South Carolinians are more familiar with Mace than other possible 2026 Republican gubernatorial candidates, poll finds

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) – With more than a year until the 2026 gubernatorial primaries in South Carolina, a new poll found that U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace may have a slight advantage in the race for the Republican nomination.

Mace had the highest name recognition of any potential contender for the GOP nominee mentioned in a recent poll conducted by Winthrop University.

Of all respondents, 52% said they were either very or somewhat familiar with the congresswoman, who has represented South Carolina’s First Congressional District since 2021.

Alan Wilson, South Carolina’s attorney general, was the next most well-known with 39% of respondents saying they were familiar with him. Following him were Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, both at 32%.

The poll showed South Carolinians were least familiar with Josh Kimbrell, a state senator from Spartanburg County, and John Warren, a businessman who unsuccessfully challenged Henry McMaster for the GOP nomination in 2018.

A similar trend can be seen when polling only voters who participated in the June 2024 Republican presidential primary, though each candidate enjoys higher name recognition among that group.

“Importantly, both Mace and Wilson, often touted as leading candidates at this early stage, have extremely high name recognition among those respondents who might be perceived as most likely to vote in a Republican primary,” said Winthrop Poll Director Scott Huffmon. Among Republicans who reported having voted in the 2024 Republican Presidential Primary, Mace is recognized by more than two-thirds and Wilson is recognized by more than half.”

“In fact, several potential candidates have a notable base they can build upon rather than having to spend money to achieve name recognition,” he added.

Filing for the 2026 race won’t open for months, but the race has already heated up.

The poll was conducted between February 21 and March 5, less than two weeks after Mace made an explosive speech on the House floor during which she accused Wilson of failing to prosecute “heinous crimes” committed against her and other women by four Lowcountry men, including sexual assault, domestic abuse, and voyeurism.

Wilson’s office has dismissed her claims as “categorically false,” maintaining that Wilson was unaware of the allegations prior to Mace’s Feb. 10 remarks.

Mace has also occasionally taken aim at Evette on social media, saying in a Feb. 5 video that the lieutenant governor was a “nice lady” but “nowhere to be found” over the past several years.

At least one other person who was not mentioned in the Winthrop Poll, state Sen. Sean Bennett (R-Dorchester), has publicly expressed interest in joining the governor’s race.

South Carolina’s position as a solidly red state means whoever wins the GOP primary will be heavily favored to succeed McMaster, who could not seek re-election as governor due to term limits.

The Winthrop Poll surveyed 1,220 adult residents of South Carolina, with an overall margin of error of 2.81%. A higher margin of error was observed for subgroups such as Republican voters only.