Republican South Carolina House of Representatives Nancy Mace The former chief of staff launched a major challenge against the lawmaker after he resigned last month.
Dan Hanlon will replace Mace as representative of the Palmetto State's 1st Congressional District. Candidacy announcement It consulted with the Federal Election Commission on Friday.
Hanlon joined Mace's office in 2021 from the Office of Management and Budget in the Trump administration. He reportedly stepped down last month under controversial circumstances.
The address Mr. Hanlon, who has faced criticism from Mr. Mace and his campaign for living outside the district, used in his FEC filing appears to be that of Mellow Mushroom in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Former Nancy Mace staffers are working with the former chief to remove her, sources say.
The former chief of staff to Republican South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace has launched a preliminary challenge to the congresswoman after she resigned last month. (Getty Images)
Mr. Mace and Mr. Hanlon reportedly fell out last fall when they voted with seven Republicans and all Democrats to remove then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). .
Mr. Hanlon's decision to challenge Mr. Mace in the state's primary election, scheduled for June 11, comes as several former Mace employees have informally supported Mr. Hanlon's efforts to replace his former boss. This comes after a source told FOX News Digital earlier this month. In a sense.
“I, along with several other former staffers, are supporting Hanlon in some way,” the source said.
South Carolina Republican Nancy Mace supports Trump over Haley ahead of New Hampshire primary
Congresswoman Nancy Mace (rear right) holds a staff meeting in her Washington, D.C., office on April 25, 2023. Dan Hanlon (far left) is pictured participating in the meeting. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Mace's campaign told Fox News Digital earlier this month, amid reports that Mace was planning to enter the race, that Mace “couldn't be any luckier.”
When asked for comment last week, Doug Stafford, a spokesman for Mr. Mace's re-election campaign, said, “That's impossible. There's no way Mr. Mace would be so lucky. Well… He’s going to move there, because he will.” Indeed, — doesn't live there now! ”
Mace made similar comments at the time when asked about reports that Hanlon might run for his seat, saying: “I think we've made a statement. If I have to run. , he will have to move to the district,” he told Fox News.
Asked last week about the possibility of Hanlon challenging him, Mace said: “I think we have made a statement. If we have to run, we will have to move to the district.” . (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
A person familiar with Hanlon's plans said earlier this month, in response to her accusations at the time that Hanlon lived outside the district, that “Dan owns a home in the district. Rep. Mace is a former fiance. “I bought a house for them,” he said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
FOX News' Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
