South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has won the GOP primary election to become the state’s next governor.

Wilson defeated Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette in a runoff after neither candidate secured a majority in the initial primary vote.

The victory follows days of President Trump endorsing both candidates ahead of the runoff. Wilson, a National Guard veteran, defeated Evette, who was the first candidate to receive Trump’s endorsement last month. Evette had largely centered her campaign on her loyalty to the president prior to securing his backing.

Despite Trump’s support, Evette could not avoid a runoff. As polling indicated Wilson leading Evette, the president announced on Truth Social that he endorsed both candidates, hedging his bets amid mixed results in recent gubernatorial races. The president stated: “with either one you can’t go wrong.”

As of Tuesday night, Wilson secured approximately 65 percent of the vote while Evette received about 34 percent. South Carolina has elected Republican governors since 2002, meaning Wilson is likely to become governor in November.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) congratulated Wilson: “Congratulations to my friend, @AGAlanWilson, on his well-deserved victory tonight. I was proud to endorse him and campaign with him this week.”

Cruz added: “Alan is a proven conservative fighter, and now it’s time for South Carolinians to unite behind him and get him across the finish line in November!”

Before Trump’s endorsement of both candidates, Representatives Ralph Norman and Nancy Mace endorsed Wilson after finishing third and fifth, respectively, in the first primary. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) also supported Wilson.

South Carolina has elected Republican governors in every election since 2002, when the state’s last Democratic governor, Jim Hodges, left office.

Prior to this race, Trump’s preferred candidates faced challenges in several recent gubernatorial races. In Iowa and Georgia this month, Trump-backed candidates lost their primary elections: Representative Randy Feenstra, whom Trump endorsed, lost his Republican primary in Iowa to businessman Zach Lahn. After the race, Trump remarked that “the other person was much more Trump” than Feenstra.

Similarly, in Georgia, political newcomer Rick Jackson, a billionaire businessman, defeated Trump-backed Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones in the gubernatorial race.