Jermaine Johnson
South Carolina State Representative · Democratic · South Carolina
Jermaine Johnson is a South Carolina state representative and former professional basketball player, and the Democratic nominee in South Carolina’s open 2026 race for governor.
Profile last updated Jul 7, 2026 · Center Field Politics
Scout's Report
A charismatic legislator with a compelling personal story who won his House seat by defeating a longtime incumbent and would be the state’s first Black governor.
Core Strength
A strong personal narrative, legislative experience, and a message centered on working families.
Core Weakness
A steep partisan disadvantage in South Carolina and thinner statewide fundraising.
Recent Action
Won the Democratic nomination for governor of South Carolina for the open 2026 seat.
Key Metrics
- Reliability
- 96%
- Documented Controversies
- 0
- Funding Secured
- $30M
Roll-call or session participation — did they show up?
Official ethics findings or court records only.
State legislative work and grants directed to the Columbia area during his tenure (absolute).
Where They Stand
Stances on the issues many voters care most about. Where a candidate has not given a clear answer we mark it "Mixed / Partial" or "Unclear" rather than guess. Positions are drawn from official records and bias-labeled news sources; they are descriptive only and are never scored.
Environment—Supports3
Climate protections and regulation versus fewer climate-related regulations on industry.
Backs clean-energy investment and coastal-resilience measures.
Healthcare—Supports3
Expanding healthcare coverage for all versus expanding market-based, private insurance.
Supports Medicaid expansion and expanding coverage.
Second Amendment—Supports4
New firearm regulations versus no new firearm regulations.
Supports expanded background checks and firearm-safety measures.
Immigration—Supports3
Pathways to citizenship versus a closed-border approach.
Supports comprehensive reform with a pathway to citizenship.
Roe v. Wade—Supports4
Protecting access to abortion versus restricting access to abortion.
Supports abortion-access protections.
National Security—Mixed / Partial3
Whether diplomacy or military strength should be the primary national-security priority.
Emphasizes diplomacy and congressional authorization over unilateral escalation.
Party Loyalty
Party-line alignment on major recorded votes.