Henry McMaster

Henry McMaster (Republican Party) is the Governor of South Carolina. He assumed office on January 24, 2017. His current term ends on January 13, 2027.

McMaster (Republican Party) ran for re-election for Governor of South Carolina. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.

He ran on a joint ticket with the lieutenant gubernatorial nominee, Pamela Evette (R).

He replaced outgoing Governor Nikki Haley (R) upon her confirmation as Ambassador to the United Nations. At the time, McMaster was serving as lieutenant governor of South Carolina since his election to that position in 2014. He served two terms as Attorney General of South Carolina from 2003 to 2011. McMaster was chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party from 1993 to 2002.

Before holding elected office, McMaster was the United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina. He was the first U.S. Attorney appointed by President Ronald Reagan.

Biography

Prior to pursuing his education in law, McMaster joined the United States Army Reserve, receiving his honorable discharge in 1975. Upon receiving his law degree, he worked as a legislative assistant to U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond in Washington D.C. McMaster remained there until 1974 when he returned to the private sector in his home state and served as a partner in the law firm of Tompkins & McMaster. He was admitted to practice before the federal Court of Claims in 1974, the United States Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in 1975, and, in 1978—upon motion of Senator Thurmond—the Supreme Court of the United States.

Upon recommendation from Senator Thurmond, McMaster was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to serve as United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina in 1981, making him the first United States Attorney in the country to be appointed by Reagan. During his four-year tenure, he directed Operation: Jackpot, the first investigation into international drug smuggling operations within the United States to use the financial team approach. This resulted in the conviction of over 100 people for the importation of almost one billion dollars worth of illegal narcotics.

McMaster received the Republican nomination in 1986 in his campaign for the United States Senate; he was ultimately defeated by Democratic incumbent Senator Ernest F. "Fritz" Hollings. Four years later, he lost his bid for lieutenant governor. In 1991, McMaster was nominated by then-Governor Carroll A. Campbell, Jr. to serve on the Commission on Higher Education; he was later confirmed by the South Carolina State Legislature.

Prior to his tenure as lieutenant governor, McMaster served two terms as attorney general of South Carolina. He was first elected to the position in 2002 and won re-election in 2006. Though he was eligible to run for a third term, he instead announced his candidacy for the state's 2010 gubernatorial election. He was defeated in the June 8 Republican primary and endorsed one of his opponents, then-state Rep. Nikki Haley, for the governorship.

Education

• Bachelor's degree, University of South Carolina (1969)
• J.D., University of South Carolina School of Law (1973)
• Completed the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (1974)

Political career

Governor of South Carolina (2017 - Present)

McMaster was sworn in as governor of South Carolina on January 24, 2017, minutes after former Governor Nikki Haley's confirmation vote as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. He will serve out the remainder of Haley's term, which expires in January 2019.

Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina (2015-2017)

McMaster was first elected lieutenant governor in 2014, and was inaugurated the following January for a four-year term in office.

Attorney General of South Carolina (2003-2011)

McMaster was first elected to the attorney general position in 2002 and won a second term in 2006. He opted not to seek re-election in 2010 in order to pursue a bid for governor, which was not successful. He left office when his second term expired in January 2011.

Other roles

• Board of Directors, South Carolina Policy Council (1991-2003)
• Member, Republican National Committee (1993-2002)
• Chair, South Carolina Republican Party (1993-2002)
• Member, Columbia Rotary Club
• Member, First Presbyterian Church in Columbia
• Member, Saint Andrews Society

Elections

2018

See also: South Carolina gubernatorial election, 2018

General election

General election for Governor of South Carolina

Incumbent Henry McMaster defeated James Smith Jr. in the general election for Governor of South Carolina on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Henry McMaster (R)	54.0	921,342
		James Smith Jr. (D)	45.9	784,182
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	2,045

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,707,569
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Martin Barry (American Party)

Republican primary runoff election

Republican primary runoff for Governor of South Carolina

Incumbent Henry McMaster defeated John Warren in the Republican primary runoff for Governor of South Carolina on June 26, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Henry McMaster	53.6	184,286
	Submit photo	John Warren	46.4	159,349

