Key facts
- Jenny Honeycutt and Mark Smith advanced to a runoff in the Republican primary for South Carolina's 1st Congressional District.
- The runoff is scheduled for June 23, as no candidate received over 50% of the vote.
- Rep. Nancy Mace is vacating her seat to run for governor.
- Honeycutt received approximately 22% of the vote, and Smith received 18%.
Jenny Honeycutt and Mark Smith have advanced to a runoff election for the Republican nomination in South Carolina's 1st Congressional District. The race to succeed U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, who is running for governor, will be decided on June 23 after neither candidate secured the necessary 50% of the vote in Tuesday's primary.
Honeycutt, a business owner and Charleston County Councilwoman, garnered approximately 22% of the vote, while state legislator Mark Smith received 18%. Dr. Sam McCown trailed with nearly 16% of the vote.
On the Democratic side, retired Navy Adm. Nancy Lacore and attorney Mac Deford are also headed to a runoff. Mace, a prominent Republican known for her role in the ousting of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and her advocacy for cybersecurity legislation and the release of the Epstein Files, has not endorsed a candidate in the race to replace her.
The 1st Congressional District has been a Republican stronghold for decades, with the exception of Rep. Joe Cunningham's term from 2019 to 2021. Mace won her last reelection bid in 2024 with 58.2% of the vote.