SouthernWorldwide.com – The race to replace Republican Representative Nancy Mace in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District has officially advanced to a runoff election.
Jenny Honeycutt, a business owner, and Mark Smith, a state legislator, secured enough votes in Tuesday’s crowded GOP primary to move forward.
Neither candidate achieved the necessary majority to win the nomination outright, meaning the decision will now be made in a runoff election scheduled for June 23.
The vacancy was created when Mace, known for her conservative stance, announced her intention to run for governor of South Carolina.
During her tenure in Congress, Mace gained national attention for being one of the eight Republicans who voted to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023. She has also been a proponent of cybersecurity legislation and pushed for a vote on releasing the Epstein Files earlier this year.
Mace, who has developed a significant national profile, has indicated her desire to continue her policy work at the state level.
“South Carolina needs a governor who will drag the truth into sunlight and flip the tables,” Mace stated during her gubernatorial announcement speech.
The 1st Congressional District of South Carolina is considered a safely Republican seat, having been held by the GOP for the majority of the last four decades. The exception was Rep. Joe Cunningham, a Democrat, who held the seat from 2019 to 2021. Republicans have represented the district since 1981.
Mace was last re-elected in 2024, defeating Democratic challenger Michel Moore, a businessman, with 58.2% of the vote compared to Moore’s 41.6%.
Honeycutt, who operates a law firm assisting clients with regulatory navigation, has presented herself as a pro-family political outsider. Her campaign priorities, as listed on her website, include law and order, the nation’s fiscal health, and family finances.
As of the end of May, campaign finance records indicate that Honeycutt had raised just over $345,600.
Mark Smith, who also identifies as a small business owner, previously managed a funeral home before entering politics and being elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives. He has served as a state legislator since 2020, where his biography states he has worked to cut taxes and support local law enforcement.
Campaign finance reports show that Smith has garnered $750,700 in campaign donations.
A third candidate in the primary, Jay Byars, raised $220,600. Byars began his political career in 2011 when he was elected to the Dorchester County Council, a position he has held for four terms. In the private sector, Byars founded several companies, including a storage service and Good Faith Caregivers, a home care business.
Notably, Representative Nancy Mace has not issued an endorsement in the race to succeed her in Congress.
