Second SCGOP Debate: Lots of Candidates, Little Sizzle

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by MARK POWELL

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“It was sixty minutes of nothingness.”

That frank assessment from a retired political strategist is among the kindest we heard about the second South Carolina Republican Party (SCGOP) gubernatorial candidate debate in Charleston on Tuesday evening (April 21, 2026). Others reactions ranged from “a big fat nothingburger,” to “no new ground was covered,” or an exasperatedly blunt “why did they even bother showing up?”

Those who entered the College of Charleston’s Sottile Theatre anticipating fireworks were in for disappointment. Conventional wisdom for weeks held that this would be the moment when the rubber met the road in the GOP primary contest – where candidates vying for position against their rivals (and competing for a large chunk of undecided voters) would start making big moves.  

Instead, it turned out to be the Holy City Letdown. 

The lack of spark and sizzle surprised seeing as this was the first time the entire Republican field state senator Josh Kimbrell, lieutenant governor Pamela Evette, first district congresswoman Nancy Mace, fifth district congressman Ralph Norman, multi-millionaire businessman Rom Reddy, and Palmetto State top prosecutor Alan Wilson — appeared onstage together.

Evette and Reddy both found convenient reasons to skip the first debate in Newberry three weeks earlier, and based on their lackluster performances Tuesday evening probably should have done so again. Reddy couldn’t even get his water bottle open without assistance, according to one observer.

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RELATED | HOW ROM REDDY SOLD OUT

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For a solid hour last night, the GOP field seemed intent on campaigning to see who could be the most congenial instead of competing for votes.

To be fair, a primary debate in either party runs the inherent risk of being dull as dishwater. A herd of candidates from the same camp – all appealing to the same voter base – can produce wholesale pandering. And let’s face it: the crop of would-be governors’ positions on most of this race’s pressing issues are hardly divergent.

In such cases, candidate exchanges become less about the issues and more about personalities – and each individual’s approach to the job. On that front, a world of difference was revealed.

Mace (who was once again on her best behavior Tuesday night) got the niceness ball rolling early. In her opening statement, she mentioned last week’s passing of her father, adding that two of her rivals reached out to her to offer their condolences.

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“I want to thank Ralph, and I want to thank Alan, for reaching out to me and my family during some of the worst times of our life,” Mace said.

When the questioning began, it started on an odd note. Lowcountry television anchor Raphael James signaled legacy media bias by asking the candidates whether South Carolina needs a hate crime law. The question was astonishing because although hate crime statutes are cherished by the left, they’re anathema to Republicans in general – and conservatives in particular.

So why waste time even bringing it up at a GOP encounter?

One by one, the candidates each gave an unambiguous “no.” Mace did a masterful job in her response, pivoting the conversation to her preferred topic.

“Every single crime is literally a hate crime,” she said. “There is no such thing as a ‘hate crime.’ Second, South Carolina has a problem with our judges, who are letting out violent offenders to go out and murder women.”

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Every crime is a hate crime.

We have laws on the books.

If you break them, you face the consequences under Governor Mace. pic.twitter.com/JssD7nOcFc

— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) April 21, 2026

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The only candidate who botched the question was Reddy, who throughout the debate kept referring to the “political ruling class” with the dryness of a boring poli-sci professor, evading answering the question with a scarcely intelligible harangue about God’s love and the divisions in America today.

Kimbrell scored points with his impassioned defense of the enhanced Heritage Protection Act that recently passed the state Senate.

“I believe in defending our state’s unique heritage and culture,” Kimbrell said. “South Carolina’s where the American Revolution was won, and I want to be sure the whole darn country knows it. South Carolina is in my blood. You will never have to question whether I will fight to defend this state, whether I will fight to defend this culture.”

It was Kimbrell’s second solid debate performance, although he continues to languish just behind Reddy in the low single digits in recent public opinion polls.

Evette, who surprised many observers by making minimal mention of Donald Trump, showcased her business expertise. However, she remained firmly joined at the political hip with Henry McMaster, the politician she aspires to succeed. Asked about roads and infrastructure projects, she answered, “governor McMaster and I, in our executive budget, asked for $1.1 billion to expedite these projects, because we understand that time is money.”

“We want to make sure that we’re innovative; public-private partnerships coming in and creating fast pass lanes to allow people that are in a hurry to be able to utilize that,” she said.

