Former President Donald Trump’s focus on two congressional races in South Carolina shows just how far he’ll go to get back at Republicans who he feels have spurned him.
GOP Reps. Nancy Mace and Tom Rice both blamed Trump for his role in perpetuating the events of Jan. 6. After the riots, Mace called out the then-president, saying he needed to “get off Twitter” to communicate peace, while Rice voted with nine other House Republicans to impeach Trump (a group that does not include Mace). Then, Trump endorsed challengers against both of them in primaries this year.
Mace survived, defeating Trump-backed Katie Arrington. But Rice cratered — notching just a quarter of the vote on his way to primary defeat.
Rice’s loss was yet another example of Trump’s taste for revenge against those who crossed him.
No Maine candidates got a Trump endorsement — Biden won the state by around 9 percent in 2020. And while Trump endorsed Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo for governor and former state Attorney General Adam Laxalt for Senate in Nevada, no votes had been counted in the state by early Wednesday morning.
South Carolina wins
GOVERNOR
Henry McMaster
Won with 83 percent of the vote.
In 2016, McMaster was the first statewide elected official to endorse Trump, and the then-president’s support was central to the governor’s campaign for a full term two years later. Trump endorsed McMaster again last March, meeting with the candidate at Mar-a-Lago in February. Trump called him a “fabulous chief executive for his state” in an endorsement statement.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Alan Wilson
Won with 66 percent of the vote.
SENATE
Tim Scott
Won unopposed.
The only Black Senate Republican, Scott was able to criticize Trump’s comments on race in the past while largely supporting many of his policies while the former president was in office. One of the highest fundraisers this election cycle, Scott faced an easy path to re-election this week for what will be his last term. Trump called him an “outstanding senator and person who works tirelessly for the people of his great state” in a statement.
SC02
Joe Wilson
Unopposed. He voted to overturn 2020 election results.
SC03
Jeff Duncan
Unopposed. He voted to overturn 2020 election results.
SC04
William Timmons
Won with 53 percent of the vote. He voted to overturn 2020 election results.
SC05
Ralph Norman
Unopposed. He voted to overturn 2020 election results.
SC07
Russell Fry
Won with 51 percent of the vote.
Fry claimed in a Facebook video earlier this year that the 2020 presidential election was “rigged” for the first time in his congressional race, and Trump’s endorsement came soon after. Contrasting Rice, Fry has said that Jan. 6 protesters were exercising First Amendment rights, and that Democrats had “weaponized that moment to excoriate an outgoing president.” In his endorsement statement, Trump said, “Russell Fry, who is all in for the Palmetto State, has my complete and total endorsement. VOTE TOM RICE OUT NOW!”
North Dakota wins
SENATE
John Hoeven
Won with 78 percent of the vote.
NDal
Kelly Armstrong
Unopposed.
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