Sen. Ted Cruz has endorsed South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson in the state's closely watched Republican gubernatorial runoff, adding another high-profile national endorsement to a race that has become one of the most competitive statewide contests in the country.

Cruz announced his endorsement Friday on X, praising Wilson's conservative record and leadership as South Carolina's attorney general.

"I am proud to endorse Alan Wilson for Governor of South Carolina," Cruz wrote. "Alan is a proven conservative fighter who has spent years defending the Constitution as South Carolina's Attorney General, protecting families, reining in government overreach, and standing up to the radical policies of the Left.

"He has the courage, conviction, and leadership South Carolina needs, and I am confident he will be an outstanding Governor."

Wilson welcomed the endorsement, calling Cruz "one of the nation's most principled and fearless conservative fighters."

"Together, we share a commitment to limited government, the rule of law, and preserving the values that make America and South Carolina exceptional," Wilson said in a statement.

"I appreciate Senator Cruz's confidence in our campaign, and I look forward to continuing the fight to make South Carolina strong, free, and conservative."

The endorsement comes as Wilson and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette prepare for a June 23 Republican runoff after neither candidate secured the majority needed to avoid a second round of voting in the June 9 primary.

Evette finished first with approximately 29.1% of the vote, while Wilson followed closely with 26.4%, setting up a head-to-head contest for the GOP nomination.

Former Reps. Ralph Norman and Nancy Mace, along with businessman Rom Reddy, were eliminated from the race.

The runoff has drawn national attention because of competing endorsements from two of the Republican Party's most prominent figures.

With less than two weeks before runoff voters return to the polls, surveys and political analysts describe the race as essentially neck-and-neck.

Polling throughout the primary campaign showed Evette and Wilson separated by only a few percentage points, and the primary results themselves underscored the narrow margin between the two candidates.

The winner of the June 23 Republican runoff will advance to the November general election against Democrat nominee Jermaine Johnson.

Wilson's father, Joe Wilson, is a popular Republican congressman in the state. The younger Wilson has secured the endorsement of 80% of the Republican sheriffs in the state.

In heavily Republican South Carolina, the GOP nominee is widely viewed as the favorite to succeed term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster.