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by WILL FOLKS
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With the coveted Donald Trump endorsement she just received starting to draw skepticism and scrutiny, South Carolina lieutenant governor Pamela Evette is backing out of the final televised Republican debate prior to the June 9, 2026 primary election.
Evette was one of six GOP candidates committed to attend the S.C. Educational Television (SCETV) debate – scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EDT on Monday evening (June 1, 2026) in downtown Columbia, S.C.
That changed early Sunday afternoon when she announced her attendance at a get-out-the-vote rally in her hometown of Travelers Rest, S.C. at 6:00 p.m. EDT the same night.
“I look forward to being in my hometown of Travelers Rest — the community where I raised my family, grew my business, and put down roots,” Evette wrote on X.
Shortly after advertising her Travelers Rest, S.C. event, Evette’s campaign notified SCETV she would not be participating in Monday evening’s debate.
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Evette previously skipped SCGOP-sponsored debates in Newberry on April 1, 2026 and Spartanburg last Tuesday (May 26, 2026). She attended one SCGOP-sponsored debate, a widely panned performance in Charleston, S.C. in late April.
Scheduled to participate in the exchange are four-term attorney general Alan Wilson – who most polls show in the lead as this race approaches the homestretch – congressman Ralph Norman, congresswoman Nancy Mace, Lowcountry multimillionaire Rom Reddy and embattled state senator Josh Kimbrell.
Reddy, who joined Evette in skipping a previous SCGOP-sponsored debate, is also reportedly mulling whether to bail on Monday evening’s event.
Evette’s decision comes as criticism of her Trump endorsement – which is widely believed to be predicated on a corrupt bargain – escalated over the weekend. It also comes amid revelations regarding the rumored nepotistic addition of Henry McMaster Jr. – son of governor Henry McMaster – to Evette’s ticket as a key component of that bargain.
To say the rollout of the Trump imprimatur has gone poorly would be an understatement…
This is a developing story… please check back for updates.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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1 comment
I feel like both Don and Pam have not figured out yet that they have both just been dealt with by the SCGOP. The Wilsons and the McMaster’s have sat one pew away from each other their entire lives, and will continue to do so for generations. We dont let pedophiles tell us how to draw districts, and we dont elect random people from Ohio.