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 343,635
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of South Carolina

James Smith Jr. defeated Marguerite Willis and Phil Noble in the Democratic primary for Governor of South Carolina on June 12, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		James Smith Jr.	61.8	148,633
		Marguerite Willis	27.5	66,248
		Phil Noble	10.6	25,587

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 240,468
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of South Carolina

Incumbent Henry McMaster and John Warren advanced to a runoff. They defeated Catherine Templeton, Kevin Bryant, and John McGill in the Republican primary for Governor of South Carolina on June 12, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Henry McMaster	42.3	155,723
✔	Submit photo	John Warren	27.8	102,390
		Catherine Templeton	21.4	78,705
		Kevin Bryant	6.7	24,790
		John McGill	1.7	6,375

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 367,983
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Click [show] to view endorsements issued in this election.
Henry McMaster Pres. Donald Trump National Rifle Association Catherine Templeton Maggie's List Rep. Ralph Norman (R) John Warren Phil Robertson

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

South Carolina Governor Republican primary, 2018
Poll	Kevin Bryant	Yancey McGill	Henry McMaster	Catherine Templeton	John Warren	Undecided/Other	Margin of error	Sample size
Target Insyght (May 29-31, 2018)	5%	3%	37%	25%	20%	11%	+/-5.0	400
Trafalgar Group (November 29 - December 30, 2017)	11.05%	3.01%	39.92%	7.92%	0%	38.02%	+/-2.1	2,223
Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy (December 6-10, 2017)	8%	1%	51%	21%	0%	19%	+/-5.0	400
South Carolina Public Affairs (October 10-11, 2017)	5.2%	5.0%	32.6%	7.3%	0%	49.9%	+/-4.0	633
AVERAGES	7.31%	3%	40.13%	15.31%	5%	29.48%	+/-4.03	914
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

South Carolina Governor Republican primary, 2018 (no margin of error information)
Poll	Henry McMaster	Catherine Templeton	Kevin Bryant	Yancey McGill	John Warren	Undecided/Other	Sample Size
TargetPoint Consulting and Greenberg Quinlan Rosner for Save the Children Action Network (March 10-17, 2018)	41%	10%	5%	3%	2%	35%	397
Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Campaign finance

Following are campaign finance figures obtained from the South Carolina State Ethics Commission covering all contributions and expenditures made before March 31, 2018.

Major contributions

John Warren

May 3, 2018

On May 3, 2018, John Warren (R) announced that he would make a $2.5 million contribution to his gubernatorial campaign, bringing his total self-funding in the cycle to date to $3 million.

Campaign ads

Support

"Winning" - McMaster campaign ad, released May 30, 2018

"First" - McMaster campaign ad, released May 19, 2018

"President Trump Endorses Henry McMaster for Governor" - McMaster campaign ad, released April 25, 2018

Oppose

"DESPERATE POLITICIANS" - Templeton campaign ad, released May 18, 2018

2014

See also: South Carolina Lieutenant Gubernatorial election, 2014

McMaster ran for election to the office of South Carolina Lieutenant Governor. McMaster came first in the primary on June 10 and finished ahead of Mike Campbell in the runoff on June 24. The general election took place on November 4, 2014.

Results

Primary election

Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, Republican Primary, 2014
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Henry McMaster	43.6%	131,546
Mike Campbell	23.9%	72,204
Pat McKinney (withdrew)	24.4%	73,451
Ray Moore	8.1%	24,335
Total Votes		301,536
Election results via South Carolina State Elections Commission.

Primary runoff

Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, Republican Runoff, 2014
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Henry McMaster	63.6%	85,301
Mike Campbell	36.4%	48,863
Total Votes		134,164
Election results via South Carolina State Elections Commission.

