Overview
- Nancy Mace finished a distant fifth in the South Carolina Republican gubernatorial primary Tuesday, conceded the race and endorsed runoff candidate Alan Wilson.
- Rep. Sarah McBride delivered the quip “Happy Pride, Nancy” at Equality PAC’s National Pride Gala as returns came in, and the line drew cheers and a standing ovation from attendees.
- Mace had shifted from calling herself pro‑trans in 2023 to a high‑profile opponent of transgender access, including a 2024 House resolution to bar transgender women from women’s restrooms in the U.S. Capitol.
- Reporters and former aides cited a turbulent campaign, public feuds, staff complaints and the failure to secure President Trump’s endorsement as key factors behind Mace’s collapse.
- The exchange prompted wide media and social‑media reaction that framed the moment as a symbolic reversal for McBride, a boost for LGBTQ allies, and a likely turning point in Mace’s political career.