SC Public Affairs: McMaster at 32% in Primary, 50% undecided in R primary

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I have long said- and still firmly believe... McMasters will not win if any somewhat credible Republican enters the primary. (and although less likely... a really strong Dem candidate could potentially win the general in the event he has no strong primary challenger).

Not that he is some Awful person or anything... but he is widely seen as not very intelligent & he has never really been a strong candidate (despite being Atty Gen & Lt Gov... which he won by simply having more name ID than his opponents- & in SC no one focuses on either of those races).  The last open Governor's race for republicans- he didn't even make the run-off (that year Haley was 2nd going into the run-off... which she obviously ended up winning).

I guess his only shot at winning the Gov... is if he convinces a really strong Republican to run as his Lt Gov rather than against him in the Primary (2020 will be the 1st time Gov/ Lt Gov run on the same ticket).

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I could see Mark Sandford jumping in the race... which I think he would win.  Otherwise, I think Catherine Templeton may very well end up winning (polls at this point are obviously nothing more than name ID). 

But imo there will also likely be a potentially strong Dem candidate in James Smith.  Even more so if he were to choose Thomas McElveen as his Lt Gov.