White House contenders. It’s traditionally the first big test of a presidential candidate’s ability to win votes in the South and has been particularly significant for non-Southerners aiming to prove they have appeal in the region.”
Catherine Templeton (R) made waves in her first public forum as gubernatorial candidate in South Carolina by saying she is “proud of the Confederacy” and pledged “we’re not going to rewrite history” by removing Confederate monuments, the Charleston Post & Courier reports.
Said Templeton: “You cannot rewrite history. I don’t care whose feelings it hurts. You cannot rewrite history.”
She added: “We’re standing on the shoulders of giants in South Carolina. And it’s why are are, who we are, where we are. And I very much respect the men who gave their homes, their fortunes and their lives to put us in this position.”
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) said he has ruled out a bid for South Carolina governor in 2018, the Spartanburg Herald Journal reports.
Said Scott: “The more I pray, the more I am comfortable that where I am is where I want to be right now. You’ve got to have fire to run for governor. We are finding fire and that is staying (in the Senate).”
Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.
Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.
Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.
Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.
Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.
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