South Carolina Governor 2026: the ads, and who's paying for them
Alan Wilson (Republican), Jermaine Johnson (Democrat), Walid Hakim (Green) and Michael Addison (United Citizens) are the candidates for governor of South Carolina in the November 3, 2026 general election. Semblen has analyzed 9 ads in this race; 5 used at least one manipulation technique, most often glittering generalities and transfer.
Alan Wilson (REP), Jermaine Johnson (DEM), Walid Hakim (GRE), Michael Addison (UCP).
On the ballot as listed by Ballotpedia. 9 ads analyzed, 5 with at least one technique in the copy.
Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing. Updated 2026-10-08.
A small box with these findings and the newest ads, updated as new ads are analyzed. Free for newsrooms, blogs and campaigns alike; it links back here.
Follow the South Carolina Governor race
An email when new ads come in from either side or the outside groups: the techniques, the words doing the work, and who paid. And each debate's analysis the morning after. One-click unsubscribe.
Semblen is free to read and has no ads. If this page was useful, you can support it.
Money in this race
Candidates for governor report their fundraising to South Carolina's state campaign-finance office, not the FEC. This page doesn't cover those reports yet, so it shows no money figures.
The ads
9 ads, newest first. Video transcripts are shown as the model read them, without caption cues like [music].
Check And Check
Paid for by Alan Wilsonvideo · 0:30from 2026-10-06
I'm Alan Wilson. As your attorney general, I took bold steps to fight crime. Now violent crimes are at a 30-year low.
I promised to fight fraud and corruption and recovered nearly $2 billion for South Carolina taxpayers. So you can count on it when I tell you as governor, I'll eliminate the state income tax, not cut it, eliminate it. As a soldier, I protected our country.
As governor, I'll protect your money and make South Carolina more affordable.
Loaded Language: The words 'fraud and corruption' are emotionally charged terms used to frame the speaker's record in a morally righteous light — for example: 'fight fraud and corruption'
Repetition: The word 'eliminate' is repeated deliberately within the same sentence for rhetorical emphasis, reinforcing the promise beyond what a single use would convey — for example: 'not cut it, eliminate it'
Transfer: The speaker invokes their military service to borrow the authority and moral legitimacy associated with soldiers and national defense, lending credibility to their political persona — for example: 'As a soldier, I protected our country'
Glittering Generalities: Vague, emotionally positive promises ('protect your money', 'more affordable') that sound appealing but lack any specific policy substance — for example: 'protect your money and make South Carolina more affordable'
Loaded Language
Repetition
Transfer
Glittering Generalities
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Watch on YouTube ↗Transcript above is auto-generated; the analysis is of the spoken words.
Paid for by Wilson for SCfrom 2026-10-06spend $100–19920,000–24,999 impressions
NEW AD: CHECK AND CHECK
As Attorney General, I took bold steps to fight crime. Now, violent crime is at a 30-year low.
I fought fraud and corruption and recovered nearly $2 billion for South Carolina taxpayers.
As Governor, I’ll eliminate the state income tax, cut property taxes, rein in spending, and make South Carolina more affordable.
As a soldier, I protected our country. As Governor, I’ll protect your money.
Transfer: Borrows legitimacy and authority from military service to validate a political candidacy — for example: As a soldier, I protected our country and As Governor, I'll protect your money.
Transfer
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Wilson for SCfrom 2026-10-06spend $0–9915,000–19,999 impressions
Flock Safety has more than 120,000 cameras across 49 states. When a company has that kind of reach, South Carolinians deserve to know exactly how their data is being used.
I’m seeking answers about Flock’s use of AI, who has access to its data, and how long that data is kept.
I will always support giving law enforcement the tools they need to catch criminals. But protecting public safety cannot come at the expense of the privacy and constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
An email when new ads come in from either side or the outside groups: the techniques, the words doing the work, and who paid. And each debate's analysis the morning after. One-click unsubscribe.
Paid for by Jermaine Johnson for Governorfrom 2026-10-038 variantsspend $3,300–4,892314,000–386,092 impressions
Faith, conviction, and the promise of brighter days ahead. That’s my solemn promise to you, South Carolina. But to get there, we can’t keep doing the same thing – and electing the same folks – over and over. It’s time to be brave enough to do things differently. I’m Jermaine Johnson, and I know that South Carolina is worth fighting for. That’s why I’m running for Governor.
Glittering Generalities: Vague, emotionally positive words used as rhetorical flourish without specific policy substance — for example: Faith, conviction, and the promise of brighter days ahead and South Carolina is worth fighting for.
Flag-Waving: Patriotic, religious, or in-group identity invoked to validate a position.
Slogans: Catchy phrase used to compress a complex position into an emotionally loaded shorthand.
