Federal update: DOJ partially rescheduled medical cannabis to Schedule III (April 28, 2026 final order). State-licensed medical operators may apply for expedited DEA registration through June 27, 2026; DEA hearing on full rescheduling set for June 29, 2026.
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Gov. Henry McMaster & the 2026 Open SC Gubernatorial Race

Republican Gov. Henry McMaster — in office since 2017, when he succeeded then-Gov. Nikki Haley after her confirmation as U.N. Ambassador — called the case for medical cannabis "very compelling" in June 2025 while citing law-enforcement objections. Sen. Tom Davis publicly says McMaster would sign the Compassionate Care Act if it reached his desk; McMaster has not committed. McMaster is term-limited; the 2026 South Carolina gubernatorial election is open, with multiple Republican candidates — including Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and various legislators — competing in the GOP primary. Cannabis posture is being parsed carefully by every campaign.

Last verified: May 2026

McMaster’s Tenure and Cannabis Posture

Henry McMaster (R) has served as governor of South Carolina since January 24, 2017, when he ascended from lieutenant governor following Gov. Nikki Haley’s departure to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under the first Trump administration. McMaster was elected to a full term in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. As of May 2026 he is in his final year and is term-limited under the SC Constitution’s two-term gubernatorial limit.

McMaster’s cannabis posture has been measured. He has not committed to signing the Compassionate Care Act, but he has not threatened a veto either. His most-quoted on-record statement, from a June 2025 press availability:

"They have it was a very compelling situation. On the other hand, law enforcement almost took into and are still have grave concerns. I think what we need to do is study it very carefully, get as much information as we can, and try to do the right thing."

Sen. Tom Davis has stated publicly on multiple occasions that McMaster would sign the Compassionate Care Act if the General Assembly delivered it. McMaster’s spokesperson has not contradicted this characterization. The conventional reading inside the State House is that McMaster prefers not to be the political force that kills medical cannabis but is content to let the House do it for him. See Compassionate Care Act page.

McMaster on Operation Ganjapreneur and Hemp

McMaster has aligned with AG Alan Wilson on hemp-derived intoxicant enforcement. In statements following the December 9, 2025 Operation Ganjapreneur action, McMaster supported the AG’s prosecutions and called for legislative action to "close the hemp loophole." He has not endorsed any specific 2025-26 hemp-regulation bill (H.3924 / H.4758 / H.4759). See Operation Ganjapreneur page.

The April 28, 2026 Federal Schedule III Rescheduling Order

The U.S. Department of Justice’s April 28, 2026 administrative action to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III at the federal level may, under S.C. Code § 44-53-160(c), trigger a corresponding state schedule change. McMaster spokesperson Michelle LeClaire told the Post and Courier in April 2026 that "§ 44-53-160(c) will require the State to mirror the new federal order." This does not legalize cannabis under SC state law — it only changes its schedule classification — but it represents the first administrative-mechanism cannabis-policy change in SC since Julian’s Law in 2014. See federal rescheduling mirror page.

The 2026 Open Gubernatorial Race

The 2026 SC gubernatorial race is the first open-seat governor’s contest in eight years. The June 2026 Republican primary and the November 2026 general election will determine the next governor’s cannabis-policy posture — a substantial variable for any 2027 Compassionate Care Act effort.

Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette (R)

Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, McMaster’s running mate in 2018 and 2022, is widely considered the establishment Republican frontrunner. She has not staked out a clear cannabis position. Coming from the Upstate business community (Quality Business Solutions, Travelers Rest), she has historically aligned with the chamber-of-commerce wing of the SC GOP that is more conservative on social issues but more pragmatic on regulatory frameworks. Cannabis observers expect Evette to inherit McMaster’s "study it very carefully" posture without a clear yes-or-no commitment until forced.

Legislator Candidates

Several SC legislators have either announced or are considering 2026 gubernatorial bids. Names canvassed in early-2026 SC political reporting include:

  • U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC 5) — House Freedom Caucus member; consistently anti-legalization at the federal level; would be expected to oppose state medical cannabis.
  • State legislators across both chambers — Several have either filed exploratory committees or floated runs. SC’s GOP primary tends to reward candidates who align with the law-enforcement community.

The political calculation for GOP-primary candidates: SC voter sentiment shows 76% support for medical cannabis (Winthrop April 2023, including 80% Democrats / 72% Republicans) but the GOP-primary electorate skews more conservative, the SC Sheriffs’ Association is a powerful endorser, and the House Family Caucus has demonstrated willingness to mobilize against medical-cannabis-supportive candidates.

Democratic Field

The Democratic field for the 2026 governor’s race is competitive but starting from a substantial deficit in a state where Republicans hold every statewide constitutional office, both U.S. Senate seats, six of seven U.S. House seats, and supermajorities in both chambers. Democratic candidates have generally supported medical cannabis and decriminalization; the policy difference between candidates would matter less than the structural reality that any Democratic governor would still face a Republican-supermajority General Assembly.

What the 2026 Race Means for Compassionate Care

If S.53 fails to pass in the 2025-26 session (as expected, given that as of May 5, 2026 it has not received a hearing in either chamber), the next realistic enactment window is 2027 — the first session of the new gubernatorial term. The 2026 race’s outcome will substantially shape that window:

  • If a McMaster-aligned Republican (Evette) wins: the cannabis-policy posture continues largely unchanged. Whether the new governor signs depends on House Republican-caucus dynamics more than gubernatorial preference.
  • If a more conservative Republican (Norman or similar) wins: the gubernatorial signal shifts against medical cannabis. A new governor signaling possible veto would substantially reduce House Republicans’ willingness to vote for the bill.
  • If a Democrat wins: a clear pro-signature signal, but House Republican supermajority (~88 of 124 seats) means override risk is remote and the bill still has to clear the chamber.

The Bigger Picture

McMaster’s legacy on cannabis policy will be defined by two facts: (1) the Compassionate Care Act has stalled throughout his tenure despite Senate passage in 2022 and 2024; and (2) the April 28, 2026 federal Schedule III rescheduling order, paired with the November 12, 2026 federal hemp cliff, will force administrative cannabis-policy actions on his successor regardless of political preference. McMaster departs office having presided over the most prosecution-active period in modern SC cannabis enforcement (Operation Ganjapreneur), the longest medical-cannabis stall in the South, and a hemp-retail wave that the state never affirmatively regulated. See Speaker Smith page.

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