SC’s Evette says she won’t participate in next GOP debate, despite increased viewers
Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette says she won’t participate in the next televised South Carolina Republican debate for candidates for governor.
Instead, she will hold a get-out-the-vote rally.
The next debate is scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, at Wofford College in Spartanburg. Invitations to candidates are expected to go out Thursday to those candidates who meet the minimum 5% polling threshold, which Evette was expected to meet.
Evette did not participate in the first debate in Newberry, but participated in the GOP debate in Charleston, along with state Sen. Josh Kimbrell, U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, Isle of Palms businessman Rom Reddy and Attorney General Alan Wilson. Campaigns for Kimbrell, Norman, Reddy and Wilson said their candidates intend to participate in the debate.
Evette has said she will participate in a debate with SC ETV in June.
The Spartanburg debate is scheduled for the first day of early in-person voting for the June 9 primary.
“We really need to get out the vote,” Evette told reporters. “Do you know (how) many people that I have been talking to are completely forgetting about June 9 that are talking about November. Midterm votes notoriously low voter turnout. I think it’s important to have people reminded.”
Viewership for the Republican debate increased by 50% from the April 1 event to the April 21 event.
“The SCGOP is proud to provide the biggest audience ever for our candidates for governor to share their vision and message directly with GOP voters all across our state,” Republican State Party Chairman Drew McKissick said in a statement. “Our voters will certainly be there, and I think that our qualifying candidates should be there too.”
Still Evette’s decision not to participate will most likely be criticized by her opponents.
“I’ve been at a debate, I’ve been at every governor’s forum, I’ve been in all 46 counties, I’ve been talking to people every single day, talking directly to them. I’m not dodging anything,” Evette said.
Her campaign has touted she is the first candidate to visit all 46 counties.
Evette spoke to reporters about her decision outside the State House chambers as members debated whether to redraw the state’s congressional districts ahead of this year’s elections. Democratic members conspicuously repeatedly referenced Evette’s recent slip up in front of House Judiciary Committee members when she said the House had 140 representatives, when the chamber has 124.
“I was focused on redistricting. That’s what I was focused on,” Evette said. “I mean, how many times did somebody ask somebody a question? You’re like, oh. I know there’s 124. I know how many people we have in the Senate. They can do it all they want. That’s the best thing they got. They can talk about it all day long.”
This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 12:55 PM with the headline "SC’s Evette says she won’t participate in next GOP debate, despite increased viewers."
