Alan Wilson Wins South Carolina Governor Race Over Jermaine Johnson

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Orbit Post) Republican Alan Wilson won the race for governor of South Carolina on Tuesday, defeating Democratic state Rep. Jermaine Johnson. Decision Desk HQ marked the race decided for Wilson at 9:50 p.m. EST, and NBC News also projected Wilson as the winner, according to the Greenville News.

The Associated Press results feed listed the race as called for Wilson, with 1,046,315 votes to 952,608 for Johnson, 100 percent of precincts reporting and an estimated 97.68 percent of the vote counted in that snapshot. A later count published by the Greenville News, as of 11:50 p.m., put Wilson at 1,046,433 votes with 99.91 percent of precincts reporting. Johnson had 951,221 votes in that count, United Citizens Party candidate Michael Addison had 16,034 votes and Green Party candidate Walid Hakin had 9,007 votes. The two minor-party candidates together took 25,041 votes in that count.

By 11:15 p.m., NBC News and Decision Desk HQ both had Wilson as the projected winner over Johnson, the Greenville News reported. The margin in the AP snapshot was 93,707 votes.

A promise to listen in Columbia

Wilson addressed supporters at a watch party in Columbia on Tuesday night. "I do not care if you are a Republican, a Democrat or an independent or something else," he said. "I will always be open to hear any point of view."

At the time the Greenville News report was published, Johnson's campaign had not responded to a request for comment.

Succeeding McMaster

Wilson is the state attorney general. He and Johnson campaigned for more than a year to replace Gov. Henry McMaster, who has held the office since 2017 and has served the two-term limit for the office.

The result keeps the governor's office in Republican hands and extends a long run for the party in South Carolina. Democrats have not won a gubernatorial election in the state since 1998. Jim Hodges, who served from 1999 to 2003, was the state's most recent Democratic governor.

Reaction from Republican governors

The Republican Governors Association issued a statement on November 4 congratulating Wilson on his victory. "Congratulations to Alan Wilson on his victory," said RGA Chair Gov. Greg Gianforte. "Alan Wilson has served South Carolina in uniform and in the courtroom, and tonight, voters entrusted him with a new mission: leading the Palmetto State."