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When you look at everybody here on stage, ask yourself, who would I hire to be the CEO of my company? Because if you wouldn’t hire somebody to be the CEO of your company, you shouldn’t elect them to be the CEO of your state. pic.twitter.com/i3FgC4hupr

— Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette (@PamelaEvette) April 22, 2026

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Reddy also touched on his business background when he addressed the issue of building controversial data centers in the Palmetto State.

“The reason I’m dead opposed to them is the PRC — the political ruling class — they don’t know how to make deals,” Reddy said. “Every deal they make is horrible… these guys have no idea what they’re doing. Trying to cut deals with data centers will be another boondoggle like Scout Motors, battery plants, solar plant there in Rock Hill, all of these things, it’s a disaster. Don’t do it.”

Evette provided an opportunity for Wilson’s best moment in the debate when she said she was the only candidate on the stage with executive branch experience. Wilson seized that ball and ran with it – offering a fiery rebuttal.

“Just as a footnote for everyone at home, I actually am in the executive branch of government as the attorney general, so there’s a civics lesson for you; just something to think about,” he shot back to loud applause.

Wilson then proceeded to call out Norman’s earlier promise to address corruption in the legislature.

“Listen, I haven’t been in office since 2005, but I know enough to know this: you can’t call people corrupt and then ask them to give you your agenda so that you can have a political win,” Wilson said. “You’ve got to work with people. You can go after the bad guys in the legislative branch and the judicial branch, but you can’t paint everyone with a wide brush. As governor, you’ve got to lead from the front with a positive message for the people of South Carolina.”

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Leadership isn’t about agreeing on everything. It’s about getting things done. When we agree, I’ll go to the mat for you.

When we don’t, we find solutions and keep moving forward.

And when we clash, we fight it out on ideas, then get back to work the next day. That’s how you… pic.twitter.com/s5IbJNVKwu

— Alan Wilson (@AGAlanWilson) April 21, 2026

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Norman – who struggled during the first debate in Newberry – was back on his game in Charleston.

“Folks, we have a lot of changes to make in this state,” he said. “We’re going to root out the waste, fraud, and abuse; doesn’t matter who it is. We’re going to let you decide if you want term limits. We’re going to fix the roads, and we’re going to change the way we elect our judges. It’s like Clemson and (South) Carolina letting their own referees be chosen. We’re going to change the system.”

Norman was also the most aggressive of the candidates on stage in calling out the results-challenged S.C. General Assembly.

“Look, we’ve got a supermajority in the House and the Senate,” Norman said. “How long are we going to put up with our budget going up 45 percent in the last three or four years? How long are we gonna put up with rogue judges being elected by lawyers who turn their backs on the police officers? How long are we going to put up with people campaigning on less taxes, less government, less regulations – they’re RINOs, folks.”

Norman said he would “try to negotiate with them” but vowed to “use my line item veto.”

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We got a super majority in the House and the Senate.

How long are we going to put up with our budget going up 45% in the last 3-4 years?

How long are we going to put up with rogue judges being elected by lawyers who turned their backs on the police officers?

How long are we… pic.twitter.com/YeJVoBYsu3

— Ralph Norman for Governor (@RalphNorman) April 22, 2026

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“I will go to you the people,” Norman said. “When you have Republican or Democrat that backs up and puts this state in jeopardy, I’m gonna call them out. That’s a big difference from anybody else on this stage tonight.”

Mace drew one of the night’s biggest laughs when, during her answer to a question about improving the state’s roads, she added “one of the things Ralph always says, he wants his lieutenant governor to be a roads czar.”

“So, I want to ask Ralph to be my road czar,” she said. “He does that. He builds roads, he’d be great.”

Norman laughed – but seized the moment to fire a shot at Evette.

“Nancy, I want to thank you for the compliment,” he said. “I would be a tremendous roads czar! I, too, will put the lieutenant governor as a roads czar. It will no longer be a position that is kissing babies and blowing bubbles. We’re going to put ’em to work.”

So there you have it. Like the first debate, this exchange was more Kumbaya than slugfest – meaning things after the encounter are likely still very close to exactly where they were going into it. 

The third and final GOP debate before the June 9 primary is scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, at Wofford College.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

J. Mark Powell is an award-winning former TV journalist, government communications veteran, and a political consultant. He is also an author and an avid Civil War enthusiast. Got a tip or a story idea for Mark? Email him at mark@fitsnews.com.

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