President Donald Trump’s endorsement power is again on trial, this time in South Carolina. Despite his preferred candidate, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, securing a spot in the GOP gubernatorial primary, she will face Attorney General Alan Wilson in a runoff election, set for June 23. The winner is favored to win the general election in the largely Republican state.

Trump’s endorsement has influenced several GOP primaries recently, impacting races in Indiana, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Texas. Yet, his support failed to secure a win for Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra in Iowa, where Zach Lahn won the nomination. Lahn, a businessman aligned with the Make America Healthy Again movement, backed by Trump Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Turning Point USA, defeated Feenstra.

In South Carolina, candidates have actively sought Trump’s backing. Trump endorsed Evette over Rep. Nancy Mace, citing Evette’s push for transparency in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. This backing stirred speculation about Evette’s potential choice of Henry McMaster Jr., son of current Governor Henry McMaster, as her running mate. However, both Evette and McMaster denied any agreements, and McMaster Jr. removed his name from consideration for lieutenant governor, citing the timing wasn’t right for him.

The outcome of the runoff will likely determine the Republican nominee for governor, who would be the frontrunner in November’s general election.