Who is Jermaine Johnson and what is Johnson running on in the 2026 South Carolina Governor race?

Jermaine Johnson is the Democratic candidate for South Carolina governor. State Representative (District 80, Richland County) since 2020; from Hopkins; won the Democratic primary outright with 59.7%. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

The race

• The seat: Open seat (Henry McMaster term-limited).
• Rating: Solid R (Cook, Inside Elections).
• Polling: Wilson 50, Johnson 42 (Hart Research (D), Aug 12 to 15, 2026).

Why Johnson is behind

• South Carolina has not elected a Democratic governor since 1998.
• Wilson is a 15-year statewide officeholder (Attorney General since 2011) who won the GOP runoff 68.6%-31.4%.
• Even Democratic-sponsored polls show Wilson ahead by 8 points; Decision Desk HQ’s model has Wilson at 77%.
• Johnson is running on change and anger over roads, crime and stagnant wages, and the Washington Examiner reported a poll in late August putting the race ‘in play’.

What Johnson is running on

• Wages. Supports a livable minimum wage.
• Healthcare. Calls for affordable healthcare.
• Infrastructure. Says state leaders promised but failed to fix roads and bridges.
• Crime. Highlights the state’s high homicide rate and promises to reduce crime.
• Education. Wants to improve public education.
• Trump. Criticizes Republicans for chasing Trump’s endorsement instead of voters; will back federal initiatives only if they serve South Carolina.

In Johnson’s own words

“If it doesn’t serve the people of South Carolina, I won’t support it”

“If we elect the same type of leadership, we will get the same type of result.”

The other candidates

• Alan Wilson (R)

Every race

See every Senate and governor race on the ballot, with each candidate’s chance of winning: the 2026 midterms at a glance.