Pamela Evette
Pamela Evette | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2019 | |
| 93rd Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina | |
| Assumed office January 9, 2019 | |
| Governor | Henry McMaster |
| Preceded by | Kevin L. Bryant[1] |
| 66th Chair of the National Lieutenant Governors Association | |
| Assumed office 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Garlin Gilchrist |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Pamela Sue Gajoch August 28, 1967 |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse |
David Evette (m. 2005) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Cleveland State University (BS) |
Pamela Sue Evette (née Gajoch; born August 28, 1967) is an American politician and businesswoman serving as the 93rd lieutenant governor of South Carolina since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, she was the CEO of Quality Business Solutions in Upstate South Carolina before she was elected. Evette is the first lieutenant governor to be elected on the same ticket as the governor. In 2026, she ran for governor and lost the Republican primary runoff to state Attorney General Alan Wilson.
Early life, education, and career
[edit]Evette was born to Jennie and Emil Gajoch on August 28, 1967, in Cleveland, Ohio.[2] She is the granddaughter of Polish immigrants.[3]
Evette earned her bachelor's degree from Cleveland State University in 1989.[2] She worked as founder and CEO of Quality Business Solutions (headquartered in Travelers Rest, South Carolina), a payroll, human resources and benefits management firm.[4][2]
Governor Nikki Haley asked her to serve on a small-business regulation panel,[4] and she was on the Small Business Regulatory Review Committee in 2017–18.[2][3]
Political career
[edit]
Lieutenant governor of South Carolina
[edit]On November 6, 2018, Henry McMaster and Evette won South Carolina's gubernatorial election, defeating Democrats James Smith and Mandy Powers Norrell.[5] When Evette took office on January 9, 2019,[6] as the state's 93rd lieutenant governor,[3] she became the first elected on a joint ticket with the governor,[7] the first female Republican in the role, and the state's second woman overall (after Nancy Stevenson, 1979–1983[citation needed]).[8] McMaster used Evette as an emissary to the business community and lawmakers of both parties.[9] She told the Associated Press that this enabled the governor's office to double its potential footprint across the state.[9]
In October 2019, Evette partnered with PalmettoPride on a statewide anti-litter initiative.[10] Later that month, she was uninjured in a car collision near Greer, South Carolina, when her driver used the SUV's blue lights to go through an intersection; the driver was cited for failure to obey a traffic signal.[11] The following year, Evette served as chair of the South Carolina Governor's Complete Count Commission for the 2020 Census[12] and joined the SC7 Expedition in July to raise awareness of floodwater prevention.[13][14]
In November 2022, McMaster and Evette won reelection.[15] Evette was scheduled to speak at a January 2023 rally supporting school choice at the state capitol.[16] On December 15, 2023, McMaster underwent an outpatient heart procedure to correct paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, an intermittent irregular heartbeat. The South Carolina Constitution provides that the lieutenant governor may take executive action in case of emergency if the governor is temporarily disabled.[17][18] In February 2024, Evette advocated for the expansion of home visit programs for mothers and infants in South Carolina.[19] On May 1, 2024, the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce and Evette announced the "Empowering Tomorrow's Leaders" Youth Employment Initiative to promote the importance of youth employment and to create a job board made for teenagers.[20] Alongside Governor McMaster, Evette co-hosted events to aid South Carolinians impacted by the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.[21] Evette chaired the National Lieutenant Governors Association for 2025–2026, succeeding Michigan lieutenant governor Garlin Gilchrist.[22]
2026 gubernatorial campaign
[edit]On July 14, 2025, Evette announced her candidacy for governor of South Carolina in 2026.[23] An early supporter of the Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign,[23] Evette was endorsed by Trump on May 29, 2026, less than two weeks before the primary.[24][25] In the first round of the Republican primary, Evette placed first but lacked the outright majority necessary to win.[26]
She and state Attorney General Alan Wilson advanced to a runoff.[26][27] Despite his earlier endorsement of Evette, Trump declared endorsements for both candidates ahead of the runoff.[27] On June 23, she lost the runoff.[28]
Political positions
[edit]Evette is a supporter of President Donald Trump and has frequently criticized other Republicans for what she calls inadequate support of Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.[24] Evette supported attempts to redistrict South Carolina's congressional map before the 2026 United States elections.[25]
Personal life
[edit]Evette married David Evette on July 30, 2005.[2] They have three children and reside in Travelers Rest, South Carolina.[2][8] Evette and her husband attend Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Taylors, South Carolina.[3]
Electoral history
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |
|
921,342 | 54.0 | |
| Democratic | 784,182 | 45.9 | ||
| Write-in | 2,045 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 1,707,569 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |
|
988,501 | 58.0 | |
| Democratic |
|
692,691 | 40.7 | |
| Libertarian |
|
20,826 | 1.2 | |
| Write-in | 1,174 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 1,703,192 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Pamela Evette | 136,480 | 28.9 | |
| Republican | Alan Wilson | 123,643 | 26.1 | |
| Republican | Ralph Norman | 80,790 | 17.1 | |
| Republican | Rom Reddy | 66,992 | 14.2 | |
| Republican | Nancy Mace | 57,380 | 12.1 | |
| Republican | Josh Kimbrell (withdrawn) | 3,957 | 0.8 | |
| Republican | Jacqueline DuBose (decertified) | 3,714 | 0.8 | |
| Total votes | 472,956 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Alan Wilson | 218,569 | 68.6 | |
| Republican | Pamela Evette | 100,227 | 31.4 | |
| Total votes | 318,796 | 100.0 | ||
References
[edit]- ↑ "2024 Legislative Manual: Lieutenant Governors of South Carolina, 1730–2024" (PDF). South Carolina Legislative Services Agency. Retrieved October 15, 2026.
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