Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette brings her supporters, friends, and the people of South Carolina her 1st Quarter 2025 e-mail update.
In this edition, we share a few highlights of how Evette is supporting President Trump’s agenda in SC, featured news stories, how Team SC is working to fight SC wildfires + SC business features (large & small), non-profits who are making a difference, and a few personal updates.
Below is March 2025’s opening message from Lt. Gov. Evette.
A Message from Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette
If you’re like me, you can’t believe that it’s already March. 2025 is flying by, and a BIG part of that is how President Trump is taking action in the Oval Office at lightning speed. His dedication to keeping the promises he made and his drive to Make America Great Again is awe inspiring.
What a time to be an American — in the Golden Age!
I am committed to being an ally for our President in South Carolina. I will never stop pushing to keep the Palmetto State winning, today and well into the future!
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – Extremely early polling shows South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette with a slight lead among likely Republican voters in the state’s 2026 governor’s race.
The Trafalgar Group, an Atlanta-based political research group, polled 1,127 likely Republican voters between March 8-10 and found 31 percent of voters said they would vote for Evette.
U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, who represents South Carolina’s First Congressional District, locked in 29 percent while Attorney General Alan Wilson maintains a close third with 27 percent of the vote.
About 11 percent said they’d vote for Rep. Ralph Norman, who represents the state’s Fifth Congressional District.
While prospective candidates are starting to position themselves for a run at the governor’s mansion, no one has officially announced their intentions yet.
The same poll questioned voters on how they feel about a variety of issues, including the performance of the president, tort reform and changes to state income tax.
On President Donald Trump’s work in office so far, the poll showed 73.7 percent of South Carolina Republicans approve of how he’s handling the job.
The poll shows there’s strong support, nearly 65 percent, for House Bill H. 3497, which would reform liquor liability for bars and restaurants but less support for the current tort reforms in Senate Bill S.244. Nearly 55 percent of those polled said they view the bill unfavorably.
When it comes to eliminating the state income tax through House Bill 3733, more than 80 percent of people polled supported the idea. However, the question set sets up respondents to believe cutting state income tax would generate more revenue by spending cuts and making the state more competitive.
The polls also found strong support for an SC DOGE with about 75 percent of people saying they view House Resolution 3926 and Senate Resolution 318 favorably or very favorably. 44 percent said it’s their top legislative priority.Those who responded to the poll were primarily white and over the age of 65 with a near even split between men and women.
Photo Credit: Henry Taylor/Staff; Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina Pamela Evette speaks to the crowd at a rally for Donald Trump on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Rock Hill.
A network of President Donald Trump’s advisers, staff and political consultants are lining up behind South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, launching a new super PAC to boost her prospects as a leading contender if she decides to run for governor next year.
The group, Patriots for South Carolina, has already secured $5 million in donor commitments, according to details shared first with The Post and Courier Feb. 19.
“The Lieutenant Governor has demonstrated throughout her career that she has what it takes to be a strong, conservative leader for South Carolina,” said Chris Grant, who is serving as a senior adviser for the newly formed, pro-Evette super PAC.
“The resources committed to backing her, should she decide to run, clearly shows her support runs deep in the state,” Grant said.
Evette told the newspaper in a written statement she has been overwhelmed by the encouragement she has received for a potential 2026 gubernatorial bid and the show of support from the newly created group.
“President Trump needs strong allies in state government who know what it takes to get the job done — to continue the good work of the McMaster administration and keep SC winning,” she said, adding that she is taking a serious look at the governor’s race and urged supporters to “stay tuned.”
A roster of seasoned Republican strategists from Trump’s political orbit, including Grant, have joined the group’s leadership — an early sign that Trump’s allies are working to shape the race as Gov. Henry McMaster, who was one of the president’s earliest backers, nears the end of his final term.
Grant most recently worked as a consultant for Make America Great Again Inc., or MAGA Inc., which was the top spender on Trump’s behalf in the 2024 election cycle.
Grant’s involvement in the pro-Evette effort comes on the heels of his announcement that his consulting firm, Big Dog Strategies, is relocating its headquarters to Charleston — underscoring his commitment to the state and its political future.
Andy Surabian, who worked as a senior adviser to Vice President JD Vance during the Republican’s 2022 U.S. Senate bid in Ohio as well as his 2024 vice presidential run, will serve as the group’s CEO.
