|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
by WILL FOLKS
***
A new survey of South Carolina’s 2026 gubernatorial election shows the Palmetto State’s top prosecutor, attorney general Alan Wilson, at the head of the pack as the pivotal Republican primary election starts to heat up.
Wilson was backed by 22.2% of GOP respondents in the survey, prepared by Atlanta, Georgia-based Wick. That total put him ahead of lieutenant governor Pamela Evette (15.7%), fifth district congressman Ralph Norman (12%), first district congresswoman Nancy Mace (10.5%) and state senator Josh Kimbrell (1.9%).
Nearly four-out-of-ten primary voters (37.7%) remained undecided, per the survey.
According to Wick’s pollsters, their data – released late Monday (December 1, 2025) – “provides the first comprehensive snapshot of the race following recent controversy involving Congresswoman Nancy Mace at the Charleston Airport.”
Per incident reports first obtained by FITSNews, Mace was profanely belligerent and demeaning in her interactions towards officers of the Charleston Regional Aviation Authority (CRAA) during an incident that reportedly took place on the morning of October 30, 2025.
***
RELATED | AD BLASTS MACE FOR AIRPORT INCIDENT
***
“She repeatedly stated we were ‘fucking incompetent’ and ‘this is no way to treat a fucking U.S. representative,’” the report (.pdf) claimed, insisting Mace told officers they would never treat U.S. senator Tim Scott the same way.
Mace continued “cursing and complaining” en route to her gate, allegedly “continuing her tirade” for several minutes before eventually boarding the aircraft.
That controversy – and Mace’s response to it – has fundamentally reshaped the governor’s race, according to the Wick survey.
“Compared to publicly available polling from earlier in the fall — showing her in the 20% range — Mace’s support has declined by roughly 50% month-over-month,” Wick’s release noted.
Wick’s survey was also the third poll to show Mace’s unfavorable rating among GOP primary voters eclipsing 48% – a number which included 33.7% of respondents who indicated they had a “very unfavorable” view of the third-term congresswoman from Daniel Island, S.C.
Conversely, Wilson – who hails from Lexington, S.C. – recorded “the strongest image profile in the field,” with a 48.7% favorable rating against only a 20.7% unfavorable mark.
***
“(Wilson’s) high baseline name recognition and comparatively low share of undecided impressions position him as the early frontrunner,” Wick’s pollsters concluded, although they added the “significant pool” of undecided voters offered “clear opportunities for multiple candidates to expand support as campaigns intensify outreached heading into 2026.”
Despite sinking poll numbers nationally, Donald Trump remains beloved by the GOP electorate in South Carolina. The nation’s chief executive had a 76.3% approval rating in the survey – including 57.1% who “strongly approved” of the job he is doing as president. Meanwhile, only 23.2% of GOP primary voters disapproved of Trump – including 19.7% who “strongly disapproved.”
Additionally, 75.2% of primary voters identified as “conservative,” while 80.3% claimed to be “MAGA Republicans.”
Wick surveyed an estimated 600 likely Republican primary voters between November 24-26, 2025 using “text-to-web interviews.” The survey’s margin of error is plus or minus 4%.
Candidates will formally file for statewide office between March 15-30, 2026, with partisan primary elections scheduled for Tuesday, June 9, 2026. In the event no candidate wins a majority of votes on the first ballot, a head-to-head runoff election between the top two vote-getters would be held two weeks later (on June 23, 2026). The GOP primary is the race to watch in South Carolina, as Democrats haven’t won a gubernatorial election or a U.S. Senate race since 1998 – and haven’t won a statewide election since 2006.
That means the GOP nominee in both of these races is all but assured of prevailing in the general election next November.
***
THE SURVEY…
(Wick)
***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
***
WANNA SOUND OFF?
Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to address proactively? We have an open microphone policy! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.
3 comments
How soon before Nancy states that she was filmed and raped by Wilson and his entire campaign team? Of course it’ll be on the House floor so she can’t be held responsible for her words. I think the people of Charleston have had enough of hearing about her being bent over.
Dont joke about rape you classless prick. They are going to need two whole 60 spots to show all the pedophiles Alan wouldnt convict. Anything Alan has to offer the public (which aint much) I am pretty sure we have seen it in the last 15 years. I wonder if he will have SC redundantly join a bunch of foreign wars other people are already fighting like he does with national litigation.
LOL 75% of the “respondents” were over 55 and 93% were white so a very “random” poll to be sure. 45% of the SC population is between 20-54, and only 32% is 55 and up. Hopefully young folks will show up in 26 and 28 and put these geezers out to pasture.