Republican South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace conceded her gubernatorial bid Tuesday after failing to receive the endorsement of President Donald Trump.
Trump-endorsed Republican South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Republican South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson advanced to a runoff, which will occur on June 23. Mace, who was in a distant fifth at the time of this writing, conceded the race, stating she was “at peace” with choosing to fight for releasing the Epstein files even if it cost her an election.
“I’ve taken on the rich and powerful in both parties because I stand with the people of South Carolina!” Mace said. “I am literally willing to get on a plane to evacuate you from a war zone – I’ve done that too. I voted to release the Epstein files and lost some support for that. As a survivor, I chose to stand on principle and stand against the Epstein cover-up. 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.”
“I’m at peace with that. Because when a candidate is OK with corruption and cover-ups – something is broken. That’s not a political opinion. That’s a moral emergency,” Mace continued.
Serving South Carolina has been the greatest honor of my life. Every vote I cast, every hearing I called, every fight I picked — it was always for you.
I’ve seen what happens when good people stay quiet. And I’ve seen what happens when they don’t. I would choose the latter every… pic.twitter.com/Dwx7oCUT9q
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) June 10, 2026
Mace defied Trump by pushing for the release of the files surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, which she claimed was the “sole reason” she did not receive the president’s endorsement. She joined Republican Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Lauren Boebert of Colorado and former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia to fight for a discharge petition to force a vote on the release of the files. Trump pressured Mace and Boebert privately to take their names off the petition, though neither of them complied.
“That’s the sole reason I didn’t get the endorsement, because I voted to release the Epstein files, and I’m okay with that,” Mace told POLITICO. “I’ve worked very hard to expose pedophiles, and child rapists, and sex trafficking in my state, and will continue to do it regardless of the outcome of the election. It’s full steam ahead, no matter what. I’m not going down without a fight. I’m still the MAGA candidate. I support all of MAGA’s policies. I support our president. I’m also an independent conservative.” (RELATED: Trump Endorses Against GOP Congresswoman Who Defied Him On Epstein Files)
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) June 9, 2026
Mace accused Evette Tuesday of supporting “political violence” after a supporter was arrested on assault charges for allegedly attacking a Mace supporter.
“Vote against political violence – vote against Pam Evette today! If she can’t condemn the violence by her campaign staff against my supporters, she doesn’t deserve your vote,” Mace said.
A spokesperson for Evette said the individual was never employed with the campaign and that the team was “deeply disappointed” by the incident.
“Our team is deeply disappointed that this occurred. We support free speech and do not in any way condone violence. He is not, and has never been, employed by the Evette campaign,” the spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Mace repeatedly praised Trump despite not receiving his backing. She called on the public to “pray for President Trump” in multiple statements on X without any specific context. She also spoke kindly of Trump even after he endorsed Evette.
“I have enormous respect for President Trump and everything he has done for our country and for South Carolina. That respect is genuine and it is unchanged,” Mace said in a statement following Trump’s endorsement.
Pray for President Trump.
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) May 28, 2026
In addition to her support for the discharge petition, Mace spearheaded other efforts to bring Epstein’s sex crimes against children into the light. She led a House Oversight Committee effort in March to call then-Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify in front of Congress about her department’s release of the files.
Trump-endorsed candidates have won most of their primaries so far during the 2026 election cycle, including Republican Kentucky congressional candidate Ed Gallrein, who ran against Massie. Trump helped oust Republican Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, who lost to Republican Louisiana Rep. Julia Letlow after she received his endorsement.
Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also defeated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in a landslide after earning Trump’s last-minute endorsement during the runoff.
Republican Iowa gubernatorial nominee Zach Lahn defeated Republican Iowa Rep. Randy Feenstra, who Trump endorsed, in the governor’s race on June 2
Greene resigned from Congress in November 2025 after Trump withdrew his support for her and vowed to back a primary challenger. After years of Greene being a strong ally of Trump, her support for releasing the Epstein files and her criticisms of Trump’s strikes against Iran turned Trump against her. Trump also threatened to back a primary challenger against Republican Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert after she endorsed Massie.
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