Jermaine Johnson (South Carolina politician)

Johnson was born in Los Angeles and was raised by working-class parents in surroundings marked by poverty, gun violence and homelessness; as a teenager his family was homeless and lived in motels. He has described basketball as “his way out.”⁠[1][2]

In 2004 Johnson received a full basketball scholarship to the College of Charleston. He lettered for four seasons, captained the team in his final year and scored 1,276 points, 21st in program history. He earned a bachelor’s degree in communication in 2008.⁠[1][3]

After college Johnson was drafted into the NBANBAThe National Basketball Association (NBA) is a North American professional basketball league with 30 teams.Open the full entry’s development league (D-League) and went on to play professionally in Canada, Portugal, Mexico and Brazil.⁠[1][3]

After basketball Johnson returned to South Carolina, earning a master’s degree in project management from Strayer University in 2014 and a doctorate from Northcentral University in 2018.⁠[1][3]

He founded Dream Team Consulting and the New Economic Beginnings Foundation, a nonprofit that helps troubled children and veterans, teaches as an adjunct professor at Midlands Technical College, and has served on the boards of the Richland County Recreation Commission and the Richland County Recreation Foundation.⁠[1][3]

In 2020 Johnson defeated 22-year incumbent Jimmy Bales with 75.6 percent in the District 80 Democratic primary and won the general election with 60.5 percent. After redistricting in 2022 he defeated fellow Democrat Wendy Brawley in District 70 and was re-elected with 76.4 percent; in 2024 he ran unopposed in District 52 and took that seat on November 11, 2024. He did not seek re-election to the House in 2026.⁠[3][1]

In the House he served on the Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee and the Rules Committee (2021–2022), the Judiciary, Education and Public Works, and Legislative Oversight committees (2023–2024), and the Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee (2025–2026).⁠[3]

On the evening of October 28, 2025, Johnson formally launched his campaign for governor at the Statehouse, where the event was moved indoors from the steps because of rain and drew about 200 supporters. He said, “South Carolina is a beautiful state filled with resilient, hard-working individuals,” pointed to deteriorating roads and bridges and rural hospital closures, and acknowledged that “it won’t be easy.”⁠[1]

No Democrat had won the South Carolina governorship since Jim Hodges in 1998.⁠[1]

In the June 9 Democratic primary for governor Johnson won the nomination outright with 59.7 percent, defeating Greenville businessman Billy Webster (29.7 percent) and Charleston lawyer Mullins McLeod (10.7 percent); the Associated Press called the race for him at 8:46 p.m. Webster and McLeod each spent more than $2 million of their own money, and Johnson had the least money of the three.⁠[4][5]

In a social media post he said, “This victory belongs to every volunteer, donor, supporter, and voter who believed our state deserves more.” Sam Skardon was his running mate.⁠[5][4]

In the November 3 gubernatorial election Johnson lost to the Republican nominee, Attorney General Alan Wilson. With all precincts reporting, Johnson received 959,001 votes (47.11 percent) and Wilson 1,050,190 (51.59 percent); the Associated Press projected Wilson as the winner.⁠[6][7]

Johnson has said he is fighting for “better jobs, stronger schools, safer neighborhoods.” In a 2020 candidate survey he said he supported a universal basic income pilot, reproductive rights, a state minimum wage, climate action and Medicaid expansion.⁠[2][3]

Dr. Jermaine Johnson for Governor (campaign): Official website: https://johnsonforsc.com/ (opens in a new window).⁠[8]

X: Public account: https://x.com/Dr_JLJohnson (opens in a new window).⁠[8]