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April Fools’ Day is here again… and while it would be all too easy to make jokes about South Carolina’s notoriously entertaining politicians, we will resist the temptation.
After all, the much-ballyhooed “Republican” tax plan is currently monopolizing laughs in Palmetto political circles… although the underlying failure of GOP leaders to move the needle on the employment front is clearly no laughing matter.
Which is why it needs more than jokes thrown its way…
While tax policy has understandably been dominating this week’s news cycle, as this index went to press developments were breaking in connection with another ongoing political battle we’ve been following. State treasurer Curtis Loftis – who is being targeted for impeachment by S.C. senators Larry Grooms and Stephen Goldfinch – exclusively told FITSNews he plans on seeking another term in office in 2026.
His full interview can be found here.
Expect Loftis’ announcement to factor prominently in our index moving forward.
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Staying abreast of the rising and falling fortunes of those in power – or those seeking it – is more important than ever. That’s why every Monday, we follow the trajectories of national politicos via the ‘FITSNews Political Stock Index.’ And every Tuesday, we publish the ‘Palmetto Political Stock Index’ – which assesses politicos from our home state of South Carolina, host of the quadrennial “First in the Nation” (for Democrats) and “First in the South” (for Republicans) presidential primaries.
Got a hot “stock tip” for either of these indices? Email Will Folks (here) and/or Mark Powell (here).
Where should you invest your Palmetto political capital this week? To the index…
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PAMELA EVETTE
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STOCK: FALLING
The lieutenant governor’s team rolled the dice in a high-stakes political power play—and crapped out. Badly.
Just weeks ago, Pamela Evette’s inner circle was overflowing with big news. First, a new Donald Trump-aligned Super PAC was preparing to spend big on her bid to become the Republican gubernatorial nominee next year. That was followed up by an even more audacious claim: Columbia’s proverbial spare wheel had locked up Trump’s endorsement in the race.
Indeed, we are told by those in a position to know that Evette did have the ear of the folks at Mar-a-Lago. Regardless of what you may think about Donald Trump himself, there’s no denying the people at the very top of Trump World are seasoned, hardcore political pros. They don’t bestow the coveted seal of approval without demanding proof of life first. In this case, they wanted to see cold, hard numbers showing Evette had a path to victory.
And—voila!—a poll magically appeared on cue from esteemed pollster Robert Cahaly (a.k.a. The “Oracle”). This survey placed Evette at the top of the GOP pack by a country mile – giving her a jaw-dropping 31.5%. That number put her ahead of both of the front-runners in the race – congresswoman Nancy Mace and attorney general Alan Wilson.
Or so people were intended to believe…
Last week, another poll dropped from Columbia, S.C.-based First Tuesday Strategies – which isn’t associated with any campaign in the contest (at this point). That survey – which was in line with numerous internal polls previously provided to FITSNews – placed Evette in third place (and a distant third, at that).
The mood at Mar-a-Lago toward Evette nowadays can be summed up by Queen Victoria’s famous words: “We are not amused.”
Clearly, “fake it ’till you make it” is not a strategy Trump is eager to embrace…
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LINDSEY GRAHAM
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STOCK: RISING
Speaking of Trump’s endorsement, South Carolina’s senior senator wasn’t shy about showing his off last week. Lindsey Graham shouted from the rooftops last Thursday word that the president was officially backing his 2026 reelection bid. (We’re not exaggerating; one Midlands resident told us they received five different text messages heralding the news).
Trump’s endorsement is a big deal in contested races. That’s especially true in South Carolina GOP primaries, where his approval rating remains at stratospheric levels.
Despite the intermittent on-again/off-again status of Trump and Graham as besties (which appears to be solidly “on again” as of this moment), Trump’s support was never seriously in doubt.
What is particularly curious, however, is the timing of its release, coming a full 12 months before the filing period for the 2026 primary opens. Does Graham have word of a serious challenger emerging on his right flank and so threw down the gauntlet early as a warning to possible opponents to stay out of his way?
This much is certain: With a seasoned political team in place, a continually growing campaign war chest that could soon rival the vaults of Fort Knox (well, assuming the audit of that facility checks out) – and now Trump’s endorsement as the maraschino cherry atop the sundae – the task of bumping off Graham next year just got a whole lot harder.
If not impossible…
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NANCY MACE
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STOCK: HOLDING
Remember the GOP gubernatorial poll from First Tuesday Strategies we mentioned earlier? While disastrous for Pamela Evette, it wasn’t brimming with good news for Lowcountry congresswoman Nancy Mace, either.
You’ll recall Mace rolled the dice on a high-stakes strategy of her own with a self-described “scorched earth” speech delivered on the U.S. House floor in early February. In her nearly hour-long oration (in which Jesus and JK Rowling both had cameo appearances), Mace savaged a handful of South Carolina men whom she labeled as sexual predators – then she turned her guns on her chief rival in the race: attorney general Alan Wilson.
Seven weeks later, Mace is being sued for defamation of character by one of the men she blasted, and Wilson remains at the top of the Republican field (leading her 20.8% to 16.3% according to last week’s poll).
In short, Mace’s gamble to knock out or severely wound Wilson with a Pearl Harbor-level surprise attack failed to take him out. Wilson not only lives to fight another day, he remains in a formidable position to do so.
We’re not saying Mace is down and out; far from it. Her support among her Lowcountry base remains as strong as ever. But it’s time for her and her staff to go back to the drawing board and cook up a Plan B.
Because Plan A clearly didn’t work…
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S.C. BUSINESS LOBBY
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STOCK: TANKING
South Carolina’s so-called “business community” is currently laying flat on its back with the tread marks of the trial lawyer lobby imprinted on its chest. The collective that banded together to fight for much-needed lawsuit reform in the Palmetto State (i.e. the various chambers of commerce, manufacturing associations, restaurant and bar owners, et al.) sallied forth into a what should have been a legitimate Goliath versus Goliath battle.
Turns out the fight not only wasn’t fair… it wasn’t even close.
The trial lawyers decapitated their opponent before they had even taken the field. Then they disemboweled them.
“The business lobby was beaten (badly) on messaging, strategy and lobbying,” we wrote last month.
Seriously, were the good guys trying to lose?
Obviously, this was a rigged game from the very start. In Columbia, S.C., it’s not about Democrat versus Republican or liberal versus conservative. It’s simply this: The Trial Lawyers’ Lobby versus everyone else. And the unspoken motto of the undisputed King of the Mountain is as follows, “Do as we say – or else.”
That’s not an idle threat, either. As we just witnessed, this group has the means, motive and opportunity to get what it wants – due in large part to the appallingly high number of lawyer-legislators who are all too eager to do its bidding.
And the more power they amass, the more money they rake in (which, of course, enables them to purchase more power and make more money, and purchase even more power… etc.).
We all watched as the business lobby was sold a bill of goods — a watered-down tort reform measure — with supporters being told, “half a loaf is better than no loaf at all.”
That may be true, but all the business community got out of this deal was crumbs… and humiliation.
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