Alan Wilson speaks after advancing in runoff for GOP governor race

Nancy Mace got crushed in the South Carolina Republican governor primary — and then made headlines again by endorsing her Trump-backed rival’s opponent in the runoff.

Story Snapshot

Mace finished out of the top two in the June 9 Republican primary and was eliminated from the race.
Trump-endorsed Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson advanced to the runoff.
Mace blamed her loss on her vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, which she says cost her Trump’s endorsement.
After losing, Mace endorsed Wilson — the opponent of Trump’s pick, Evette — in the upcoming runoff.

Mace Eliminated as Evette and Wilson Advance

South Carolina’s June 9, 2026 Republican governor primary ended with a clear result: Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson took the top two spots and advanced to a runoff. ^[4]^[5] Nancy Mace, the sitting U.S. Representative, finished behind both and was knocked out of the race. South Carolina law requires a candidate to win a majority to claim the nomination, so no one won outright on primary night. ^[9]

Trump had publicly backed Evette going into the primary, and media coverage framed the race as a direct test of his endorsement power in a key Southern state. ^[2]^[5] Evette’s strong finish showed that Trump’s backing still carries serious weight with Republican primary voters in South Carolina. The runoff between Evette and Wilson is now set to decide who will be the GOP nominee for governor. ^[1]

Mace Points to Epstein Vote as the Reason She Lost

After the results came in, Mace told supporters she believes her vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein files is what cost her Trump’s endorsement — and ultimately the race. She framed the vote as an act of principle, arguing that voters deserved to know the truth. Whether that single vote drove her loss or not is hard to prove. Structural factors like name recognition, fundraising, and the strength of her opponents likely all played a role in the outcome. ^[6]^[8]

Mace entered the race as a well-known figure from her time in Congress, but she faced two statewide officials with deep roots in South Carolina politics. Evette holds the second-highest office in the state, and Wilson has served as attorney general for years. Running against two established names without Trump’s backing was always going to be a steep climb. Pinning the loss entirely on one vote may be an oversimplification of a race that was already an uphill battle. ^[8]

Mace Endorses Wilson — Trump’s Rival in the Runoff

In a move that raised eyebrows, Mace endorsed Alan Wilson after her loss — not Pamela Evette, the candidate Trump is backing for the runoff. ^[5] The endorsement puts Mace directly at odds with the president she once aligned herself with. It also signals that the tension between Mace and Trump over the Epstein files vote has not cooled down after election night.

🇺🇸 South Carolina GOP governor primary forces runoff between two statewide officials.

What happened:
Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson advanced to the Republican runoff after neither reached a majority in the June 9 primary. Rep. Nancy Mace did not advance.… pic.twitter.com/b3Re1gJ3FB

— The States Brief (@TheStatesBriefX) June 10, 2026

For conservative voters watching the runoff, the race now has added drama. Trump’s endorsement of Evette makes her the clear choice for voters who want to back the president’s agenda in South Carolina. Wilson, now with Mace’s support, becomes the alternative for those who may be skeptical of Trump’s picks or who simply prefer the attorney general’s record. The runoff will show whether Trump’s endorsement or Mace’s parting shot carries more weight with South Carolina Republicans. ^[1]^[3]