Key facts
- U.S. Representative Nancy Mace lost the Republican primary for South Carolina governor.
- Mace finished fifth in the primary and will not advance to the runoff.
- Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson will compete in the GOP runoff.
- Mace stated she will return to the private sector after her current congressional term ends in January 2027.
- She cited her vote to release Epstein files as a reason for her electoral defeat.
- Nancy Lacore and Mac Deford will advance to a Democratic runoff for SC's 1st Congressional District.
U.S. Representative Nancy Mace has lost the Republican primary for South Carolina governor, failing to advance to the runoff. She finished fifth in the race, which will now feature Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and state Attorney General Alan Wilson. Evette, who received an endorsement from Donald Trump, will face Wilson on June 23.
Mace stated that she will return to the private sector at the end of her current congressional term in January 2027. She attributed her loss in the gubernatorial primary to her vote to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein, suggesting she "chose to stand on principle" even if it meant losing an election.
Before her defeat, Mace had represented South Carolina's 1st Congressional District since January 2021. She was the first Republican woman elected to Congress in the state. Prior to her congressional service, Mace served in the South Carolina House for nearly three years. She also founded a public relations firm and co-owned a South Carolina-based news outlet.
In a separate race, Nancy Lacore and Mac Deford will advance to a Democratic runoff for SC's 1st Congressional District.