Surabian is a close adviser to Donald Trump Jr., the president’s son. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Surabian was a key member of Trump’s “war room” and later served as a key adviser to Steve Bannon during his brief tenure as Trump’s chief of staff.
Dan Adams, the CEO of Greenville-based investment banking firm The Capital Corp, will serve as chairman of the PAC. He was a major McMaster donor who was also one of 30 donors who met privately with Trump in 2017.
The group’s spokesman is Justin Evans, who most recently served on Trump’s South Carolina team as director of special projects.
In 2020, he worked with the Trump White House on its advance team and traveled the country to prepare for events with both Trump and then-Vice President Mike Pence.
“The Trump agenda is on the ballot in 2026, and there is no one better to carry the America First mantle than Pam Evette,” Evans said. “South Carolina needs a Trump businesswoman and conservative outsider to continue the success of the McMaster Administration, and Pam Evette is the perfect candidate for the job, should she choose to run.”
If Evette, 57, decides to enter the race, she is expected to face a competitive Republican primary. Other likely contenders include state Attorney General Alan Wilson and U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-Charleston, among others.
Evans said Evette offers something unique, even Trump-like.
“She, like the president, had tremendous success in the private sector before offering herself up for public service,” Evans said. “That differentiates her from the other rumored candidates.”
Evette had no prior experience in elected office when McMaster picked her as his running mate in 2017, the first time a S.C. governor ran on the same ticket as his pick for lieutenant governor. She came in as president and CEO of Quality Business Solutions, a payroll and human resources company based in the Upstate.
At the time, McMaster said he picked in part due to her “fresh eyes” when it came to governing, as well as her relationships with the business community.
While the PAC itself is pro-Evette, the outside group cannot legally coordinate their spending or messaging with the candidate or campaign.
On Feb. 17, Presidents Day, Evette issued a video statement on social media where she expressed her thanks that Trump was back in the White House, calling him a “bold and courageous leader.”
Evette and her husband, David, were among Trump’s invited guests who traveled to the Palm Beach County Convention Center to celebrate his 2024 election night victory.
She also recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to applaud Trump signing an executive order banning transgender athletes from participating in female sports.
Trump did not call on Evette by name, or ask her to say a few words, as he did with Mace.
Filing for the gubernatorial race won’t officially open for more than a year, but when it does it is expected to draw significant interest and competition. It will also be the first time South Carolina has had an open governor’s race since 2010 when 38-year-old Nikki Haley emerged victorious and made history when she was elected the state’s first female governor.
The Post and Courier’sCaitlin Byrdfirst reported that “a network of President Donald Trump’s advisers, staff and political consultants are lining up behind South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, launching a new super PAC to boost her prospects as a leading contender if she decides to run for governor next year.”
Patriots for South Carolina PAC has already raised $5 million.
A Trump endorsement will be one the most critical factors in this statewide race in which many Republican contenders occupy a similar policy lane.
Who we’re watching right now:
Evette, a self-made millionaire and former president and CEO of Quality Business Solutions in Travelers Rest, was recently spotted sitting in the front row in the East Room when the president signed an executive order banning transgender players on women’s sports teams.
1st District Congresswoman Nancy Mace, a former state lawmaker, who has put her focus over the last year on legislation that targets the transgender community. At that same White House event, Trump acknowledged Mace’s work. In a post on XWednesday, Mace posted the Post and Courier article about the PAC, referring to Evette as a “a nice lady.”
Attorney General Alan Wilson, who also became of a focus of Mace’s criticism from a fiery House floor speech — criticisms that Wilson denies — but has kept busy joining other attorneys general in federal-focused lawsuits. Over the past two years, Wilson has also joined Republican efforts to tweak the state’s judicial vetting and election process.
On Wednesday we recognized National Girls and Women in Sports Day, a day created to inspire American girls and women to play sports and be active.
While this should be a day when our country celebrates how far we’ve come in creating opportunities for women and girls to build confidence, become stronger and develop character, it has instead become a focal point in our enduring fight to protect women and girls.
In recent years, driven by the increasingly radical left, girls’ and women’s sports have been under attack. In their misguided and warped embrace of diversity, equity and inclusion, liberals have pushed an agenda to allow biological boys and men to compete head-to-head against girls and women. In doing so, not only have women and girls across the nation been robbed of the recognition and titles they deserved, but those participating in more physical sports have been knowingly put in harm’s way.
