On June 9, 2026, U.S. Representative Nancy Mace suffered a decisive political defeat, finishing fifth in South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial primary.
The loss represents a major setback for the high-profile congresswoman, who vacated her seat in the state’s 1st Congressional District to run for governor.
Because no candidate secured an absolute majority, the primary advances to a runoff between front-runner Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette and state Attorney General Alan Wilson.
Key Facts of the Primary Results
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According to unofficial returns, Mace secured just over 12 percent of the statewide vote, losing even her own home county. The crowded field featured six candidates competing to succeed term-limited Governor Henry McMaster.
Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette secured the top position following a late-stage endorsement from President Donald Trump on May 29, 2026. Attorney General Alan Wilson, who has held office for over 15 years, finished second to qualify for the runoff.
Other candidates eliminated on primary night included self-funded businessman Rom Reddy, state Senator Josh Kimbrell, and U.S. Representative Ralph Norman.
Latest Verified Updates and Endorsement Turnabout
Following the election results on Tuesday night, Mace conceded and executed a surprising political pivot by endorsing Wilson, her long-standing rival. The endorsement followed months of intense public friction.
In December 2025, Wilson characterized Mace as an “entitled, spoiled brat” following an airport police dispute, while Mace accused Wilson of orchestrating a political “hit job.” During her concession remarks, Mace announced that she and Wilson had secretly “buried the hatchet” over the preceding two weeks, stating she wanted a “law-and-order governor.”
The final hours of the campaign were also marked by localized volatility. On June 9, 2026, Mace demanded that Evette drop out of the race following the arrest of Blake Kirsch, a volunteer on Evette’s finance committee.
Kirsch was arrested in Greer, South Carolina, and charged with assault and third-degree battery after an altercation with a Mace supporter. The Evette campaign condemned the violence and confirmed that Kirsch immediately resigned from the committee.
Political Context and the Epstein Files Controversy
Mace attributed her defeat to her legislative actions in Washington, specifically her push to force the release of federal files related to late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Mace was one of a few House Republicans who aligned with Democrats to pressure the Department of Justice into disclosing millions of pages connected to the convicted sex offender.
In a social media statement on Tuesday night, Mace maintained that her insistence on transparency cost her Trump’s endorsement, which instead went to Evette. Mace’s relationship with Trump had long been unstable; she criticized him after January 6, 2021, survived a Trump-backed primary challenge in 2022, and later realigned with the populist wing before running for governor.
Her defeat underscores a broader trend; of the prominent House Republicans who led the Epstein file push, only Representative Lauren Boebert remains positioned to retain a seat after the 2026 cycle, following the resignation of Marjorie Taylor Greene and the primary defeat of Thomas Massie.
Next Steps in the Gubernatorial Campaign
Because no Republican candidate reached the mandatory 50 percent majority threshold, Evette and Wilson will face off in a primary runoff election on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. The winner will secure the official Republican nomination to advance to the November 2026 general election against Democratic nominee Jermaine Johnson.
Johnson, a state representative and former professional basketball player from Columbia, secured his party’s nomination on Tuesday night after earning broad endorsements from state Democratic officials.
