U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace has secured the Republican nomination after a turbulent second term in South Carolina, during which she transitioned from a critic to an ally of former President Donald Trump. She also made headlines for various incidents outside the House floor.
Mace emerged victorious over challengers Catherine Templeton and Bill Young in the voting that concluded on Tuesday. She is set to compete against a Democratic candidate in the general election in the 1st District, which is considered a swing district in the predominantly Republican state of South Carolina.
Despite Trump’s endorsement, following his negative comments about her in 2022, Mace has managed to attract significant attention far beyond what is typical for a sophomore member of Congress.
She frequently appears on interview shows, often challenging the hosts. While advocating for her party to adopt more moderate stances on abortion and marijuana, she also aligned with the far-right members to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his position.
McCarthy actively opposed Mace and the other dissenters. His political action committee supported Templeton with a $10,000 contribution, and the American Prosperity Alliance, with ties to a McCarthy ally, donated to a group called South Carolina Patriots PAC, which spent over $2.1 million against Mace.
Mace insists that her views and positions are not inconsistent, but rather reflect the values of the 1st District, which stretches from historic neighborhoods in Charleston to newly developed retiree communities in Beaufort County.
As the first woman to graduate from South Carolina’s military academy The Citadel, Mace expressed gratitude to her supporters for ignoring the negativity from her opponents and recognizing her courage to confront powerful figures.
“When you are the first woman to sit in The Citadel’s barber chair and have all your hair chopped off, you don’t get discouraged by not being invited to the fancy cocktail parties in Washington, D.C.,” Mace stated. “While I may sometimes stand alone in my beliefs, I am not isolated because I am advocating for each and every one of you.”
Mace’s critics argue that her diverse stances on issues leave her without a clear position.
Templeton, who previously led South Carolina’s health and environmental agency and finished third in the 2018 GOP gubernatorial primary, refrained from naming Mace directly but urged her supporters to continue backing Republicans.
In the Democratic primary, businessman and former International African American Museum CEO Michael Moore triumphed over Mac Deford, a Citadel graduate and lawyer for some of the larger communities in the district.
South Carolina lawmakers reshaped the district to favor Republicans after it briefly flipped in 2018. The 1st District was the only congressional district won by Nikki Haley over Trump in the 2024 South Carolina Republican presidential primary.
Supreme Court
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4th District
U.S. Rep. William Timmons secured victory in the Republican primary against a strong challenge for the second consecutive election. He defeated state Rep. Adam Morgan, who criticized Timmons for being too liberal.
Timmons faced challenges related to his personal life, including allegations of an affair, but he denied them all as he seeks a fourth term in the district spanning Greenville and Spartanburg.
Timmons enjoys Trump’s endorsement and expressed gratitude for the support of his constituents, emphasizing his conservative record and dismissing the falsehoods spread by his opponent.
In the general election, Timmons will compete against Democrat Kathryn Harvey and Constitutional Party candidate Mark Hackett.
3rd District
The 3rd District seat, left vacant by Rep. Jeff Duncan’s decision not to seek reelection after seven terms, is up for grabs. The Republican nomination is contested between a Trump-endorsed candidate and one backed by Governor McMaster.
Mark Burns, a Black pastor and longtime Trump supporter, secured a spot in the runoff after previously running in the neighboring 4th District. His opponent is nurse practitioner Sheri Biggs, supported by McMaster and her family’s longstanding ties to him.
The runoff victor will face Byron Best, a paint store manager, who won the Democratic nomination in the 3rd District.
Other races
Republican Rep. Joe Wilson also clinched victory in the party’s primary as he seeks a 12th full term in the 2nd District, extending from Columbia suburbs to Aiken. Wilson will face Democratic candidate David Robinson II.
Attorney Duke Buckner won the Republican primary in the 6th District and will challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, aiming for a 17th term in the majority-minority district encompassing Charleston, Beaufort, and Columbia.
In the 7th District Democratic primary, teacher Mal Hyman competes against Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom veteran Daryl Scott. The winner will face Republican U.S. Rep. Russel Fry for a second term in the district spanning Myrtle Beach to Florence.
