South Carolina state Sen. Mike Reichenbach is running for lieutenant governor as the running mate of Attorney General Alan Wilson in the Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

Wilson announced Reichenbach as his pick on Jan. 9, 2026, according to Live 5 News. If elected, Reichenbach would become the first Black man to hold the lieutenant governor's seat since Richard Howell Gleaves during Reconstruction, according to the Post and Courier.

The lieutenant governor's race will appear on ballots across York County, including Fort Mill and Tega Cay. Three other candidates are on the ballot: Sam Skardon (Democratic), Arnold E. Karr (Green) and Candace Brewer (United Citizens), according to BallotReady election data.

Candidate information

  • Party: Republican
  • Current office: State senator, District 31 (since 2022)
  • Born: Oct. 29, 1971, in Lima, Ohio
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in accounting, Bowling Green State University (1994); MBA, University of Michigan (2000)
  • Family: Married to Charisse Alexandra Reichenbach since Aug. 16, 1996. They have two children, Olivia and Isaiah.
  • Recognition: Named Businessperson of the Year by the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce in 2011
  • Personal background: Reichenbach said on his campaign website that he was adopted and that his birth mother was 14 years old when she chose to place him for adoption.

Reichenbach's biography is drawn from his campaign website and his South Carolina Legislature Online profile.

Experience and public service

Reichenbach serves on five South Carolina Senate committees: Banking and Insurance; Family and Veterans' Services; Judiciary; Labor, Commerce and Industry; and Transportation, according to Live 5 News.

Before entering the Senate, Reichenbach said on his campaign website that he worked at Ford Motor Company. He said he served in law enforcement from 2009 to 2018, including as a game warden and deputy law enforcement officer at the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. He also said he held the rank of major in the South Carolina Military Department's Volunteer Joint Services Detachment.

He is president and owner of Mike Reichenbach Ford, Lincoln, Chevy and VW, according to BallotReady.

On the issues

Reichenbach outlines the following positions on his campaign platform page:

Education: Reichenbach said he supports school choice and directing education dollars into classrooms rather than government bureaucracy. He said he opposes critical race theory in schools.

Fiscal responsibility: Reichenbach said he opposes wasteful spending, backroom deals and corporate bailouts with taxpayer dollars. He said he supports responsible management of state government budgets.

Second Amendment: Reichenbach described himself as a gun owner and NRA member who supports legislation to protect Second Amendment rights.

Abortion: Reichenbach identifies as pro-life, according to his BallotReady response.