Midterm roundup: Palmetto primaries

The Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol is in the spotlight as two South Carolina Republicans who strongly condemned the attack — Nancy Mace and Tom Rice — are a few days away from facing Trump-backed primary challengers. 

Trump is working to take both lawmakers down, NBC News’ Allan Smith reports, although they took different approaches to his impeachment. Mace ultimately voted not to impeach Trump, while Rice was one of 10 Republicans to do so. Mace has since tempered her criticism of Trump, while Rice stood by his impeachment vote. 

“Win, lose or draw, I did the right thing, and I know I did the right thing,” Rice told Smith. Mace and Rice face their challengers on Tuesday, and if no candidate wins a majority of the primary vote, the top two head to a June 28 runoff. 

Elsewhere on the campaign trail:

Illinois Governor: The Democratic Governors Association, which has spent millions attacking Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin in the GOP primary, is up with a new ad that argues Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey is “too conservative.” The strategy is a tried-and-true way groups meddle in opposing parties’ primaries to endear candidates with base voters. 

Michigan Governor: GOP gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley was arrested Thursday on charges relating to his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, including “disorderly conduct and willfully injuring or attacking U.S. property,” NBC News’ Ryan J. Reilly, Pete Williams and Henry J. Gomez report. 

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

Pennsylvania Governor: Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro called his opponent, GOP state Sen. Doug Mastriano, who was at the Capitol on Jan. 6 an “insurrectionist” in a tweet during Thursday’s hearing. 

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

Pennsylvania Senate: In a new web ad, Republicans criticize Democratic Senate nominee John Fetterman and accuse him of not being transparent about his health after his stroke last month.

Montana-01: Ryan Zinke, Trump’s former Interior Secretary, won the GOP primary for Montana’s 1st District, per NBC News’ Decision Desk. Zinke had Trump’s endorsement in the race. 

Nevada-01: Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., endorsed three House candidates Thursday, including Democrat Amy Viela, who is challenging Democratic Rep. Dina Titus in Tuesday’s primary. 

New York-23: Republican Carl Paladino said in a 2021 interview that Hitler is “the kind of leader we need today.” Paladino is endorsed by GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y.