Tom Rice Ousted by Trump Endorsed Opponent, Nancy Mace Holds the Line in South Carolina Primaries – Opinion

Rep. Tom Rice lost to South Carolina state Rep. Russell Fry in his primary election, while Rep. Nancy Mace barely avoided a runoff against Katie Arrington.

Fry is at 25 percent and Rice 51 percent respectively, while Fry has over 95% of precincts reporting to the 7th Congressional District according to The New York Times.

Mace trails Arrington 53% to 45%, and 88 percent precincts report in the 1st Congressional District. Cook Political Report’s Dave Wasserman called the race for Mace at 10:55 Eastern Time. (See live results below – click the “Change Race” option at the upper right of each map to toggle between the races.)

You’ve had enough. Rep. Nancy Mace defeats Trump-endorsed Katie Arrington in the #SC01 GOP primary.

— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) June 15, 2022

Both races have other candidates, so it is possible for one to lose below 50% and the race would go to a second round. Given the amount of votes that have been counted, this does not seem possible.

Donald Trump used Rice and Mace to target Rice, who has often criticized Trump’s actions and Rice voted in his impeachment after Jan. 6.

“Katie Arrington’s policies are perfect, she’s a hard worker and she loves the great state of South Carolina, where she has the tremendous backing of almost all who know her — especially when she is compared to Nancy Mace!” Trump said in a Save America PAC statement on Sunday.

Rice is more low-key than Mace at a national level. Mace appears frequently on cable news. It’s hard to tell how this translated on the ground for both candidates, but Mace’s distinct brand might have set her up for an easier victory compared to her ousted counterpart.

If there’s a lesson tonight, and every other primary night thus far, it’s that Trump’s endorsement is a mixed bag. It can give some candidates a boost but it may not be enough to win everyone. Every congressional district has different concerns and unique political dynamics, so it’s hard to prescribe a uniform benefit to his stamp of approval.