Cunningham to announce running mate in governor’s race Monday

GREENVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - Former U.S. Congressman Joe Cunningham will name the running mate he hopes will help him defeat Henry McMaster in the governor’s race.

The Democrat is set to make the announcement Monday afternoon in Greenville. Cunningham said on June 18, the day he released a list of nine possible running mates, that the person he chooses would “be ready to lead on day one.”

“Our ticket will represent the future of South Carolina and the amazing potential of our state,” he said in a statement. “I am committed to selecting a qualified, visionary leader to join our team and help usher in a new generation of leadership for South Carolina.”

Three of the nine people he named are from the Lowcountry:

• Rep. Spencer Wetmore - (D-Charleston), a former prosecutor and city administrator of Folly Beach
• Kathryn Whitaker - Former nominee for state senate and chief marketing officer of Burr & Forman LLP
• Ed Sutton - An Air Force pilot and commercial realtor, and a former nominee for the state House of Representatives

The rest of the shortlist includes:

• Tally Parham Casey, CEO of Wyche Law Firm. The first female fighter pilot in the South Carolina Air National Guard
• Rosalyn Glenn - Financial planner and former nominee for state treasurer
• Jermaine Johnson - State representative and small business owner
• Kimberly O. Johnson - State representative and assistant director of the F.E. DuBose Career Center.
• Meghan Smith - Spartanburg City Council member and director of college and career readiness at Spartanburg Academic Movement
• Teresa Wilson - City manager for the city of Columbia

Evette files for re-election as lt. governor

Meanwhile, McMaster’s running mate, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, renewed election filing paperwork Wednesday, so she will be back on the Republican ticket alongside McMaster in the November election.

Evette, a businesswoman from Travelers Rest, said she hopes to continue her efforts in areas like workforce development if voters select her and McMaster for another term.

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