Overview
- Trump publicly endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette on May 29, a move that multiple outlets say immediately shifted the race toward Evette and highlighted her loyalty to the president.
- A Trafalgar Group tracking poll conducted May 29–31 showed Evette leading with about 26% while Nancy Mace trailed near the mid-to-high teens, signaling the endorsement’s practical impact on short-term momentum.
- Mace has remained in the June 9 primary but launched an intensive social-media campaign that included a photo with Trump, a denial that Evette was endorsed, and an assertion that her snub stemmed from her work to force release of Epstein-related files.
- Critics across the coverage described Mace’s posting blitz as erratic and used terms like “crashout,” while right-leaning outlets emphasized that she and other candidates vow to continue their campaigns despite long odds without the president’s backing.
- Behind the headlines, analysts note that Trump’s endorsements have been highly predictive this cycle and that Evette’s rise could change runoff math, voter choice on election-policy proposals, and the Republican coalition in South Carolina.