I was incredibly proud Wednesday to stand with President Donald Trump as he signed an executive order to keep men out of women’s sports. Still, as a mom and participant in women’s sports, I am heartbroken at the immeasurable damage that cannot be undone. Liberal Democrats will stop at nothing to push their agenda, no matter how out of touch with the desires of the American people, because they’ve forgotten a critical aspect of our rights as Americans.
They’ve forgotten that one person’s rights end where another’s begin.
As Americans, we are free to make certain choices: where we shop, who we live with, how we choose to dress, etc. But the choices one person makes should never infringe on the rights of others.
If you identify as a gender other than your biological sex at birth, that choice doesn’t give you the right to infringe on my daughter’s safety, comfort or ability to excel against other biological girls in competitive sports. And it definitely doesn’t give you the right to steal our girls’ and women’s hard-earned and rightful successes.
Democrats want to tout the science on issues that fit their agenda but have intentionally ignored the science when it comes to how unfair, and frankly dangerous, it is for men to compete against women. Pound for pound, men are stronger, more powerful and faster.
According to a Consensus Statement for the American College of Sports Medicine: “Thus for athletic events and sports relying on endurance, muscle strength, speed, and power, males typically outperform females by 10%-30% depending on the requirements of the event. These sex differences in performance emerge with the onset of puberty and coincide with the increase in endogenous sex steroid hormones, in particular testosterone in males, which increases 30-fold by adulthood, but remains low in females.”
I was proud to stand with Gov. Henry McMaster when he signed the Save Women’s Sports Act into law in 2022 to preserve fair competition for all S.C. girls and women. And even though other conservative states have passed similar laws and we now have President Trump’s executive order, we can’t stop there.
We must do more to set the record straight for the women and girls who’ve been robbed of their titles, which are currently held by biological men. We can never fully repair the harm and give back those stolen moments of glory, but we must find a way to provide these female athletes and their families — who dedicated so much time, blood, sweat and tears — the titles they rightfully earned.
I am grateful to President Trump and Gov. McMaster for their leadership in this fight to protect our nation’s women and girls. I hope you’ll join me as I continue to advocate and fight for women and girls of all ages both in South Carolina and throughout our nation.
Pamela S. Evette is the lieutenant governor of South Carolina.
Lockheed Martin has delivered the first F-16 Block 70 fighter aircraft to Bulgaria as the country plans to develop its air force.
The aircraft was delivered in a ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s Greenville County facility on Friday morning, with top Bulgarian defense officials in attendance.
“With the acquisition of this multirole fighter capable of performing a wide range of tasks, we’re marking the beginning of the modernization of our combat aviation,” said Atanas Zapryanov, Bulgaria’s minister of defense.
Friday’s ceremony marked the first of 16 total F-16 Block 70s that will eventually be delivered to Bulgaria.
Chris Nations, Lockheed Martin’s chief F-16 test pilot, said the F-16 has been in service for more than 50 years. He said the Block 70 is the most capable version to date.
However, before the aircraft are delivered to customers, Nations said they are tested in the Upstate, where some people can hear sonic booms.
“That is the sound of freedom,” Nations said. “Realistically, what that is making sure that these jets work exactly like they’re supposed to. On the very first flight, after we’ve put the tires on and strap the wings on, I’ll take that aircraft up to over 40,000 feet in the air.”
South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette said these planes are one way the state is helping with national security.
“This is peace through strength,” she said. “Making sure that our allies have the equipment they need to keep their citizens safe is something we’re passionate about here. We’ve heard since President Trump took office, ‘How do we bring up the U.S.’s military might to make sure we keep our people and our country safe?'”
Lockheed Martin said there are more than 700 F-16s currently in service across Europe.
By Aeon Bailey. Originally posted in the Journal Scene 1/22/2025
On Thursday, Jan. 16, in Summerville, Scout Boats hosted an unveiling event for the 670 LXS, which the company’s website describes as “one of the largest outboard-powered sportfishing yachts” in the world. In attendance was South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, who spoke at the unveiling.
“This is such a thrill for me to be here,” Evette said. “As Lieutenant Governor, I talk about our boaters, especially Scout Boats and the bragging rights that they give South Carolina. Sometimes, I don’t believe we see the forest for the trees with the amazing manufacturers we have here in our state, but manufacturers like Scout Boats allow us to send South Carolina’s fingerprints all across the globe.”