General election

Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, 2014
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Henry McMaster	58.8%	726,821
	Democratic	Bakari Sellers	41.1%	508,807
	Nonpartisan	Write-in votes	0.1%	1,514
Total Votes				1,237,142
Election results via South Carolina State Election Commission

2010

See also: South Carolina gubernatorial election, 2010

2010 Race for Governor - Republican Primary
Candidates		Percentage
Nikki R. Haley (R)		48.9%
Gresham Barrett (R)		21.8%
Henry McMaster (R)		16.9%
Andre Bauer (R)		12.5%
Total votes		422,251

Race background

After the admission of an extramarital affair by Governor Mark Sanford, the 2010 gubernatorial election, the first open one in South Carolina since 1994, became hotly contested. McMaster officially announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination on August 24, 2009, and challenged Lieutenant Governor André Bauer, Congressman Gresham Barrett, State Senator Larry Grooms, and State Representative Nikki Haley in the run up to the primary election on June 8, 2010.

Henry McMaster for Governor Campaign logo

An internal poll conducted by Ayres, McHenry & Associates for Gresham Barrett's gubernatorial campaign in February 2009 showed McMaster slightly ahead of Barrett with 22 percent of the vote, but behind Bauer who garnered 25 percent of the survey responses; 32 percent of those interviewed, however, remained uncommitted to any particular Republican candidate at the time. The December 2009 polling data accumulated by Rasmussen Reports indicated that McMaster had the best chance of defeating any Democratic opponent.

Five months later, however, State Representative Nikki Haley had taken the lead in the gubernatorial contest. Her campaign gained ground after she received the endorsement of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. A May 2010 survey conducted by Public Policy Polling showed Haley with 39 percent while McMaster had slipped into second place with 18 percent, with 14 percent still undecided.

A week after placing third in the state's June 8 primary contest with close to 17 percent of the vote, McMaster endorsed State Representative Nikki Haley in the Republican primary runoff contest on June 22, 2010. State political experts claimed the endorsement would enhance Haley's odds of winning the party nomination by putting "greater distance between her and Gresham Barrett, another establishment figure as a sitting congressman who was endorsed early on by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce."

2006

• 2006 Race for Attorney General - Republican Primary
  • Henry McMaster ran unopposed in this contest

On November 7, 2006, Henry McMaster won re-election to the office of South Carolina Attorney General. He ran unopposed in the general election.

South Carolina Attorney General, 2006
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Henry McMaster Incumbent	99.2%	779,453
	Write-In	Various	0.8%	6,107
Total Votes				785,560
Election results via South Carolina State Election Commission.

2002

2002 Race for Attorney General - Republican Primary
Candidates		Percentage
Henry McMaster (R)		42.4%
Larry Richter (R)		31.8%
Jon E. Ozmint (R)		25.8%
Total votes		297,462

2002 Race for Attorney General - Republican Primary Runoff
Candidates		Percentage
Henry McMaster (R)		55.8%
Larry Richter (R)		44.2%
Total votes		290,285

On November 5, 2002, Henry McMaster won election to the office of South Carolina Attorney General. He defeated Steve Benjamin (D) in the general election.

South Carolina Attorney General, 2002
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Henry McMaster	55.5%	601,931
	Democratic	Steve Benjamin	44.5%	482,560
	Write-In	Various	0%	498
Total Votes				1,084,989
Election results via South Carolina State Election Commission.

Presidential preference

2016 presidential endorsement

✓ McMaster endorsed Donald Trump for the Republican primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

See also: Endorsements for Donald Trump

2016 Presidential Endorsements by Lt. Governors
Lt. Gov.	Candidate	Date	Source
Spencer Cox	Ted Cruz	March 2016	CNN
Tim Griffin	Marco Rubio	February 2016	Arkansas Online
Ralph Northam	Hillary Clinton	October 2015	Richmond Times-Dispatch
Henry McMaster	Donald Trump	January 2016	CNN
Kim Guadagno	Chris Christie	June 2015	NJ.com

