NEW POLL: NANCY MACE LEADS REPUBLICAN PRIMARY FOR SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR

Mace Holds Solid Four-Point Lead; Wilson’s Support “extremely soft”; Evette Burns Through $2 million to Cling to Third Place

A new poll of likely Republican primary voters shows Congresswoman Nancy Mace steadily leading the race for Governor of South Carolina with 23 percent support, four points ahead of Attorney General Alan Wilson at 19 percent. Lt. Governor Pamela Everette trails in third at 14 percent despite spending over $2 million, followed by Congressman Ralph Norman at 11 percent.

With no candidate approaching 50 percent, the poll confirms this race is heading to a runoff – and Mace is the only candidate with a realistic path to 35 percent in a field this crowded.

Critically, Rep. Mace is the only candidate in the field with double-digit voter enthusiasm, a key indicator of which supporters will actually show up on election day. Meanwhile, support for all others appears extremely soft: Wilson has more voters who say they will “probably” support him than those who “definitely” will, suggesting his backers could easily shift as the campaign progresses. Wilson has only 7% of voters stating they will “definitely” vote for him. Only 6% of voters say they will “definitely” vote for Evette. Norman has only 3% of voters saying they will “definitely” vote for him.

“The numbers tell the story: Wilson has been Attorney General for 16 years, and the more voters learn about him, the less impressed they are,” said Mace campaign spokeswoman Piper Gifford. “Evette has burned through $2 million just to hang on to third place. Meanwhile, Congresswoman Mace is leading the race because South Carolina Republicans want a leader who understands middle-class problems and who offers answers to solving them.”

The survey, conducted by Stratus Intelligence from January 7-9 among 700 likely Republican primary voters, carries a margin of error of ±3.7 percent. Mace’s four-point lead falls outside the margin of error, establishing her as the clear frontrunner heading into the June primary.

The poll reveals a striking dynamic: Wilson and Evette are stalling despite significant advantages and significant sums of money spent either through their campaign committees or Super PACs. Wilson has held statewide office since 2011, yet barely half of Republican voters have formed an opinion of him. Evette has poured millions into her campaign and served as Lt. Governor since 2019, yet remains stuck in third place. The more voters hear about these candidates, the less enthusiasm they generate.

Mace commands 91 percent name recognition, the highest in the field, compared to 72 percent for Wilson, 70 percent for Norman, and 64 percent for Evette. With her combination of front-runner status, the strongest voter intensity, and room to grow among undecideds, Mace is the only candidate positioned to break away from the pack and approach 35 percent in the primary.

Gifford added, “Nancy Mace’s opponents have hit their ceilings; she’s still climbing.”

With 32 percent of voters still undecided and no candidate close to a majority, the June primary will advance to a runoff. Mace’s efficient campaign operation, achieving a four-point lead without the massive spending her opponents have deployed, positions her strongly for the long fight ahead.

“Her opponents have money and titles, but they don’t have momentum,” Gifford stated. “They’ve spent years in office and millions of dollars, and they’re still stuck in neutral. Nancy Mace is the only one in this race who can build a winning coalition, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”