Why It Matters
Questions about polling independence are raising transparency concerns in South Carolina’s competitive 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary. The integrity of public survey data directly influences donor decisions, media coverage, and voter perception — making undisclosed financial relationships between campaigns and polling firms a significant issue in Palmetto State politics.
If confirmed, the payments could undermine the credibility of survey results that shaped early narratives about the race for governor, potentially affecting how South Carolina voters and political operatives assess the strength of each candidate.
What Happened
Kansas City, Missouri-based polling firm Co/efficient published a survey on March 27, 2026, showing South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette narrowly leading the Republican field in the state’s 2026 gubernatorial primary. The firm stated in its public release that the poll was “not sponsored by any candidate or candidate’s committee.”
Campaign finance disclosure reports reviewed by FITSNews revealed multiple disbursements from Evette’s campaign to Co/efficient totaling tens of thousands of dollars. The payments were made shortly before Co/efficient published surveys that showed Evette performing strongly in the race.
A similar pattern was identified in an earlier survey. On September 21, 2025, Co/efficient released another poll described as independent, which showed Evette surging against her primary rivals. That survey was also publicly labeled “not sponsored by any candidate or candidate’s committee.” Disclosure records indicate Evette’s campaign had made payments to the firm in the period preceding that release as well.
Co/efficient lists “radical transparency” as one of its stated core values on its company materials. The firm is based in Kansas City, Missouri, and conducts political polling in multiple states.
By the Numbers
- 19% — Evette’s share in the March 27 Co/efficient poll, placing her first in the Republican gubernatorial field
- 18% — Support recorded for Congresswoman Nancy Mace, who placed second in the same survey
- 30% — Share of Republican likely voters listed as undecided in the March poll, indicating the race remains highly fluid
- 675 — Number of likely Republican voters surveyed, with a margin of error of ±3.45 percentage points
- Tens of thousands of dollars — Approximate total of campaign disbursements from Evette’s committee to Co/efficient, according to disclosure reports reviewed by FITSNews
The Broader Field
The 2026 South Carolina Republican gubernatorial primary includes several well-known figures. Attorney General Alan Wilson polled at 15 percent in the March survey, while Congressman Ralph Norman recorded 13 percent. Rom Reddy received 5 percent and State Senator Josh Kimbrell registered 1 percent.
Evette, who has served as lieutenant governor under former Governor Henry McMaster, launched her campaign early and made substantial financial investments. Her campaign’s spending has been a defining feature of the early race, and the polling results in question fed a media and donor narrative that her early investment was producing measurable results.
Zoom Out
The practice of campaigns paying polling firms that subsequently release publicly branded “independent” surveys is not unique to South Carolina. Federal Election Commission rules and most state campaign finance laws do not explicitly prohibit a campaign from paying a pollster and then having that pollster release survey results under an independent label, provided the specific poll published was conducted separately from any paid work.
However, the lack of disclosure in public poll releases has drawn increasing scrutiny from political analysts and journalism organizations nationally. Several polling transparency advocates have called for standardized disclosure requirements that would require firms to identify any financial relationship with a campaign when releasing survey data, regardless of whether the specific poll was directly commissioned.
South Carolina’s 2026 governor’s race is considered one of the more competitive Republican primaries in the Southeast, drawing national attention given the state’s early presidential primary status and its role as a proving ground for GOP candidates.
What’s Next
FITSNews has indicated it reviewed campaign finance disclosure records as the basis for its reporting, suggesting further document review and potential follow-up reporting is underway. Neither Evette’s campaign nor Co/efficient had issued a formal public response to the specific financial relationship at the time of publication.
South Carolina voters and political operatives are expected to scrutinize future polling releases in the governor’s race more closely in light of the disclosed payments. The primary election is scheduled for 2026, leaving candidates and campaigns several months to manage the fallout from the transparency questions now in circulation.