North Carolina or Virginia outside of the DC suburbs will probably be the best choice. I don't know much about South Carolina besides it has less jobs than the North.
The issue with Virginia outside of the DC suburbs, otherwise known as Northern Virginia, is how left leaning it is. Due to the government worker economy and the number of white collared jobs that have popped up since the 1980s, Virginia is a blue state in shades rivaling Massachusetts. The baby boomers were left-leaning moderates but their children have grown up and are even further left. There is also the children of all the Latin American immigrants who have settled in Northern Virginia, they're citizens despite the parents having questionable legality.
Northern Virginia has been responsible for electing a millennial tranny state representative who managed to dislodge a long time incumbent republican. Said tranny got a lot of out-of-state campaign donations. Northern Virginia is also responsible for electing an Asian Gen X representative who during Governor Northam's term, proposed a bill to allow abortion up to point of the mother dilating while giving birth. There was also the numerous gun control bills proposed that would of rivaled California.
The only reason why they currently have a Republican governor was Loudoun County public schools covered up an alleged* tranny anally raping two girls at two different schools. That was enough to outrage the suburbs to elect Youngkin and McAuliffe coasted his entire campaign due to inaccurate polling. This year is an election year for governor and due to state law, Governor Youngkin can't run for a consecutive reelection so his charisma vacuum LT governor is running and is getting absolutely wrecked by the popular, former CIA employee Abigail Spanberger. Spanberger is overwhelmingly popular with the government worker caste and enough people are pissed over the government worker layoffs despite the fact it would help lower home prices, which I will get to next. It also doesn't help that she is openly against Federal immigration enforcement despite claiming to be law and order, this will only increase demographic change and guarantees her votes. The Republican party is also lousy at attracting younger voters and stick to traditional media as opposed to ads on Internet streaming. Set your VPN to Virginia like I do and watch without ad blockers. It's non-stop DNC election ads.
Concerning the Government worker caste, Northern Virginia's property values are ridiculously high compared to other major American metropolitan areas. Having a caste of white collared workers, getting guaranteed income because they achieved tenure with the Federal government, along with Federal contractors supporting all the offices in the area, has lead to the ridiculous real estate prices. Rent isn't as bad, although high, owning is out of the question. My family member, whom I get all of this information from, is stuck in their three bedroom starter home because the cost of real estate has exceeded their income. New construction is all cheap, cookie-cutter, high density townhomes and duplex condos. Out in Loudoun county, a place once noted for disused farmland is now full of data centers. It also gets worse, because of the IT service jobs now growing from the little tech industry there, the H1B visas, the Indians, have moved out there. The Indian government advises their country's migrants to move to Loudoun county for work.
Northern Virginia is awful and just dominates elections because it forms a voting block with Richmond and elements of Norfolk and Hampton Roads.
* Loudoun county's independent investigation apparently ruled said rapist was not a tranny. I have no idea whether or not this accurate but his own mother said he wasn't one but just liked wearing women's clothing at times. She also said it was consensual.