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by MARK POWELL
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With just over five weeks remaining before South Carolina Republicans pick their gubernatorial nominee, the race to succeed status quo, term-limited incumbent Henry McMaster remains wide open.
That’s reportedly scaring the hell out of certain folks at the White House. More specifically, the prospect that Nancy Mace – the Palmetto State’s independent-minded first district congresswoman – might ultimately emerge victorious in this election is said to be terrifying some presidential advisors.
Or at least that’s the political spin being planted in some circles in our nation’s capital…
In a story published this weekend carrying the brash headline, “Team Trump Fears A Nancy Mace Governorship,” Axios’ Alex Isenstadt claimed Trump’s allies were “growing alarmed that GOP Rep. Nancy Mace — who infuriated him by calling for the release of the Epstein files — will defy expectations and win the South Carolina governor’s race.”
Despite its dishy headline, there’s likely more going on with this article than simply drawing attention to the fact Mace occasionally bucks the wishes of U.S. president Donald Trump – a politician she previously worked for (and who she generally lavishes with praise).
Isenstadt’s story originated in the Washington political bubble, where some see the machinations of another candidate – South Carolina lieutenant governor Pamela Evette – at work.
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“That story has the fingerprints of a Pam Evette ally all over it,” a national GOP strategist unaffiliated with any campaign told us. “They dropped so many breadcrumbs, I stopped counting. Just look at the poll the story cites.”
Isenstadt’s article referenced a recent survey from the GOP-aligned pollster Co/efficient. That poll showed Evette, who hails from Ohio, leading the field with the support of 19% of likely primary voters – followed by Mace (18%), four-term attorney general Alan Wilson (15%) and fifth district congressman Ralph Norman (13%).
The problem with that poll? Co/efficient is on Evette’s payroll.
And no other poll shows her in the lead.
In fact, those numbers stood in stark contrast to data released just over a week ago from Lexington, S.C.-based Starboard Communications – a firm that doesn’t have a dog in the fight. Starboard’s survey showed Wilson leading the field at 20%, Norman in second at 14%, Mace next at 13%, and Evette in fourth place at 12%.
“It’s six, twelve, and pick ’em,” the strategist we spoke with said, referring to the race’s current state of play. “At this point, almost every campaign can find a poll to its liking. It’s still anybody’s race to win, and everybody’s to lose.”
The one thing all camps and independent observers alike can agree on is that an ominously large pool of undecided voters remains up for grabs, which explains why Trump’s endorsement — so far unbestowed on any candidate — is more tantalizing now than ever.
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RELATED | TRUMP APPROVAL PLUMMETING
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Trump’s penchant for playing kingmaker, especially in GOP primaries, is widely known – although his backing has met with spotty results of late given his plummeting approval ratings. However, Trump’s imprimatur is still believed to have considerable luster in ruby-red South Carolina, where many grassroots Republicans remain Trump devotees.
“‘Nancy has asked for an endorsement countless times, which is confusing considering she teamed up with (Kentucky Republican Thomas) Massie to launch a dishonest attack on the administration in regards to the Epstein case,” one so-called Trump operative told Isenstadt.
Mace is hardly alone when it comes to courting Trump. All of the leading campaigns and advocates working on their behalf have been beseeching MAGA’s upper echelons for a presidential endorsement for over a year now. Yet endorsing in this race – especially for Evette – could carry a steep political cost for Trump. Republicans control the U.S. House of Representatives by a hold-your-breath margin. Two leading gubernatorial candidates, Mace and Norman, are House members; while a third, Wilson, is the son of one (congressman Joe Wilson). Endorsing one could trigger a nasty backlash from the other two – while endorsing Evette could prompt defections from all three.
And make no mistake: those are votes Trump desperately needs between now and January 2027, when a new congress will be seated.
Rumors also persist Trump vowed to stay out of the South Carolina governor’s race in order to secure critical last-minute congressional support for his ‘One Big Beautiful Bill‘ last summer.
Despite all this, Isenstadt’s sources still insist Evette has the inside track when it comes to getting Trump’s official seal of approval. (“Still more fingerprints,” the strategist noted).
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“Evette is the candidate best positioned to get Trump’s nod,” Isenstadt claimed, citing unnamed operatives. “She raised more than $1 million for Trump’s 2024 bid, and several members of the president’s political team are advisers to her campaign.”
Evette’s campaign is currently running an online ad that includes a short soundbite of Trump at an event calling her by name, once again implying his support.
Does Evette know something the rest of us don’t? Or is she playing fast and loose with the president’s words once more? Also, is her campaign’s spinning of the Axios story just a ruse to keep the race on the president’s radar (with a conveniently timed, positive poll to back it up)?
Trump has been known to track media coverage of this race – including articles published by this media outlet.
