Trump endorses both Republican candidates in South Carolina's gubernatorial runoff ahead of Tuesday vote

Trump's dual endorsement came after Evette finished a few points ahead of Wilson in the primary but fell well short of the majority needed to avoid a runoff. Wilson, who entered the race as state attorney general, quickly updated his social media profile to reflect Trump's expanded support and issued a statement saying he was "deeply honored" to have the president's backing.

The endorsement arrived in the context of two recent setbacks for Trump in gubernatorial races. His pick, Rep. Randy Feenstra, lost Iowa's GOP governor's primary to businessman Zach Lahn, after which Trump publicly said he had been misinformed by advisers. Days later, healthcare executive Rick Jackson defeated Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in Georgia's Republican governor's runoff, prompting Trump to post on Truth Social that "Rick Jackson ran a great TRUMP Campaign."

Fox News led with the competitive dynamics of the race itself, reporting that the runoff had grown heated, with both candidates trading personal accusations in a final debate. Fox also provided context on Trump's broader endorsement record, noting recent wins in Alabama and Georgia's Senate runoffs alongside the Iowa and Georgia governor's losses. The outlet reported that Sen. Tim Scott encouraged Trump to endorse Wilson and made calls on Wilson's behalf. CNN foregrounded Trump's recent losing streak, framing the dual endorsement primarily as a strategic move to guarantee a favorable outcome after back-to-back losses.