EDWARDS faced a strong challenge from Republican EDDIE RISPONE, winning with fifty one of the vote.
It comes as a blow to President DONALD TRUMP who backed his fellow Republican.
TRUMP visited the state three times during the past two weeks, turning the race into a test of his own popularity in the southern state.
Edwards, was first elected governor in 2015 and remains the only state-wide elected Democrat in the historically Republican state.
He positioned himself as a conservative Democrat, supporting the expansion of Obama-era healthcare reforms but opposing abortion and gun restrictions.
