12.1% of the vote left Nancy Mace last in South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial primary, and a day later she posted a photo of baked beans on X instead of a conventional concession message.
The post appeared to revive a 2024 viral meme about Mace and beans, drawing a jab from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who replied: “That’s one way to cope.”
Mace said her defeat stemmed from backing release of the Jeffrey Epstein files despite Donald Trump’s opposition, writing that she had “chosen wrong” if winning was the goal and later vowing to “die on the hill” of prosecuting abusers.
Trump had endorsed Lt. Governor Pamela Evette rather than Mace, underscoring a rift with the congresswoman, who gave up her House seat to run and had previously helped force release of the full Epstein files.