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Nancy Mace blames Epstein files backlash as she concedes in South Carolina governor's race | South Carolina

Mace attributed her fifth-place primary loss to her support for releasing the Epstein files.

Nancy Mace blames Epstein files backlash as she concedes in South Carolina governor's race | South Carolina
Image · The Guardian

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Outlet credibilityThe Guardian84/100 HIGH
This article1 analysis · Oct 5, 2026
Jun 9, 2026
tl;dr

South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial primary is headed to a runoff between Pamela Evette and Alan Wilson. Nancy Mace finished fifth and said her support for releasing the Epstein files cost her support; Lindsey Graham won the Republican nomination for his Senate seat.

Community verdict

VOTING CLOSED
How does this story look for
Nancy Mace R · SC-1
NOT RATEDCLOSED

No good or bad look here

This story reports what happened without casting Mace in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Mace’s record.

● INFORMATIONAL

People in this story

SWIPE →
Nancy Mace
R · SC-1

Republican gubernatorial candidate who finished fifth in the primary

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Lindsey Graham
Former U.S. Senator (R-SC)

U.S. senator from South Carolina and Republican Senate nominee

Mark Lynch
R · SC

Republican Senate candidate and likely opponent of Graham

Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President whose backing of Evette and Graham is noted

Ralph Norman
R · SC-5

U.S. representative from South Carolina and defeated gubernatorial candidate

Joe Wilson
R · SC-2

U.S. representative from South Carolina and Alan Wilson’s adoptive father

Democratic Senate candidate

ALSO MENTIONED  Alan Wilson, South Carolina attorney general and Republican gubernatorial candidate; Henry McMaster, Outgoing South Carolina governor; Jermaine Johnson, Democratic South Carolina state representative and gubernatorial nominee; Pamela Evette, South Carolina lieutenant governor and Republican gubernatorial candidate; Rom Reddy, Defeated Republican gubernatorial candidate and former ExxonMobil executive

Part of a bigger story

20 OUTLETS
Nancy Mace Loses South Carolina Gubernatorial Primary

Nancy Mace finished fifth in South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial primary. Left-leaning outlets foreground Sarah McBride’s mockery of Mace and criticism of her record on transgender issues, while Daily Kos links the loss to political costs for Republicans who challenge Trump over the Epstein files. Center outlets focus mainly on the results and runoff, with several highlighting Mace’s claim that her support for releasing the files cost her support. Right-leaning outlets split: one focuses on Democrats’ mockery and Mace’s response, while another portrays her defeat as a loss for South Carolina and praises her.

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