January 1, Defiant Conservative Firebrand Refuses to Back Down After Trump Snub

Wyatt’s Take

• Nancy Mace is fighting for her political life in South Carolina’s GOP gubernatorial primary despite losing Trump’s endorsement over her push to release Jeffrey Epstein files.
• Mace claims grassroots conservatives are ‘very upset’ with Trump’s choice, predicting a runoff election where ‘all bets are off.’
• She made it clear: no endorsement is worth protecting predators — a powerful statement many working Americans respect.

Rep. Nancy Mace told Fox News Digital ahead of Tuesday’s South Carolina Republican gubernatorial primary that President Donald Trump’s endorsement has done little to boost her opponent’s standing with conservative voters. She’s arguing that many grassroots Republicans are “very upset” with the decision.

“It’s not going over well for her with the grassroots, which is why she didn’t get much of a bump,” Mace said.

“She got maybe a five point bump — not much.”

“And she’s going to be in a runoff and I think at that point all bets are off.”

Mace was referring to South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, whom Trump endorsed last week, as Mace and Trump have publicly broken in recent months.

“It’s a dog fight,” Mace said.

“We’re in it and I’m gonna fight to the death.”

Mace shared that she wasn’t shocked when Trump chose not to endorse her because of her vote in Congress to push for the release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“I knew it was on the line when I voted to release the Epstein files, and I’m a survivor,” Mace said.

“If the price to pay for an endorsement was to not release those files, I would never pay it.”

Mace was one of four Republicans to sign a petition last year to force a vote in the House on the Epstein Files Transparency Act. That legislation urged the Department of Justice to publish all its information on its probe into Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell — millions of documents that could expose powerful people.

Trump’s endorsement in the Republican primary was also in favor of South Carolina’s current term-limited governor, Henry McMaster, who has also endorsed Evette as his potential successor. Trump wrote that he expected Evette would choose the current governor’s son, Henry McMaster Jr., as her lieutenant governor.

“Pam Evette is a good friend, fighter, and WINNER, and will be a terrific Governor of South Carolina,” the president posted.

“Pam has my Complete and Total Endorsement — SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”

Trump’s endorsement came days before the June 9 primary and as early voting was getting underway in South Carolina.

Tuesday’s crowded Republican primary field includes Evette, Attorney General Alan Wilson, Rep. Ralph Norman, businessman Rom Reddy and Mace. If no candidate wins a majority, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff — a situation Mace predicted could reshape the race despite Trump’s backing of Evette.

“I disagree with this endorsement,” Mace said.

“And I’m going to vote for myself. I’m asking voters in South Carolina to vote for me as well on Tuesday.”

Wyatt Matters

Politics shouldn’t be about protecting the powerful or sweeping evil under the rug. When someone stands on principle — even when it costs them big — that’s leadership regular Americans can respect. Whether you agree with every vote or not, watching a politician choose transparency over political favors is refreshing in a world full of swamp creatures. South Carolina voters have a real choice here: someone willing to fight the establishment, or another insider protecting the old guard.