Nancy Mace Concedes in SC Gubernatorial Primary
On Tuesday, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina) conceded in the Republican gubernatorial primary just under two hours after polls closed. The initial vote counts indicated she was trailing Lt. Gov. Pamela Evett, a Trump supporter, by a significant margin.
“This isn’t the end of the battle; it’s more like the end of a chapter,” Mace said during her concession speech, where she backed Attorney General Alan Wilson for the runoff against Evett.
At the time of her concession, Mace had garnered only 11.3% of the votes, placing her fifth among Republican candidates. In contrast, Evett received approximately 29% and Wilson about 26%, with both advancing to the runoff.
President Trump endorsed Evett on May 29, which was a pivotal moment in the race, significantly impacting the four Republican contenders, including Mace.
The contest for Trump’s support became a central theme in the campaign.
Throughout the primary, both Mace and Evett aimed to position themselves as the strongest pro-Trump candidates, featuring the former president prominently in their campaign materials even before his endorsement.
“Having President Trump’s support is really valuable,” Evett mentioned in his first campaign ad last August, emphasizing, “I’ve backed him from day one.”
Mace, on the other hand, highlighted her own support from Trump for her 2024 Congressional elections and made accusations against Evett, claiming she misled voters.
“Pamela Evett does not have Trump’s endorsement. Don’t believe her lies,” Mace asserted. Ironically, on the same day, Trump reaffirmed his backing for Evett.
Before Trump’s endorsement, Evett had already been leading in the race.
In a social media post, Trump described Evett as “America’s first patriot,” commending her loyalty and support since he began his 2024 presidential campaign.
Trump stumbled during a teleconference right before the election, downplaying the lieutenant governor primary race while continuing to praise Evett for her unwavering support.
Other Republican candidates in the primary included Congressman Ralph Norman, Attorney General Alan Wilson, and businessman Rom Reddy.
Evett remarked in the same call that other contenders were trying to gain credit for being among her supporters.
Mace expressed that she had faced backlash for advocating the release of government documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“I understood that pushing for transparency on the Epstein files could jeopardize my support,” Mace noted. She reiterated her commitment to seek justice and the truth, stating, “If maintaining my principles means sacrificing support, I won’t make that trade.”
Looking ahead, Republican candidates are likely to be favored in the upcoming November election, as South Carolina hasn’t elected a Democrat to the governor’s mansion since 1998.
