Republican representative Nancy Mace has no regrets about her campaign to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, despite finishing fifth in South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial primary. Mace’s position on the files, lacking President Donald Trump’s endorsement, contributed to her fifth-place result.

Her defeat highlights the influence of Trump’s endorsement in Republican primaries and the risks of opposing him on key issues. Pamela Evette and Alan Wilson advanced to the June 23 runoff, while Mace’s loss led to an uncertain political future after relinquishing her House seat. Evette received 28.9% of the vote, followed by Wilson with 26.2%. Mace obtained 12.1%, the lowest among the candidates.

The Epstein files became a significant issue in the race, revealing shifts within the Republican Party over transparency and allegiance to Trump. Mace stood as a leading GOP voice for releasing the files, opposing the president during a crucial campaign phase.

Following her defeat, Mace released a statement expressing peace with her loss, attributing it to principles over politics. “I voted to release the Epstein files and lost some support for that,” she stated, describing the issue as a “moral emergency.” She positioned herself as someone ready to challenge influential figures in both parties, prioritizing exposing alleged misconduct, including a “sexual harassment slush fund,” over political gain.

Mace’s message was deeply rooted in her identity, having previously disclosed her experience as a sexual assault survivor. She linked her decision to support the files’ release to this experience, framing the issue as a fight for accountability.

She indicated her continued engagement in public life, telling supporters, “this isn’t the end of the fight — it’s just the end of this chapter.” The story is ongoing. Further updates will follow.