Two Republican candidates will face each other in a runoff election on June 23 to determine who will represent the party in South Carolina’s 1st congressional district. Business owner Jenny Honeycutt and state legislator Mark Smith emerged as the top contenders in Tuesday’s primary election, but neither secured the necessary 50% of votes required for an outright victory. The seat became vacant after Representative Nancy Mace announced her decision to run for governor of South Carolina.
The GOP primary attracted multiple candidates seeking to fill the position in a district that has remained solidly Republican for decades. Mace’s departure from Congress to pursue the governorship created an opportunity for new leadership in a region that has supported Republican representatives consistently since 1981, with only one brief interruption.
Honeycutt positions herself as pro-family political outsider
Jenny Honeycutt built her campaign around her experience as a business owner who runs a law firm specializing in regulatory navigation. She has branded herself as a political outsider with a strong focus on family values and conservative principles. Her campaign platform emphasizes several core issues that resonate with Republican primary voters in the district.
According to her official website, Honeycutt has highlighted law and order as a central theme of her candidacy. She has also prioritized discussions about the country’s fiscal situation and family finances, presenting herself as someone who understands the economic challenges facing ordinary Americans. Her business background in helping clients navigate complex regulations has become a selling point for voters seeking practical solutions to government overreach.
Federal Election Commission records show that Honeycutt raised approximately $345,600 through the end of May. While this amount trails her main competitor, her campaign has emphasized grassroots support and connections to local communities throughout the district.
Mark Smith brings state legislature experience to congressional race
Mark Smith entered the race with both private sector experience and a track record in state government. Before his political career, Smith operated a funeral home service, giving him deep roots in the community and personal connections with constituents across the district. He was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 2020 and has served there for four years.
During his tenure in the state legislature, Smith has focused on fiscal conservatism and public safety initiatives. According to his official biography, he played a role in efforts to cut taxes and provide support for local law enforcement agencies. These accomplishments align closely with Republican priorities and have helped him build name recognition among primary voters.
Campaign finance reports indicate that Smith raised $750,700 according to FEC records, giving him a significant financial advantage over his opponents. This fundraising success reflects both his established political network and his appeal to donors who value his legislative experience. The substantial war chest will be crucial as he heads into the runoff election against Honeycutt.
Third-place candidate Jay Byars falls short despite strong credentials
Jay Byars, who finished outside the top two positions, brought his own impressive resume to the race. He began his political career in 2011 when voters elected him to the Dorchester County Council, a position he has held for four consecutive terms. His longevity in local government demonstrated his ability to maintain constituent support over more than a decade of service.
Beyond his political work, Byars established several private businesses that showcased his entrepreneurial spirit. His ventures include a storage service company and Good Faith Caregivers, a home care business that serves elderly and disabled residents. These business experiences allowed him to campaign on both his government knowledge and his understanding of free enterprise.
Despite these qualifications, Byars raised $220,600 according to FEC filings, placing him third in fundraising among the major candidates. His inability to match the financial resources of Honeycutt and Smith may have limited his ability to reach voters across the geographically diverse district.
Nancy Mace’s congressional legacy and gubernatorial ambitions
Nancy Mace’s decision to pursue the South Carolina governorship came after she established herself as one of the more prominent Republican voices in Congress. During her time in the House of Representatives, she gained national attention for several controversial decisions and legislative initiatives that set her apart from many of her Republican colleagues.
In 2023, Mace was one of only eight Republicans who joined Democrats in voting to remove Kevin McCarthy from his position as Speaker of the House. This decision generated significant criticism from some party members but demonstrated her willingness to break with leadership when she believed it necessary. She has also championed legislation related to cybersecurity issues and forced a vote earlier this year on releasing files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Mace won reelection in 2024 with a decisive 58.2% to 41.6% victory over Democratic challenger Michel Moore, a businessman who failed to gain traction in the heavily Republican district. Her comfortable margin of victory demonstrated her political strength in the district despite her sometimes controversial positions.
In announcing her gubernatorial campaign, Mace indicated she would bring her confrontational style to state politics. She stated that South Carolina needs a governor who will drag the truth into sunlight and flip the tables, suggesting she plans to continue her pattern of challenging established power structures. Notably, Mace has not endorsed either Honeycutt or Smith in the race to succeed her, allowing the two candidates to compete without her direct influence.
District’s Republican history makes June runoff crucial
South Carolina’s 1st congressional district has maintained Republican representation for the vast majority of the past four decades. The only interruption came when Democrat Joe Cunningham won the seat in 2018 and held it from 2019 to 2021 before losing to Mace. Cunningham’s brief tenure remains an anomaly in an otherwise unbroken string of Republican victories stretching back to 1981.
The district’s strong Republican lean means that whoever wins the June 23 runoff will be heavily favored in the general election. Democratic candidates have struggled to compete in recent cycles, making the GOP primary effectively the deciding contest for who will represent the district in Congress. Both Honeycutt and Smith will spend the next several weeks campaigning intensively to win over voters who supported other candidates in the initial primary.
The runoff election will test whether voters prefer Honeycutt’s outsider appeal and business background or Smith’s legislative experience and established political connections. With neither candidate receiving Mace’s endorsement, the race remains open and competitive heading into the final stretch before voters return to the polls on June 23.
