Nancy Mace survives Kevin McCarthy’s revenge in South Carolina primary

South Carolina Rep Nancy Mace is once again the victory of a Republican primary election against an opponent backed by a prominent foe.

The congresswoman won the Republican primary in South Carolina’s 1st congressional district over challengers Catherine Templeton and William Young; as votes came in, Mace pulled to an early lead and was declared the victor early on Tuesday evening.

Her victory comes after former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy targeted her as one of the eight Republicans responsible for kicking him out of the speaker’s chair last fall.

Mace’s defection along with seven others laid the groundwork for McCarthy’s downfall and eventual ouster from Congress less than a year after he took the job. The act was the first time a speaker has been removed in modern history.

McCarthy backed Templeton in her efforts to unseat the congresswoman but Mace managed to secure the dual endorsements of Donald Trump, de facto leader of the GOP, and Mike Johnson, McCarthy’s replacement as speaker of the House. As a result, her win in the Republican primary was anything but a surprise.

What was arguably more surprising is Mace’s ability to maintain those relationships given her occasional troublemaking for the GOP caucus in the House as well as the fact that she was forced to run against Donald Trump’s endorsed candidate, Katie Arrington, in the first district in 2022.

Since then, she has repaired her ties with Trumpworld, a prospect made easier by the fact that she declined to criticize the ex-president even after he backed her opponent.

In an interview with NBC News, Mace made clear that she doesn’t see McCarthy’s support for her opponent as based in any real policy differences.

“It’s about revenge,” she said. “It’s also about