The race for South Carolina’s highest office intensifies tonight as the Republican gubernatorial primary heads to the Lowcountry. Six candidates are confirmed to take the stage at the Sottille Theatre in Charleston for the second televised debate of the season, marking a significant expansion of the field.
The event will be live streamed by various networks, including locally by WBTV.
For the first time this cycle, Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette and businessman Rom Reddy will join the lineup. Their inclusion follows their absence from the initial April debate in Newberry. They will face off against State Senator Josh Kimbrell, Attorney General Alan Wilson, and U.S. Representatives Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman.
The South Carolina Republican Party confirmed that candidate Jaqueline Hicks Dubose was not invited to participate. Party leadership noted that previous fundraising and polling requirements were waived to encourage broader participation early in the primary process, citing a lack of consistent independent polling data at this stage.
While the previous debate saw consensus on tax elimination and school choice, candidates diverged on infrastructure and growth management. Tuesday’s forum is expected to shift focus toward party-specific legislative priorities, including the long-debated push for formal political party registration in the state.
The event serves as a critical bridge to the third debate scheduled for late May at Wofford College. With the primary set for June 9, this Charleston meeting offers voters a rare opportunity to see the expanded field of contenders side-by-side.
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