Nancy Mace beats Kevin McCarthy-backed challenger in South Carolina primary

Congresswoman leads by 29 points, surviving McCarthy's grudge after she voted to oust ex-House speaker last year

The South Carolina congresswoman Nancy Mace easily survived a primary challenge on Tuesday, against Kevin McCarthy-backed Catherine Templeton, while a much closer than expected special election in Ohio offered warning signs for Republicans ahead of November.

In Ohio's sixth district, candidate Michael Rulli prevailed in the special election to replace fellow Republican Bill Johnson, who resigned from Congress in January. Rulli's victory will help expand his party's razor-thin majority in the House, but his nine-point win over Democratic contender Michael Kripchak may unnerve Republicans, given that Donald Trump carried the district by 29 points in 2020.