South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to be sworn into office

COLUMBIA, SC (AP) — South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster is taking the oath of office for his first full term.

McMaster defeated Democratic state Rep. James Smith in the Nov. 6 election. The former lieutenant governor had taken over the top office in early 2017, when Nikki Haley joined the Trump administration.

McMaster is being sworn in during a ceremony Wednesday on the Statehouse steps in Columbia. That follows a prayer service at First Presbyterian Church, where McMaster regularly attends.

The move to McMaster’s home church, rather than Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, reflects his status as South Carolina’s first Columbia-native governor in more than 100 years.

After a Governor’s Mansion open house, McMaster will celebrate at an inaugural ball at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

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Meg Kinnard can be reached on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP .

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