U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman accused candidate Rom Reddy of being in league with S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson in the last debate before the South Carolina Republican gubernatorial primary, while fellow candidate U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace looked on. “I feel like they just took it outside!” she said at one point after all three accused each other in turn.
These four candidates met Tuesday, May 26, at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., for the final Republican campaign debate prior to the June 9 primary.
Per polling results, it is still anyone’s race. “Undecided/Not Sure” took the lead at 27%, 11 points ahead of the nearest candidate. The top four are all within the margin of error.
Why Cover This Debate?
Aside from my interest as a native South Carolinian, I wanted to introduce P.J. Media readers to the candidates in this June’s Republican primary for governor. As we’re all aware, whoever wins the Republican primary in this state is the overwhelming favorite to win the general election.
Candidates agreed on a few things. Everyone wants to lower or eliminate the state income tax and property tax, and all agreed we need to improve the state’s low rankings in public education. Each one commented on the failure of the S.C. Senate to pass a redistricting bill in special session earlier in the day and vowed to lead the fight for redistricting, which all found constitutional.
Who Are These People?
If you’re not in South Carolina, you may not know this about the candidates who stepped on stage:
- Nancy Mace was elected to Congress in 2020. She is the first female graduate from The Citadel, South Carolina’s formerly all-boys male military college.
- Ralph Norman was elected to Congress in 2017. He’s worked in his father’s real estate development company, and he’s very proud of his 17 grandchildren.
- Rom Reddy has never served in any political office. He founded DOGESC as a political advocacy group. He came to America in his twenties legally, to attend college.
- Alan Wilson was first elected as the state’s attorney general in 2010. His father is U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.).
No Holds Barred at this Debate
Once past polite opening statements and common ground, the four quickly clashed on how they were running their campaigns.
Isle of Palms businessman Rom Reddy, a newcomer to the political stage, touted that he wasn’t accepting any funds due to his success as a businessman starting companies. Others immediately accused him of trying to buy his way in. “When did America say being rich is bad?” Reddy replied. “I take money from no one – what could I be buying?”
Norman, a real estate developer before running, pointed out that Reddy was running for governor while suing the state over a seawall he built on his beach-front property. (Private seawalls are not permitted due to the state’s Beachfront Management Act.) Later Norman called Reddy a ‘fraud’ on stage. At one point the back-and-forth sniping got so intense that Norman told Reddy “What you’re in this race for is to keep someone like me out. You’re with him (pointing to Wilson).”
At that Wilson retorted, “Ralph, with all due respect, you’re talking out of both sides of your mouth.” Accusing Norman of misrepresenting his record, he slammed back: “Ralph, you’re entitled to your own opinions, not your own facts.” During a later rebuttal, Reddy pointed to Norman and said, “I’m really beginning to believe he is senile.”
During the final remarks, Mace cheerfully quipped, “I’m sure y’all thought I was going to be the crazy one tonight. Turns out I’m not, actually.”
How the Polling Stands Now
U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, Isle of Palms businessman Rom Reddy, and South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson all met the required 5% polling threshold requirement to participate. Two others were absent: State Senator Josh Kimbrell polled at only 1%, while Lt. Governor Pamela Evette, the top vote-getter in a recent poll, declined the invitation to participate, instead opting to hold a get-out-the-vote event in North Myrtle Beach.
The recent May 18-21 South Carolina Policy Council poll of 500 likely Republican primary voters showed these results:
- Lt. Governor Pamela Evette – 16%
- Rep. Ralph Norman – 15%
- S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson – 14%
- Rep. Nancy Mace – 13%
- Rom Reddy – 10%
- State Sen. Josh Kimbrell – 1%
- Undecided/Not Sure – 27%
Evette, Norman, Wilson and Mace are within the poll’s margin of error of +/-3.16.
Early voting is going on now. As of 3 p.m. May 26, an estimated 44,600 had voted in the first day of early voting.
Watch the full debate on YouTube.
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