Noteworthy events

Tested positive for coronavirus on December 22, 2020

See also: Politicians, candidates, and government officials diagnosed with or quarantined due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Coronavirus pandemic
Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more. Political responses overviewState reopening plansDocumenting America's Path to RecoveryElection changesChanges to vote-by-mail and absentee voting proceduresFederal responsesState responsesState executive ordersStay-at-home ordersMultistate agreementsNon-governmental reopening plansEvictions and foreclosures policiesTravel restrictionsEnacted state legislationState legislative session changesSchool closuresState court closuresInmate releasesLocal government responsesDiagnosed or quarantined politiciansBallot measure changesArguments about government responsesThe 1918 influenza pandemicPandemic Response Accountability CommitteeUnemployment filingsLawsuitsBallotpedia's polling on the coronavirus pandemicSubmit

On December 22, 2020, McMaster announced he had tested positive for coronavirus.

Gov. Haley nominated to be UN Ambassador

On November 23, 2016, Donald Trump announced that he had offered Gov. Nikki Haley the position of UN ambassador under his administration. Haley then confirmed that she had accepted the nomination. As lieutenant governor, McMaster was positioned to assume the governorship following Haley's confirmation.

McMaster praised Trump's selection of Haley:

“

Today is indeed a great day for South Carolina. In selecting Governor Nikki Haley to serve as United States Ambassador to the United Nations, President Donald Trump has again demonstrated his determination to make America greater than ever before. [...] Governor Haley will be an inspiration to all who believe in the American dream, at home and around the world. South Carolina is bursting with talent, and today we swell with pride that one of our daughters is preparing to step into history on the world stage. Mrs. McMaster joins me in offering our heartiest congratulations.

”

Affordable Care Act lawsuit (2010)

See also: State Attorneys General Against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010

McMaster was one of 13 state attorneys general who initiated a 2010 lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The suit argued that the individual mandate fell outside of the federal government’s authority and that the requirement for state Medicaid expansion of coverage violated state sovereignty. The case was ultimately heard before the Supreme Court, which ruled to uphold the individual mandate as falling within Congress’ authority to levy taxes and struck down the Medicaid expansion as being unduly coercive in light of the withholding of funding that would result from noncompliance.

Campaign themes

2018

Campaign website

The following themes were found on McMaster's campaign website:

