While U.S. Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC) defends herself against what she calls a “hit piece” by New York magazine, her Democratic opponent in the 2026 gubernatorial election, three-term State Rep. Jermaine Johnson, continues to criticize the “22 years of single party rule” in South Carolina that Mace’s campaign for governor seeks to continue.
I have enemies? Good. Get in line. It means I’ve stood for something.
As NY Mag publishes the next hit piece on me, I have four words: I’m not going anywhere. pic.twitter.com/KnQ7gSUucz
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) February 2, 2026
As seen below, Johnson delivered the Democratic response to incumbent Governor Henry McMaster‘s State of the State address. (McMaster is term-limited and cannot seek a third full consecutive term.)
Johnson said of the Republicans in office: “If they truly cared about you, they would have fixed public education…fixed the roads, they would have created a livable minimum wage, they would have fixed our healthcare system…but with all that power they have done nothing for you and have only enriched themselves.”
22 years of single party rule. If they TRULY cared about you, they would’ve done something already.#newsc #scpol #stateofthestate #politics #southcarolina pic.twitter.com/45xRGGpiss
— Jermaine Johnson
(@Dr_JLJohnson) January 29, 2026
Johnson is aiming at tangible targets, highly visible to South Carolinians, but low school rankings and low minimum wage are long-standing circumstances in the state, where the electorate has not responded at the ballot box by holding the governing party accountable. According to U.S. News & World Report and Children’s Trust of South Carolina, the state’s education system has consistently ranked in the bottom tier nationally, typically in the 40s in pre-K-12 education. The $7.25 minimum wage rate in South Carolina has been in effect since July 24, 2009.
Note: In January, McMaster said he’s urging the legislature to raise the minimum pay of teachers from $48,050 to $50,500 a year as the minimum starting teacher pay, a boost that he said “represents a 68% increase since 2017.”
[National Education Association (NEA) data shows the average minimum starting salary for South Carolina during the 2017-2018 school year as approximately $39,249. The rising wage has not led to a commensurate rise in test score rankings.]
If Johnson wins the Democratic nomination, he will — as he indicates — face an uphill battle in the solidly red state: The last Democrat to serve as South Carolina’s governor was Jim Hodges, who served just one term (1999-2003) after Republican Mark Sanford defeated his reelection efforts in 2002.
In addition to Mace, the Republicans running — none of whom have yet received an endorsement from President Trump — include frontrunner Lt. Gov. Pam Evette, who says “Governor @henrymcmaster’s legacy is unmatched. South Carolina is stronger, safer, and more prosperous because of his leadership.”
Pamela Evette: A conservative legacy that endures https://t.co/bxz8Fhvgn9
— Hot Talk 99.5 WRNN (@995WRNN) January 27, 2026