World Courant
Voters within the Republican major for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District will go to the polls Tuesday to determine the political way forward for controversial school sophomore, Republican Rep. Nancy Mace.
For the second consecutive cycle, the South Carolina consultant — who has made headlines for attacking the Republican Occasion in opposition to abortion and at one level in opposition to former President Donald Trump — faces a fierce major problem, with assist from key figures in her personal aspect. Now the previous Trump critic has the previous president’s assist within the race.
In her 2022 bid, Trump endorsed Mace’s challenger, calling Mace a “horrible individual” who’s “despised by nearly everybody.”
On the identical time, different main Republicans closed ranks round Mace. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley endorsed Mace, and PACs tied to senior Republican leaders, together with then-Home Minority Chief Kevin McCarthy, despatched her monetary assist.
Now, in an indication of the ever-changing politics of the divided Republican Occasion, it is the precise reverse: Trump has endorsed Mace, and McCarthy, who was ousted as speaker with Mace’s assist, has supported her opponent and campaigned vigorously in opposition to her .
Mace additionally broke off her relationship with Haley and selected to assist Trump throughout the state’s presidential primaries, in a shocking twist. Speaker Mike Johnson issued a short assertion endorsing Mace in April and appeared alongside her at an occasion in Could.
On this Nov. 29, 2023, file picture, Rep. Nancy Mace is proven throughout a Joint Convention Committee assembly on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA through AP
Mace’s personal feedback about Trump have modified through the years. Simply sooner or later after the January 6 assault on the US Capitol, Mace mentioned Trump’s “total legacy” had been “wiped away” by the siege. Earlier this yr, nevertheless, Mace mentioned: “Donald Trump is the one man who can save America.”
This hotly contested congressional race in South Carolina exhibits the fragile balancing act that many Republicans in additional reasonable districts should carry out within the age of Trump, making an attempt to reveal their loyalty to the occasion kingmaker whereas avoiding being labeled an extremist.
Whereas the previous president enjoys robust assist in South Carolina, it’s unclear whether or not his assist will assist or damage Mace. Through the presidential primaries in February, Haley defeated Trump by six factors within the 1st Congressional District – essentially the most reasonable district within the state.
Regardless of Trump’s assist for Mace, her important opponent — Catherine Templeton, the state’s former director of labor, licensing and regulation — has defied calls to hitch the previous president’s assist by dropping out of the race.
Former South Carolina gubernatorial candidate Catherine Templeton speaks to an attendee throughout a marketing campaign rally for former President Donald Trump, February 14, 2024, in North Charleston, SC
Meg Kinnard/AP
Whereas Mace and Templeton agree on immigration and inflation—pillars of each campaigns—they distinction sharply on abortion, a problem that has turn into salient in red-state politics for the reason that Supreme Courtroom dominated Roe v. Wade in June 2022. , returning the case to the states.
Mace has typically spoken about her experiences as a rape survivor, often castigating her occasion for advancing harsh restrictions. Though Mace opposes abortion, she has advocated for exceptions for rape and incest, in addition to entry to contraception.
Trump mentioned in April that abortion ought to be determined by the states. He has not mentioned whether or not he personally helps a sure variety of weeks of being pregnant after which the ban ought to go into impact on the state degree, though he has publicly criticized a six-week ban in Florida and lately mentioned the thought privately of a nationwide ban. A 16-week ban, with exceptions, sources instructed ABC Information in February.
In the meantime, throughout a failed bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2018, Templeton reversed her opposition to a near-total state abortion ban that included no exception for victims of incest, following strain from anti-abortion advocates.
Nonetheless, Templeton has portrayed herself because the stronger conservative, echoing criticism of her opponent for her flip-flops on Trump, abortion and different points.
On this December 13, 2023 file picture, Rep. Nancy Mace walks towards different members of the Home Oversight Committee on the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
“We want a constant conservative in Congress,” she mentioned about Mace at an occasion final month.
Tuesday night’s elections could not produce a right away winner. Within the aggressive race, it’s attainable that no candidate will win a majority, which might ship the primaries to a runoff.
Though Invoice Younger, a veteran who can be difficult Mace for the nomination, is properly behind Templeton, if the margins are slim he may forestall each front-runners from getting greater than 50%.
One other potential spoiler got here at 11 a.m. final week, because the Washington Publish wrote broke accusations that Mace had overused a program that allowed members of Congress to reimburse a few of their dwelling bills. The New York Occasions has since reported that the Home Ethics Committee has begun a preliminary investigation into her conduct.
ABC Information’ Brittany Shepherd contributed reporting.
