Rep. Nancy Mace conceded defeat in South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial primary Tuesday night after early returns showed her trailing well behind Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, as reported [1] by The New York Post.
Less than two hours after polls closed, Mace acknowledged the outcome and threw her support behind South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who advanced to a runoff election against Evette.
“This isn’t the end of the fight, but it is the end of a chapter,” Mace said during her concession speech.
With votes still being counted, Mace held just 11.3% of the vote, placing fifth in the Republican field. Evette led with roughly 29%, while Wilson received about 26%, securing the two runoff spots.
Shortly after conceding, Mace posted a message to X thanking supporters and reflecting on her time in office.
“Serving South Carolina has been the greatest honor of my life,” Mace wrote. “Every vote I cast, every hearing I called, every fight I picked — it was always for you.”
Mace also suggested that some of the issues she championed may have contributed to her defeat.
She pointed to her efforts involving the release of government records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as her work highlighting congressional sexual harassment settlements.
“As a survivor, I chose to stand on principle and stand against the Epstein cover-up,” Mace wrote. “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.”
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 [3]
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) June 10, 2026 [4]
The race was largely shaped by the competition for President Donald Trump’s endorsement. On May 29, Trump formally endorsed Evette, a move widely viewed as a major development in the contest to replace term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster.
Before the endorsement, both Mace and Evette worked to present themselves as strong supporters of Trump and prominently featured him in campaign materials.
In one of the earliest advertisements of the race, Evette emphasized her support for Trump.
“It’s good to have President Trump’s back,” Evette said. “I’ve backed him from Day One.”
Mace pushed back on those claims at the time, arguing Evette was overstating her relationship with the president.
“Pamela Evette is NOT ENDORSED by DONALD TRUMP. Do not believe her LIES,” Mace wrote in an X post.
Pamela Evette is NOT ENDORSED by DONALD TRUMP.
Do not believe her LIES. pic.twitter.com/2vP1E3T5M8 [5]
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) May 29, 2026 [6]
Hours later, Trump officially endorsed Evette.
In his endorsement announcement, Trump praised the lieutenant governor’s loyalty and early support.
“Highly Respected and very popular Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, Pam Evette, is an America First Patriot who has been with me from the very beginning,” Trump wrote.
“She never wavered, never let me down, and was the only South Carolina Gubernatorial Candidate to Endorse me as soon as I launched my 2024 Presidential Campaign,” he added.
“She crisscrossed South Carolina and other States for me, and I said, at the time, that this is truly something which I cannot forget!”
TRUMP: Endorses Pam Evette for South Carolina governor, says she will cut taxes, grow the economy and protect the Second Amendment; Election Day is Tuesday, June 9 pic.twitter.com/0OxRPZ8WI1 [7]
— Trump Truths (@trumptruthsbot) June 8, 2026 [8]
Trump reinforced that support during an election eve tele-rally, where he described Evette’s opponents as “not serious” and again highlighted her early endorsement of his presidential campaign.
During the same event, Evette told Trump that others in the race were attempting to “take credit for being one of your favorites.”
Following Trump’s endorsement, Mace argued that her support for releasing Epstein-related documents may have cost her valuable political support.
“I know I put the likelihood of an endorsement on the line when I demanded transparency on the Epstein files,” Mace wrote. “I demanded it because you deserved the truth – ALL OF IT – and as a survivor of a corrupt and broken court system, I will always pursue justice for those who deserve it.”
“If sacrificing my values is the price of an endorsement, I will never pay it.”
Mace has been one of the most high-profile members of Congress since winning election to the House in 2020.
The first woman to graduate from The Citadel’s Corps of Cadets, she has frequently drawn national attention through her legislative battles, public disputes, and outspoken political style.
Her relationship with Wilson has also been contentious. Mace previously accused the attorney general of failing to act on allegations she raised against her former fiancé and others. Wilson rejected those claims, calling them “categorically false.”
Despite their differences, Mace announced during her concession speech that she and Wilson had “buried the hatchet” and urged supporters to back him in the runoff.
The June 23 runoff between Evette and Wilson will determine the Republican nominee for governor. Given South Carolina’s recent electoral history, the GOP nominee will enter the general election as the clear favorite.
The state has not elected a Democrat as governor since 1998.