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by MARK POWELL
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To borrow an expression from the 1960s college protest days, “what if they threw a debate and nobody came?” Because that was partially true for the latest Republican gubernatorial debate, hosted by South Carolina Educational Television (SCETV).
All of the candidates initially vowed to participate, but only half of the Republican field — state senator Josh Kimbrell, first district congresswoman Nancy Mace, and fifth district congressman Ralph Norman — bothered to show up on stage Monday evening (June 1, 2026) in Columbia, S.C.
The other half played hooky…
Lieutenant governor Pamela Evette, who previously ditched the first and third SCGOP-sponsored debates, dodged this one as well – opting instead to attend a get-out-the-vote rally in her adopted home of Travelers Rest, S.C. Lowcounty multi-millionaire Rom Reddy, who similarly passed on the first SCGOP debate two months ago, bailed on this one as well. At which point state attorney general Alan Wilson apparently decided, “why bother?” and likewise declined to participate.
And so, like the curtain rising on a play with half its leading stars missing, host Gavin Jackson and the trio of candidates soldiered on as best they could. But it was no use. The hour-long event was like driving down an interstate highway on a flat tire; true, it eventually reaches its destination, but the trip is long, tedious, and not the least bit interesting.
That’s because the candidates who did show up left the fireworks at home…
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Kimbrell got in the evening’s biggest swipe at Evette, raising hopes that her opponents might pillory her in absentia. After explaining how he spent the Memorial Day weekend in Columbia for the special legislative session called by governor Henry McMaster, Kimbrell directly addressed the corrupt bargain allegedly underpinning the governor’s decision – a bargain said to have helped secure president Donald Trump‘s endorsement of Evette.
“A deal is made,” Kimbrell said. “We get called back, we spend our Memorial Day here so (McMaster) can tell the White House he’s helping them… and then ultimately find out there’s a deal that’s made to help the lieutenant governor, who’s not even here tonight. And that’s because her lieutenant governor is going to be the governor’s son.”
Apart from that one broadside, though, Evette got a free pass.
The rest of the encounter was supposed to be a discussion of ideas. Instead, it was a rehash of the same talking points and pablum on the same issues repeated on the campaign trail for months.
“When it comes to some of these positions, we have some people who have been in positions of power for decades,” Mace said. “And if you keep putting the same people in charge, nothing is going to change. And that has to stop. What is definitely not going to happen in a Mace administration is we are not going to appoint Biden donors, lockdown queens, as we did with the public health director that the governor and lieutenant governor picked.”
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“Folks, how long are we going to allow our roads and bridges to deteriorate?” Norman asked when it was his turn in the spotlight. “How long are we going to have our businesses, who are paying exorbitant insurance rates, how long are we going to put with that? How long are we going to put up with our electricity costs that are (through) the roof? How long are we going to let lawyers pick our judges?”
And so it dragged on.
Political debates traditionally have one silver lining: you can typically count on a funny line or two to crack up the audience. Typically… but not this time.
Mace came the closest with a line about customer service at the state’s embattled Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV): “I do want to make one note about the DMV. I want the DMV run by someone who has managed a Chick-fil-A. I think that would make things run a lot easier for folks trying to get their license renewed here in South Carolina. Quick and fast!”
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I want the DMV run by someone who has managed a Chick-Fil-A. pic.twitter.com/B6F5mzKQ2x
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) June 2, 2026
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But memorable moments such as Mace’s fast food quip were few and far between on the sparse, state-sponsored stage…
The debate dodging that turned this gathering into a non-event meant viewers – such as there were – didn’t get to hear from the race’s top three contenders.
“Scared players don’t usually no show… but the top three in the polls just did exactly that at tonight’s SCETV debate,” Lowcountry businesswoman Jacklyn Talucci wrote on X. “Wilson, Reddy, Evette what happened? Poll numbers looking a little too good in Vegas, so you folded before the cards were even dealt?”
According to a new survey from Atlanta-based political strategist Robert Cahaly – the first poll published since Evette landed Trump’s endorsement – the lieutenant governor was in first place with 26.3% of likely GOP primary voters supporting her candidacy. Evette’s support was up 6.4% from a poll Cahaly conducted just prior to the Trump endorsement.
Reddy was backed by 17.2% of likely primary voters in Cahaly’s new survey (down 1.8% from his last one) while Wilson was in third place with 16.9% (down 2.5%).
Norman actually ticked up from 15.9% to 16.1%, while Mace ticked up from 14.6% to 14.8%, per Cahaly’s survey.
Voters who haven’t already cast their ballots have until 5:00 p.m. EDT this Friday (June 5, 2026) to participate in early voting, otherwise they will have to wait for primary day next Tuesday (June 9, 2026). Remember, in South Carolina partisan primary elections if no candidate receives a majority of votes on the first ballot, the top two vote-getters face off in a head-to-head election two weeks later (on June 23, 2026).
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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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