Rep. Nancy Mace Leads GOP Governor Race in South Carolina Poll
Rep. Nancy Mace from South Carolina is currently at the forefront of the GOP candidates for the 2026 governor’s race, according to a recent poll.
The survey from the non-partisan South Carolina Policy Council indicates that Mace has garnered 16% support among Republican voters. She recently launched her campaign, joining the race alongside Lt. Col. Pam Evette, who received 8% support, Rep. Ralph Norman with 6%, and state Sen. Josh Kimbrell at 3%.
Interestingly, though, half of the respondents—52%—remain undecided.
Over the weekend, Mace expressed her thoughts to Fox News, saying, “I will be making decisions about my future over the next few days. I think I might need to run for governor because I can’t ignore the beautiful red state of South Carolina anymore.” It’s clear she’s feeling the pressure.
On Monday, she shared graphics hinting at “special announcements” and “big things ahead” on her social media.
Mace is stepping into a competitive GOP primary after the tenure of Henry McMaster, but she’s framing the election as a potential face-off against Attorney General Alan Wilson.
“I’m here to take on serious issues with Attorney General Wilson, and I want to see justice served for victims,” she stated.
Mace made history in 2020 by becoming the first Republican woman elected to Congress from South Carolina and was re-elected by a sizable margin last year. As a strong supporter of President Trump, she played a notable role in the GOP presidential primary, particularly against former governor Nikki Haley.
On the Democratic side, a staggering 83% of respondents were undecided, with potential candidates trailing at just under 5%. Democratic state lawmaker Jermaine Johnson recently started an exploratory committee for the 2026 race.
Political analysts suggest that those candidates who secure the Republican primary are likely to be favored in the November election.
The statewide poll, conducted by Targoz Market Research from July 21 to 25, has a margin of error of 2.77 percentage points. Notably, Norman had not yet launched his campaign at the time of the polling.
