Rep. Nancy Mace beat her competitors in South Carolina’s Republican primary election Tuesday, putting a wrench in former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s revenge plan.
Ms. Mace secured more than 50% of the vote and defeated McCarthy-backed Catherine Templeton and Bill Young for her seat in the state’s 1st Congressional District. Her majority win of the votes avoided a runoff.
The incumbent was one of the eight Republicans who voted to oust Mr. McCarthy, California Republican, from his position as speaker last October. Since his historic ouster that ultimately led to him leaving his seat early, he has plotted his revenge and has placed support behind the primary challengers of the Republicans who turned against him.
But Ms. Mace had the backing of former President Donald Trump, even though their relationship hasn’t always been the most solid.
“It is my great honor to Endorse a Strong Conservative Voice for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District,” he wrote on Truth Social Monday. “Nancy Mace worked hard campaigning across South Carolina in support of our Record-Breaking WIN.”
“Congresswoman Nancy Mace has my Complete and Total Endorsement! South Carolina, Get out to Vote TOMORROW!” he said.
Ms. Mace will now face the winner of the Democratic primary, Michael B. Moore, in November, but the seat is likely to stay red.
Mr. McCarthy’s political action committee gave a $10,000 contribution to Ms. Templeton, and the American Prosperity Alliance, where a McCarthy ally serves as a senior adviser, donated to a group called South Carolina Patriots PAC, which spent more than $2.1 million against Ms. Mace.
Ms. Templeton ran South Carolina’s health and environmental agency to some angst a decade ago and in her only political race finished third in the 2018 GOP gubernatorial primary won by Gov. Henry McMaster. Mr. Young is a Marine veteran and financial planner.
South Carolina lawmakers drew the district to be more Republican after the seat flipped for one term in 2018. The 1st District was the only congressional district won by Nikki Haley over Mr. Trump in the 2024 South Carolina Republican presidential primary.
• This story is based in part on wire service reports.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.