All we know for certain is Axios’ story has people talking about something other than Evette’s S.C. State commencement address flap – which advances her name into a new news cycle.
And in politics, that’s half the battle.
As for Mace, she pulled no punches in her assessment of Axios’ report.
“The only people worried about Nancy Mace becoming governor are the consultants planting this story because they know the Trump endorsement isn’t coming for their candidate,” a senior Mace advisor told Isenstadt.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
J. Mark Powell is an award-winning former TV journalist, government communications veteran, and a political consultant. He is also an author and an avid Civil War enthusiast. Got a tip or a story idea for Mark? Email him at mark@fitsnews.com.
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7 comments
I could give two steaming dog turds worth of care about a Trump nomination at this point. The only good thing he has done this term is get the boarder under control and DEI out of government. Everything else has been chaotic sound and fury, signifying nothing, and in some cases actually doing harm. DOGE? Elon and Co. found tons of graft – almost nothing done about it. The Tariff Wars have only made everything more expensive. His claim that he could end the Ukraine War in 24-48 hrs was complete bullshit. Nat a single person responsible for the COVID tyranny has even so much as been demoted or lost a job, much less be prosecuted for fraud. Remember those stickers on gas pumps depicting Biden pointing to the price screen and saying “I did that?” If we conservatives were intellectually honest, we would be putting Trump stickers up in their place.
Congaree Catfish Top Fan, CORRECTION: DEI is only out of the FEDERAL Government, if that. It moved with a vengeance to state governments, and most significantly to local governments. Check Richland County’s new hires/promotions for example.
All women are NOT Democrats; and Republican women want patronage jobs, too. Remember Mitt Romney’s “binders full of women”? And considering Nancy Mace’s man-hating rhetoric, if elected, she will most likely borrow Mitt Romney’s binders.
If hiring were based on pure merit and ability/willingness to get work done, the formal workforce will be highly populated with the first-generation you “conservatives” hate so much and desperately want to throw out of the country.
SubZero: almost no conservatives I know or follow “hate” lawful first-generation immigrants who abide by the law, pay their taxes, and don’t bring their generational/racial/religious feuds from their homeland [to the extent they exist – it’s not everywhere and in all situations.] Maybe you are thinking of fringe strains of thought, like that weirdo Nick Fuentes and his ilk. Conservatives do want to limit the abuse of HB-1 visas that result in displacing qualified US citizens from the job market in their own economy.
Congaree Catfish Top Fan: I have been asking since the early 1990s “what does ‘conservative’ mean in America in general and in South Carolina in particular?” And I have been asking sincerely, not retorhically.
Sadly, no one gave me a non-hypocritical answer; so, I had to whittle it down for myself.
Is it free-market capitalism? If so, then HB-1 visas are free-market capitalism at its best: the best qualified (or equally qualified) at the lowest salary.
Is it the Holy Commandments (which are “Ten” only in Hollywood) from the Judeo-Christian tradition and posting them in schools? That would be the end of capitalism or at the least of advertising-dependent journalism. “Thou shalt not covet.” What is advertising and capitalism other than coveting?
Notice that the commandments about coveting do not necessarily ban acting on the covetousness. They ban the feeling itself. Stealing thy neighbor’s ox or raping thy neighbor’s wife have separate Commandments. But if you just covet, you have transgressed the Commandments.
Is it chastity and non-homosexual conduct? You know the answer better than I do.
What is left then? Don’t blame me too much if I conclude it is racism and xenophobia.
Not that liberals lack racism or xenophobia. They are just more hypocritical about them than conservatives.
Congaree Catfish Top Fan: I have been asking since the early 1990s “what does ‘conservative’ mean in America in general and in South Carolina in particular?” And I have been asking sincerely, not retorhically.
Sadly, no one gave me a non-hypocritical answer; so, I had to whittle it down for myself.
Is it free-market capitalism? If so, then HB-1 visas are free-market capitalism at its best: the best qualified (or equally qualified) at the lowest salary.
Is it the Holy Commandments (which are “Ten” only in Hollywood) from the Judeo-Christian tradition and posting them in schools? That would be the end of capitalism or at the least of advertising-dependent journalism. “Thou shalt not covet.” What is advertising and capitalism other than coveting?
Notice that the commandments about coveting do not necessarily ban acting on the covetousness. They ban the feeling itself. Stealing thy neighbor’s ox or raping thy neighbor’s wife have separate Commandments. But if you just covet, you have transgressed the Commandments.
Is it chastity and non-homosexual conduct? You know the answer better than I do.
What is left then? Don’t blame me too much if I conclude it is racism and xenophobia.
Not that liberals lack racism or xenophobia. They are just more hypocritical about them than conservatives.
There’s a complete moral failing for the Republican party when it still cares about who Trump endorses or which politician wants to emulate Trump as if such a thing is a positive in 2026.
poryje