“	Good Paying Jobs I believe we need good-paying jobs for South Carolinians, and that’s why I’m fighting for a better economy that will create more jobs and better-paying jobs. Since January we’ve added more than 15,000 new jobs from 114 development projects, and our unemployment rate is 3.9% – the lowest since 2001. In fact, there are more South Carolinians working today than ever before in our state’s history. But we’re not done yet! We will continue to fight for conservative policies that help businesses grow and raise wages. Lower Taxes Nothing kills economic prosperity quicker than raising taxes. That is why I am a proponent of a flatter, simpler, and broader tax code and have already cut taxes by double digits on small business owners. Our tax burden must be lowered—Act 388 has placed an unsustainable burden on small businesses. I know that low taxes are essential for economic growth and investment, which is why I vetoed the largest tax increase in state history. I’m continuing to push for lower taxes through my new tax plan which will provide relief for South Carolinians in the form of: A 1% rate reduction over five years for all personal income tax brackets, which will result in $2.2 billion in taxpayer savings through the course of implementation, starting with an immediate $139 million cut that is paid for and certified in this budget; An immediate and full retirement income exemption for military veterans and first responders, including retired state and federal law enforcement, firefighters and peace officers, representing $22 million in relief the first year. Pro-Life I believe human life begins at conception. That is why I have issued an executive order prohibiting taxpayer dollars from being used to fund abortion providers like Planned Parenthood. I believe abstinence-first education should be the official policy in all public schools in the state and am working to get the Personhood Act signed into law. Cutting Regulations and Red Tape I believe we have too many regulations and too much red tape keeping our economy from prospering. To that end, I have issued an executive order for state agencies that establishes a framework to promote responsible regulation and find ways to reduce unnecessary regulations. I’m also meeting with local business leaders across our state to discuss the crippling regulations and red tape they face so I can push for their repeal and elimination. It’s time to shrink the government and unleash and facilitate the innovation, investment, vision, creativity, and prosperity of South Carolina. NO Sanctuary Cities I stand firmly against Sanctuary Cities in South Carolina, and that is why I am doing everything in my power to prevent them from ever coming. Right now, there is no way for the public to know whether their local government enforces state and federal immigration laws. That is why I have asked legislators to strengthen our laws to ban Sanctuary Cities in South Carolina. Before cities and towns are eligible to receive your state tax dollars, they must verify to South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) that they are complying and enforcing state and federal immigration law. Trust, but verify…in order to keep our neighborhoods and communities safe from lawlessness. I have also directed the federal government to cease resettling refugees in South Carolina from the six countries under President Trump’s travel ban. As a former U.S. Attorney and Attorney General of South Carolina, I know that the rule of law is essential to our safety and prosperity – and I will enforce it. Protecting Religious Freedoms Religious freedom is the cornerstone of our nation and an America that does not let people exercise their freedom of religion isn’t truly free. Every South Carolinian has the right to practice their faith without fear of persecution and I will always preserve and protect the rights afforded to us by the First Amendment. Slash the Budget I believe we need to slash our budget and save taxpayers money. We can start by: Stopping the practice of buying and owning vehicles and buildings. State agencies should be leasing vehicles and office space through the department of administration instead of purchasing them. Cutting down on excess services. Small state agencies should consolidate their human resources, information technology, and other services to save money, create efficiencies, and reduce their agency footprint. Increasing transparency in our government. We need more transparency in budgeting by eliminating the state budgeting practice of rolling up big ‘pork’ projects in a single appropriation to hide them from the public and cloak their purpose. As an effort to increase oversight and discipline in government spending, I have already vetoed millions of dollars in ‘pork’ projects. Access to Education If South Carolina is to remain competitive for future economic development and investment, then our students from all 46 counties must be ready to compete. This is why we are meeting with educators, principals, teachers, parents, and students to chart the strongest path forward so our children can get the education they need to compete in a knowledge-based economy and world. I propose the following to get us there: The Superintendent of Education should be a cabinet-level position appointed by the governor to bring accountability to our education system. Robust charter schools allow parents to choose the best educational opportunities for their children. We need more. Recruiting new jobs and economic investment will do more to improve educational opportunity than simply sending more money from Columbia. Consolidating school districts in small counties will cut administrative overhead costs, paperwork, and duplication, and put more money and resources into the classrooms for children. Our goal should be to have a certified law enforcement resource officer, be it a policeman or deputy, in every single school – in all 46 counties. Their presence is the best deterrent to preventing violence and crime. With limited state budget resources, we should prioritize those resources toward rewarding, retaining, and recruiting the best teachers possible for the classrooms that need them the most. We know that the keys to a powerful education are good teachers and principals, a supportive home and community, and access to school-choice options with diverse, innovative learning environments. These include traditional public schools, charter schools, magnet programs, homeschooling, private school options and making distance learning available in every corner of the state. Expanding Our Workforce I believe we need to grow our workforce so we can get people out of poverty and pursuing opportunity. Incentive small businesses to participate with local high schools and school districts in apprenticeship programs for students interested in skilled trades. Develop cooperative credentialing agreements between various state regulatory licensing boards and branches of the armed services to make it easier for qualified military personnel to have their skilled professional certification recognized and approved by the state. This will allow veterans find jobs faster and more inexpensively in South Carolina. Expand workforce-training programs to the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services to reduce recidivism and crime The “Be Pro Be Proud” public awareness initiative wll provide information about training resources, currently available positions and descriptions, skills needed, and how to start the process of starting a skilled professional career. The initiative will showcase current skilled professionals’ true vocational pride, highlight the many career opportunities available within these trades, and provide necessary resources and training to those interested. Investing in our Infrastructure South Carolina’s infrastructure – our port, roads, and railways – is the engine for our continued economic growth. That is why we I am working to: Complete the deepening of Charleston Harbor to become the deepest port on the East Coast Explore I-73 public-private partnership for toll road construction from I-95 to Horry County Reform the Department of Transportation Commission Pension Reform We need pension reform. Right now South Carolina’s public employee pension plan has $20+ billion in unfunded liability. That is why I’ve taken the first steps to fix our broken retirement systems and ensure long-term sustainability. By incorporating the following we can continue to prosper while still taking care of our state employees. Close the defined benefit pension plan and create 401(k)-style defined contribution retirement plans for NEW public employees. Create “contribution enhancements” to new 401(k)-style plan as recognition for employees’ years of service, promotions, or other criteria. Prohibit unfunded cost of living adjustments. Explore raising the age of retirement eligibility. Maintain our commitment to the 11.5% of South Carolina’s population that relies on state retirement systems, while protecting taxpayers from bearing any additional financial burden caused by inaction or indecision. Protect our Second Amendment I believe that owning a firearm is the protected right of every American citizen. I will defend the United States Constitution by opposing any encroachment on the rights of law-abiding citizens to own a gun and use it as permitted by state and federal law and support constitutional carry initiatives. No Refugees in South Carolina We must protect our families first. In August, I made the decision to ensure that the federal government no longer resettle refugees in South Carolina from the six countries targeted by President Donald Trump’s travel ban until those resettlement processes can be made safe, sound, and secure. The SC Department of Social Services has made the formal request to block refugees from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen from settling in the state—keeping our families safe from harm. Healthcare Our healthcare system needs a lot of work, and ensuring health care access and affordability in South Carolina must be a priority. I believe we can achieve this through the following ways: Removing anti-free market mandates and regulations to allow investment, expansion and ingenuity to health care costs on South Carolina families. Repeal and Replace Obamacare. Combat the opioid crisis by strengthening law enforcement efforts; prevention through opioid database prescription reporting, increased access to treatment infrastructure, and increasing public awareness on the dangers of opioid-based drugs. Encourage healthy behaviors. Protecting Taxpayers from SCE&G's Failures South Carolina’s bright economic future and continued job growth require an abundant supply of clean and affordable energy. Without it, we are at a competitive disadvantage. However, South Carolinians have paid billions to finance the construction of nuclear reactors that may never be completed and now face the prospect of being charged even more to pay off billions of dollars in debt for SCE&G and Santee Cooper. I want to get the nuclear plants built – or get the people their money back. SCE&G must immediately stop charging customers the approximately $37 million per month from ratepayers for the abandoned project and begin refunding the money ratepayers have already paid. The sale of the State’s public utility Santee Cooper, which is currently saddled with $4.3 billion in debt from the project, is the only feasible solution to protect their customers from bearing the cost of this debt through rate increases.	”
—McMaster for Governor

