PELZER, South Carolina — Both candidates in Tuesday's Republican gubernatorial runoff election in this solidly red southeastern state have President Donald Trump's blessing.Trump, seemingly aiming to cover his bases, made an 11th-hour endorsement ahead of the runoff and is now backing both contenders in the showdown to succeed term-limited Republican Gov.Henry McMaster.The South Carolina runoff had been viewed as the latest test of Trump's immense grip over the GOP and the power of his endorsements in Republican nominating contests.But on Friday, just three days after the candidate Trump was backing in neighboring Georgia's Republican gubernatorial runoff lost, the president took to social media to say that he was supporting longtime state Attorney General Alan Wilson as well as Lt.
Gov.Pamela Evette in the battle for the GOP gubernatorial nomination.TRUMP WINS TWO, LOSES ONE AS GEORGIA BILLIONAIRE DELIVERS RARE BLOW TO ENDORSEMENT MACHINESouth Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, campaigns on the eve of the state's runoff elections, in Sumter, S.C.
on June 22, 2206 (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)"I can’t hurt one of them by only Endorsing the other, so, therefore, I am going to Endorse, for Governor of South Carolina, both Pam Evette and Alan Wilson!" Trump wrote, adding: "With either one you can’t go wrong."The endorsement of Wilson appeared to be a move by Trump to hedge his bets, because Trump was already backing Evette, who is also supported by McMaster, a longtime top ally of the president.Trump's decision to support both Evette and Wilson wasn't the first time he's made dual endorsements in the same Republican race.Most famously, Trump endorsed "ERIC" in the 2022 GOP Senate primary in Missouri, where the two major candidates were Eric Schmitt and Eric Greitens.
Both candidates claimed the endorsement, with Schmitt ultimately winning the nomination.In South Carolina, Trump endorsed Evette late last month, a week and...