This year’s governor’s race is set to take place Nov. 8.
Gov. Henry McMaster formally filed for re-election Wednesday, announcing his intention to seek his second full term as governor. Earlier in the day, a potential Democratic opponent, State Sen. Mia McLeod, D-Richland, also filed her paperwork in her bid to become governor.
McMaster, 74, has been governor of the state since 2017, succeeding former Gov. Nikki Haley who left office to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. The governor has almost 40 years of political experience as a U.S. attorney, Chair of the S.C. Republican Party, an attorney general and lieutenant governor. He won a full four-year term in 2018 after defeating Democratic nominee James E. Smith Jr.
“When we work together to advance our shared conservative values, we can achieve great things,” McMaster said. “South Carolina is in the best financial shape ever, and we are excited to build upon that success by cutting taxes. For South Carolina, the best is yet to come.”
McLeod, 53, has held public office since 2011 after election to the South Carolina House of Representatives. She was a representative until 2016 and was elected as a senator in 2017 for Richland and Kershaw counties.
“Fighting for South Carolinians in the State House has never [been] easy, but as your former Representative, current Senator, and next Governor, I have never and will never take the easy way out,” McLeod said in a Tweet.
Alongside his announcement, McMaster’s campaign released video touting the governor’s job growth, tax cuts and plan to increase pay for law enforcement.
