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Henry McMaster Jr. says he isn’t running for lieutenant governor alongside Pamela Evette

Gov. Henry McMaster, right, smiles as Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, left, signs her paperwork to run again on a ticket with the governor on Wednesday, July 27, 2022, in Columbia, S.C. McMaster and Evette are the first candidates to file for reelection on a ticket in South Carolina, which previously elected its two top officeholders separately. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard)
Meg Kinnard/AP
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AP
Gov. Henry McMaster, right, smiles as Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, left, signs her paperwork to run again on a ticket with the governor on Wednesday, July 27, 2022, in Columbia, S.C. McMaster and Evette are the first candidates to file for reelection on a ticket in South Carolina, which previously elected its two top officeholders separately. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard)

McMaster Jr. says he has no plans to join Lt. Gov. Evette's campaign trail.

Despite conversation among candidates, and a social media post from President Donald Trump, Henry McMaster Jr. says he isn’t running for public office.

Specifically, the son of the state’s current governor says he has no plans to join Pamela Evette’s campaign for governor as her potential second-in-command.

“It was incredibly humbling to be mentioned as a potential Lieutenant Governor candidate by the greatest President in American history,” wrote McMaster Jr. “I've been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from friends, neighbors, colleagues, and even strangers encouraging me to run for public office, but now is simply not the right time for me to be considered for Lieutenant Governor.”

Even though McMaster Jr. says he won't join Evette on her gubernatorial campaign trail, he is throwing his support behind Evette, just as his father and the president both have.

“I am Team Evette all the way,” McMaster Jr. said.

There are five GOP candidates vying for the Republican nomination for governor. Three democrats are on the ballot as well.

The primary is tomorrow, June 9.

Kristina Thacker joined the South Carolina Public Radio team in September of 2025. She is a multimedia journalist with experience in both on-air reporting and production.