Campaign donors

---

The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may not represent all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer, and campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

---

Henry McMaster campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Result	Contributions
2014	South Carolina Lieutenant Governor		$925,645
2010	South Carolina Lieutenant Governor		$3,256,048
2006	South Carolina Attorney General		$800,034
2002	South Carolina Attorney General		$729,249
Grand total raised			$5,710,976
Source: [ Follow the Money]

2014

Ballotpedia collects information on campaign donors for each year in which a candidate or incumbent is running for election. See the table below for more information about the campaign donors who supported Henry McMaster. Click [show] for more information.

Henry McMaster Campaign Contributions
	2014 South Carolina Lieutenant Governor
Total raised	$925,645
Total raised by opponents	$492,977 (Dem)
Top 5 contributors	Henry D. McMaster	$116,862
	Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina	$10,500
	Harrie Patterson McWhirter	$10,500
	Southeastern Freight Lines	$7,000
	Collums Lumber	$7,000
Individuals	$638,557
Institutions	$287,088
In-state donations	$837,528
Out-of-state donations	$88,117

2006

2006 Race for Attorney General - Campaign Contributions
Total Raised		$800,034
Total Raised by Primary Opponent		N/A
Total Raised by Gen. Election Opponent		N/A
Top 5 Contributors		Dikran N. Yacoubian $3,500 (0.64% of Total)
		E. Bart Daniel $3,500 (0.64%)
		David E. Dukes $3,500 (0.64%)
		Progress Energy $3,500 (0.64%)
		Straight Talk America $3,500 (0.64%)
Individuals v. Institutions		$325,985 (59.8%)
		$210,400 (38.6%)
In v. Outside State		$439,235 (80.7%)
		$105,250 (19.3%)

2016 Republican National Convention

See also: Republican National Convention, 2016

McMaster was an at-large delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention from South Carolina.

