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by MARK POWELL
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It’s official: it will be Johnson-Skardon vs. Wilson-Reichenbach in November’s gubernatorial election in South Carolina.
State representative Jermaine Johnson, who emphatically claimed his party’s nomination on the first ballot on June 9, 2026, has tapped Charleston-area private-sector activist Sam Skardon as his running mate.
The newly minted Democratic ticket was announced in an exclusive interview with reporter Fraendy Clervaud of WACH TV-57 (FOX – Columbia, S.C.) earlier this week.
Republican nominee Alan Wilson tapped state senator Mike Reichenbach as his No. 2 way back in January, well before Wilson had secured the GOP nomination.
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Although he may not be a household name, Skardon is no stranger to Democratic politics. The Emory University grad worked on the 2008 presidential campaign of Barack Obama, then earned an MBA from Georgetown University after serving a stint on Capitol Hill. Skardon ran unsuccessfully for the S.C. Senate six years ago. Now the director of strategic partnerships and development for the non-profit Clean Energy Fund of the Carolinas, his wife Leslie was elected to the Charleston City Council last fall. The couple has twin four-year-old sons.
Skardon’s selection is a nod to the traditional Democratic establishment – with the 41-year-old viewed as a “safe bet” selection by political veterans.
“He’s a smart pick,” one operative told us. “Young and energetic, yet at the same time someone who won’t rock the boat and make party elders uneasy.”
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“There are people who love the South, and there are people who love it so much they want to change it,” Skardon said in accepting the nomination. “I love South Carolina enough to want to change it, because I’ve always seen the untapped potential here, and that is what this campaign is about.”
Skardon’s selection ends weeks of speculation regarding Johnson’s pick – and staves off (for now) what could have been a bitter intra-party battle.
There was persistent speculation Johnson might try to create a “fusion ticket” – or “unity ticket” – with former Republican state senator Katrina Shealy of Lexington County, who served 12 years in the S.C. General Assembly’s upper chamber until she was vanquished two years ago by Carlisle Kennedy.
Shealy’s views on abortion ran afoul of many conservative Republicans in her district. As one of the self-proclaimed “sister senators,” Shealy – along with Mia McLeod, Penry Gustafson, Margie Bright-Matthews and Sandy Senn – filibustered a strict bill that would have prevented most abortions after conception, invoking the electoral wrath of many GOP voters.
Shealy, Gustafson and Senn paid for their advocacy with their seats – with each going down in defeat in the 2024 GOP primary election.
Shealy has found herself back in the news given her close friendship with interim U.S. senator Darline Graham Nordine. The latter is a candidate in the August 11 special primary election for U.S. Senate seat vacated by her late brother, Lindsey Graham. Palmetto political observers are waiting anxiously to see whether Nordone’s proximity to this “sister senators” alum will be a factor in her current race.
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While there wasn’t much public discussion about the possibility of Johnson selecting Shealy, there was enormous private speculation.
According to our sources, Democrat leaders threatened not to certify the ticket if Johnson chose Shealy – a decision that could have set up a protracted court battle.
“It was certainly an intriguing idea,” the political operative said. “At the very least, it would have been something new and completely different for South Carolina politics. It would have created an instant buzz, kept people talking, and possibly won over some moderate Republican voters. But Katrina Shealy was a bridge too far for Democratic movers and shakers. So now Jermaine Johnson will get to spend the next few weeks answering, ‘Sam Who?’ instead.”
The two tickets will face off on November 3, 2026 to succeed Henry McMaster and his lieutenant governor, Pamela Evette. It will be the first election since 2010 when an incumbent governor hasn’t been on the ballot.
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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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