Rep. Nancy Mace finished fifth in South Carolina’s GOP governor primary Tuesday with 12.1% of the vote, failing to advance to a runoff and effectively ending her bid for the state’s highest office.
Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, backed by President Donald Trump, won the first round with 28.9% of the vote, while state Attorney General Alan Wilson came in second with 26.2%, setting up a June 23 runoff between the two. Mace, who was considered a top contender for months, garnered only 57,332 votes, trailing also-rans Ralph Norman and Rom Reddy.
Mace attributed her defeat directly to her November 2025 vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, a decision she said cost her Trump’s endorsement. “As a survivor, I chose to stand on principle and stand against the Epstein cover-up,” she said in a statement, according to The Guardian. “I chose to expose the names hidden in the sexual harassment slush fund. I chose to expose DEI judges. I chose to expose the abusers of children. And apparently, I chose wrong if the goal was winning an election.”
Trump withheld his endorsement until late May, when he backed Evette on May 29—just days before the primary. That snub proved decisive in a race where both Mace and Evette had competed fiercely for Trump’s approval. Mace had prominently featured Trump on her campaign materials and touted his 2024 endorsement of her congressional race, but the president sided with Evette, citing her early and unwavering support.
Mace’s political standing had already weakened over months of controversy, including allegations of sexual abuse against her ex-fiancé that she raised on the House floor in 2023. The Epstein files vote, however, became the defining issue of her campaign. The congresswoman was among Republicans who broke ranks to support transparency on the documents related to the convicted sex offender, a position that put her at odds with Trump, who critics said sought to avoid the release.
Despite her defeat, Mace made a surprise move hours after conceding: she endorsed Wilson in the runoff, burying a past feud. “We have buried the hatchet,” she said at her concession, according to the New York Post. The move signals her willingness to unite behind a non-Evette candidate, even one she had previously criticized.
Mace’s loss marks a setback for an outspoken Republican who had positioned herself as a Trump ally while championing sexual assault survivors. She gave up her safe coastal House seat to run for governor, and has said she will not seek a comeback bid for Congress. Her political future remains uncertain.
Sources
- Politico — Final primary vote totals and Mace’s failure to advance to runoff
- The Guardian — Mace’s statement on Epstein files and her fifth-place finish
- New York Post — Mace’s concession, vote percentages, and endorsement of Wilson
- NBC News — Evette and Wilson advancing to runoff on June 23
- AP News — Confirmation of runoff matchup and vote totals