Bandwagon Appeal: Implies that continuing to elect the same people is a collective mistake that must be corrected, pressuring conformity away from incumbents — for example: 'electing the same folks – over and over'
False Urgency: Creates a sense that the moment demands immediate action and change, implying delay is not an option — for example: 'It's time to be brave enough to do things differently'
Glittering Generalities
Flag-Waving
Slogans
Bandwagon Appeal
False Urgency
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Ellen for Educationfrom 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-04spend $800–89925,000–29,999 impressions
Teachers asked. Parents agreed. Students needed better.
That's why South Carolina led the nation with bell-to-bell, phone-free school days, giving students a break from the constant pull of screens.
The results?
✔ Better focus.
✔ Stronger friendships.
✔ More engaged classrooms.
It's the same fight we're seeing nationally. Last week's landmark Meta settlement — secured by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general, including South Carolina's Alan Wilson — proves the same point: addictive technology pulls kids away from focus and real relationships. We didn't wait for a settlement. We acted first.
South Carolina is leading the way. We're putting kids first, empowering parents, and proving that sometimes common sense really does work.
Bandwagon Appeal: Implies South Carolina is ahead of others, subtly pressuring conformity by suggesting others should follow — for example: 'leading the way'
Glittering Generalities: Uses vague, emotionally positive phrases that sound noble but carry no specific policy meaning — for example: 'putting kids first, empowering parents'
Bandwagon Appeal
Glittering Generalities
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Wilson for SCfrom 2026-09-11 to 2026-09-14spend $100–19920,000–24,999 impressions
September 11 changed America forever.
As a soldier five years into my military career, it changed me too and ultimately shaped my path to serving in Iraq.
Twenty-five years later, we remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost, honor the heroes who answered the call, and remain vigilant in defense of our nation.
We will never forget.
Glittering Generalities: The phrase 'defense of our nation' uses vague, emotionally positive patriotic language as rhetorical flourish without specific substantive meaning — for example: 'defense of our nation'
Glittering Generalities
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Wilson for SCfrom 2026-09-09 to 2026-09-12spend $100–19925,000–29,999 impressions
80 adults and multiple juveniles arrested. 38 vehicles impounded. 10 guns seized.
Great work by Sheriff Hobart Lewis and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office shutting this down and keeping our streets safe.
Parents: Know where your kids are. Street takeovers aren’t harmless fun. They’re dangerous, illegal, and can have lifelong consequences.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Wilson for SCfrom 2026-08-14 to 2026-08-22spend $100–19930,000–34,999 impressions
As our kids go back to school, we must stay vigilant about the threats they face.
From online predators and dangerous uses of AI to deadly counterfeit pills, we must stay vigilant.
Parents, talk to your kids. Know who they’re interacting with, both in person and online. Protecting our children requires all of us to stay informed, stay involved, and stay alert.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Wilson for SCfrom 2026-08-06 to 2026-08-10spend $0–9910,000–14,999 impressions
South Carolina's Tax Free Weekend starts tomorrow, giving families the chance to save on school supplies, clothes, computers, and other back-to-school essentials.
Every dollar matters. As Governor, I'll fight to make South Carolina more affordable every day, not just one weekend a year.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
An ad is on this page because its own "Paid for by" line is a campaign in this race; or it ran mostly in SC and names a nominee for governor — unless its sponsor is a campaign for some other office (a U.S. Senate or House campaign included), or it also names SC's Senate nominees, in which case it is on the Senate race's page. Ads from outside groups appear alongside the campaigns' own.
The candidates are the ones certified for the November ballot, from the source linked at the top. Governors are state offices, so there are no FEC filings behind this page: no money figures, and outside groups are placed on a side only when they are a campaign or a party committee.
Campaigns run one text as many separate ads. Identical text from the same sponsor is one card here, marked with its number of variants.
A technique is a specific manipulative move in the wording, found by our model and explained in one line. It is not a claim that the ad is false.
Claims are checked when a reader asks: press "Check this ad's claims" on a card. The check runs once and its result is shown to everyone afterwards. The ten ads with the most money behind them in each race are checked ahead of time.
Claim verdicts say what the cited sources say. A verdict that an ad is wrong or misleading is shown only when it cites an established fact-checker or an institutional record — Congress, a federal agency, a court — and its confidence is not low; a weaker one is not shown at all. Each verdict shows what it rests on and how confident it is. If we got one wrong, press Disagree: a verdict that readers dispute and no one defends comes down.
Video ads come from the campaigns' own YouTube channels; the transcript is analyzed. Meta ads are analyzed on their text; their video and images are not, yet.
Get notified as this improves — new detection models, the browser
extension, and new features. Occasional email, no spam.
Semblen LLC · 5900 Balcones Drive STE 100, Austin, TX 78731 · unsubscribe any time