SC Republican Gubernatorial Candidates to Speak at Spartanburg Banquet

Five GOP hopefuls will make their case to voters at the Spartanburg County Republican Party's President's Day event.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The five Republican candidates for South Carolina governor will speak at a President's Day banquet hosted by the Spartanburg County Republican Party on February 16. The event organizer expects over 400 attendees and believes the straw poll results will be considered relevant by political analysts.

Why it matters

The South Carolina gubernatorial race is a key contest in the 2026 election cycle, with the winner likely to play a major role in shaping the state's policies and priorities for the next four years. This event provides an opportunity for the candidates to directly engage with a large group of Republican voters in a key county.

The details

The five Republican candidates expected to speak at the banquet are Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, state Sen. Josh Kimbrell, former U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, businessman John Warren, and state Rep. Russell Fry. Event organizer Rick Beltram believes the straw poll of over 400 attendees will be considered relevant by political analysts.

  • The Spartanburg County Republican Party is hosting the President's Day banquet on February 16, 2026.

The players

Pamela Evette

The current lieutenant governor of South Carolina and a Republican candidate for governor.

Josh Kimbrell

A state senator in South Carolina and a Republican candidate for governor.

Ralph Norman

A former U.S. Representative and a Republican candidate for governor of South Carolina.

John Warren

A businessman and a Republican candidate for governor of South Carolina.

Russell Fry

A state representative and a Republican candidate for governor of South Carolina.

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What they’re saying

“A straw poll with more than 400 people participating — I think that would be considered by most pollsters to have relevance,”

— Rick Beltram, Event organizer (Go Upstate)

What’s next

The results of the straw poll at the Spartanburg County Republican Party's President's Day banquet will be closely watched by political analysts as an early indicator of voter sentiment in the South Carolina gubernatorial race.

The takeaway

The Spartanburg County Republican Party's President's Day banquet provides a high-profile platform for the five GOP candidates for South Carolina governor to directly engage with a large group of Republican voters in a key county, potentially shaping the trajectory of the race.