Delegate rules

See also: RNC delegate guidelines from South Carolina, 2016 and Republican delegates from South Carolina, 2016

In South Carolina, national delegates were selected at congressional district conventions and the South Carolina Republican State Convention. State party rules allocated each congressional district's three delegates to the presidential candidate who received the most votes in that district. At-large delegates were allocated to the winner of the statewide primary. All delegates were bound for the first ballot at the Republican National Convention.

South Carolina primary results

See also: Presidential election in South Carolina, 2016

South Carolina Republican Primary, 2016
Candidate	Vote %	Votes	Delegates
Donald Trump	32.5%	240,882	50
Marco Rubio	22.5%	166,565	0
Ted Cruz	22.3%	165,417	0
Jeb Bush	7.8%	58,056	0
John Kasich	7.6%	56,410	0
Ben Carson	7.2%	53,551	0
Totals		740,881	50
Source: South Carolina State Election Commission

Delegate allocation

See also: 2016 presidential nominations: calendar and delegate rules

South Carolina had 50 delegates at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Of this total, 21 were district-level delegates (three for each of the state's seven congressional districts). South Carolina's district-level delegates were allocated on a winner-take-all basis; the candidate who won the plurality of the vote in a given congressional district was allocated all three of that district's delegates.

Of the remaining 29 delegates, 26 served at large. South Carolina's at-large delegates were allocated on a winner-take-all basis; the candidate who won the greatest number of votes statewide received all 26 of the state's at-large delegates. In addition, three national party leaders (identified on the chart below as RNC delegates) served as bound delegates to the Republican National Convention. The RNC delegates were pledged to support the candidate who won the South Carolina primary.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
McMaster currently resides in South Carolina with his wife, Peggy Jean McAbee. They have two children, Henry Jr. and Mary Rogers. McMaster is also a practicing member of the First Presbyterian Church located in Columbia, South Carolina.

Awards

• Public Servant of the Year Award (2004) from the Sierra Club
• National Law Enforcement Official Of The Year Award (2005) from the Humane Society of the United States

Recent news

This section links to a Google news search for the term "Henry + McMaster + South + Carolina + Lieutenant"

Henry McMaster News Feed

Contact information

State House, 1st Floor
P.O. Box 142
Columbia, South Carolina 29202
Phone:803-734-2080
Fax:803-734-2082
E-mail: ltgov@scsenate.org

See also

• Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina
• Lieutenant Governor
• South Carolina Lieutenant Gubernatorial election, 2014
• Governor of South Carolina
• South Carolina gubernatorial election, 2010

External links

• Office of the South Carolina Lieutenant Governor
• Henry McMaster's Facebook profile
• Henry McMaster's Twitter account
• Henry McMaster's law firm website
• Project Vote Smart - Henry McMaster biography

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Nikki Haley (R)	Governor of South Carolina 2017 - Present	Succeeded by NA
Preceded by John McGill (D)	Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina 2015-2017	Succeeded by NA
Preceded by Charlie Condon	South Carolina Attorney General 2003–2011	Succeeded by Michael Alan Wilson (R)

Governors

Current Governors

Alabama • Alaska • American Samoa • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Guam • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Northern Mariana Islands • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Puerto Rico • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • U.S. Virgin Islands • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

Elections

2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010

Features

States with gubernatorial term limits • Election of lieutenant governors • How gubernatorial vacancies are filled • States with gubernatorial recall provisions • Gubernatorial impeachment procedures • Comparison of gubernatorial salaries • Comparison of lieutenant gubernatorial salaries • Residences of the American governors