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by WILL FOLKS
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In the wake of escalating criticism of his record as attorney general, a coalition of two dozen South Carolina sheriffs is defending Alan Wilson in his bid for governor.
The Palmetto State’s top prosecutor has been blasted in recent weeks by a dark money group supporting Pamela Evette, one of the other frontrunners in the 2026 campaign for South Carolina’s chief executive office. The group – Patriots for South Carolina – is currently the focus of a complaint filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
According to Wilson’s campaign, the group attacking him is under fire for “failing to disclose its operations in accordance with the law.”
As for the sheriffs, they defended Wilson’s prosecutorial record – which has come under attack from the pro-Evette group and from another top contender in the race, S.C. first district congresswoman Nancy Mace.
“For years, we have worked alongside attorney general Alan Wilson in the fight against violent crime, fentanyl, human trafficking, Internet crimes against children, public corruption, and illegal immigration,” they wrote. “We know his record because we’ve seen it firsthand.”
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“As this campaign has intensified, outside groups and political opponents have resorted to dishonest attacks and outright falsehoods in an attempt to mislead voters,” the sheriffs continued. “South Carolinians deserve better than desperate political smears and manufactured narratives.”
According to the sheriffs, Wilson “has consistently stood with law enforcement, supported victims, protected children, and fought to keep our communities safe.”
“His office has partnered with sheriffs and local law enforcement agencies across South Carolina to remove dangerous criminals from our streets and deliver results for families,” they concluded, adding “no amount of desperate mudslinging can erase that record.”
Can it, though? As the campaign enters its most crucial period – with less than three weeks to go until election day – truth has a way of becoming a moving target. And many times, false narratives win the day because of the amount of money put behind them.
While it appears the Palmetto State’s congressional races are about to be uprooted and moved to August, partisan primary elections for statewide offices in South Carolina are still set for June 9, 2026. Assuming no candidate captures a majority of votes, the top two finishers will face off in a head-to-head runoff election two weeks later (on June 23, 2026).
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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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