South Carolina Republican Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette has kicked off her bid for governor in 2026, highlighting several years of what she considers pushing outgoing Gov. Henry McMaster’s agenda, and an already-formed connection with President Donald Trump. Evette, first elected as McMaster’s running mate in 2018, spoke to hundreds of supporters Monday evening shortly after she released a short video confirming her run, news outlets reported. “I stand before you as a mother, a conservative businesswoman and a fighter who is ready on day one to continue that conservative legacy as your next governor,” Evette said in her speech in Greenville.