Evette has attended business events in the past, including for political causes such as Donald Trump’s rally at Sportsman Boats in 2023, when South Carolina’s Small Business Leaders for Trump Coalition was announced. In a press release from the Trump campaign, Evette is quoted as saying, “No one has done more for America’s small businesses than President Donald J. Trump.” Trump was also mentioned at the Scout Boats unveiling, with one company official jokingly saying to the crowd that while the president-elect could not be there, he’d stated Scout Boats is “making boats great again.”
Evette’s website highlights her business involvement, including her time serving as a member of South Carolina’s Small Business Regulatory Review Committee.
“As Lt. Governor, Evette has used her professional background to serve the people and businesses of South Carolina,” according to the website. “She has dedicated her time to highlighting S.C.’s thriving small business ecosystem and attracting new business to the Palmetto state.”
The event consisted of a meet-and-greet, an unveiling, a tour of the boat and a reception.
Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette brings her supporters, friends, and the people of South Carolina her 4th Quarter e-mail update. As our state continues to recover following Hurricane Helene and we look forward to having President Trump back in the White House, here are a few highlights on election night, honors / recognition, podcasts, and #TeamSC working together towards recovery + S.C. business features (large & small), S.C. non-profits who are making a difference, and a few personal updates.
Below is December 2024’s opening message from Lt. Gov. Evette.
A Message from Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette
As we celebrate this holiday season and approach the end of 2024, our state and nation have so much to be thankful for. As Lt. Governor, I was incredibly proud of how Team SC and all South Carolinians came together in the aftermath of hurricane Helene — helping one another and our neighbors to the north in Western North Carolina.
I am also grateful that Americans across the nation came out and voted in November for a return to common sense and for strong family values. Thank you to all of you for helping to get our nation back on the right track starting with the election of President Trump.
I wish all of you, your families, and your loved ones a wonderful holiday season. Merry Christmas and many blessings in the New Year!
The governor’s office’s strong relationship with Trump helps South Carolina.
GREENVILLE, S.C. — The election night party in Palm Beach, Florida, became more electric when Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign announced she would not address her supporters gathered at Howard University until the following day.
Cheering Republicans at Donald Trump’s official watch party knew that meant their candidate would soon have the electoral votes needed to secure the White House.
South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and her husband David were among the invited guests.
She tells WYFF News 4 that the mood of the room was “high energy” all night: “It was a great day to be a Trump supporter, and it was a great night to be celebrating with everybody who has worked so hard across our nation to get him back in the White House.”
And as each state ticked red, the party intensified, Evette said.
“You could tell as they finally called Georgia and they called North Carolina, and Pennsylvania was looking good for us; the mood just kept getting bigger and bigger until it rose to the level of a President Trump win and President Trump taking the stage with his family,” she said.
Evette credits Trump with bringing new voices to the Republican tent and anticipates it will bring new growth to the party: “I think it’s a great testament to the legacy he’s going to leave, bringing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. into the mix and Tulsi Gabbard, bringing in Elon Musk and Joe Rogan, to get the best and brightest into the room, and make great quality changes to make America great again.”
Evette believes the Trump victory will translate into a strong working relationship between the White House and the South Carolina governor’s office, which she says is a win for South Carolina.Ec
Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette brings her supporters, friends, and the people of South Carolina her 3rd Quarter e-mail update. As we head towards the presidential election, it’s an incredibly busy time! Here are just a few highlights on the RNC, supporting President Trump, honors / recognition, fighting for S.C. kids and families, S.C. business features (large & small), S.C. non-profits who are making a difference, and a few personal updates.
Below is September 2024’s opening message from Lt. Gov. Evette.
A Message from Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette
Every day, I feel blessed beyond measure to serve the people and the businesses of South Carolina. No matter where my travels take me, I’m alway quick to brag on the many South Carolinians who work hard, do good, and aim higher.
This truly is the best place to live, work, and raise a family — for which we owe a great deal to our men and women in uniform. I ask you to join me in thanking our law enforcement officers and military members today and at every opportunity.
As we get closer to the general election on Nov. 5th, I ask you to remain strong in your commitment to the conservative values that keep S.C. winning! Remember to vote Republican up and down the ballot. Let’s bring this thing home. Thank you for all you do!
