Representative Tom Rice, one of only 10 Republican lawmakers who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump over his alleged role in inciting the January 6 riot at the Capitol, was soundly defeated in the Republican primary for South Carolina’s 7th District.
Rice lost to Russell Fry, the South Carolina State House’s majority whip, who earned Trump’s endorsement. Fry, according to the latest numbers, more than doubled the vote attained by Rice.
Rice called Fry to concede the race Tuesday.
Fry’s victory was so resounding he was able to avoid a runoff by winning 51% of the vote.
U.S. Rep. Tom Rice, one of 10 House Republicans to vote to impeach Donald Trump over the Jan. 6 insurrection, has been ousted from Congress in his South Carolina GOP primary. Rice was defeated by state Rep. Russell Fry, who was backed by Trump. https://t.co/JXYD2GA1R0 pic.twitter.com/m7dVFme649
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 15, 2022
RELATED: Paul Ryan Campaigns For GOP Rep. Who ‘Had the Guts’ To Impeach Trump
Tom Rice Vote to Impeach Cost Him
The sad showing for Tom Rice comes roughly 17 months after he shocked observers by becoming only one of 10 Republicans to join Democrats in their vote to impeach Trump over the Capitol riot.
“He sat there and watched the Capitol get sacked and took pleasure in that. He said: ‘Look what I created! Look how rabid these people are to follow me.’” Rice recalled. “That pushed me over the edge. That’s what a dictator would do.”
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The congressman did not shy away from the vote either, repeatedly leaning into it as a sign of his being a stand-up guy.
Unfortunately, now that Rice is soon to be out of a job, he’ll be doing a lot more sitting down.
RINO Rep. Tom Rice voted to impeach Trump and said that Liz Cheney should be Speaker of the House.
He just lost his primary to @RussellFrySC and only has 25% of the vote.
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) June 15, 2022
RELATED: ‘Never Trumpers’ Paul Ryan, John Boehner, And Adam Kinzinger Supporting Liz Cheney’s Reelection Bid
Not the Future of the Republican Party
Ironically, Tom Rice, on the day of the primary, told voters Trump is “not the future of the Republican Party” and predicted his vote to impeach the former President would be “advantageous to me politically.”
“Oh, I think it’s advantageous to me politically. I think I’m just telling the truth,” Rice said of his vote to impeach. “You know, the truth will set you free. And I think that Donald Trump is not the future of the Republican Party.”
“I think he is the past, and we need to move on,” he added.
The former President has said Rice is a “coward who abandoned his constituents by caving to Nancy Pelosi and the Radical Left.”
???????????? Tom Rice lost by 25 points, yesterday. https://t.co/6PdhXEzDCE
— Catturd ™ (@catturd2) June 15, 2022
One of the few people supporting Tom Rice and perhaps inadvertently solidifying his defeat was former House Speaker Paul Ryan, who heralded the lawmaker as a hero for voting to impeach Trump.
“There were a lot of people who wanted to vote like Tom but who just didn’t have the guts to do it,” Ryan claimed at a campaign stop.
Rep. Tom Rice (R), likely losing renomination in SC07 — tonight or in a June 28 runoff — campaigned with ex-House Speaker Paul Ryan as the contest wound down.
Suggests Ryan isn’t exactly an influential figure in GOP politics these days, to put it mildly.
— David Mark (@DavidMarkDC) June 15, 2022
It takes absolutely no ‘guts’ as a Republican to have been on the same side of Democrats and the entire national media.
Other impeachers, like Wyoming’s Liz Cheney, is trailing her primary opponent, Harriet Hageman, a Wyoming attorney who has the backing of Trump, by a whopping 30 percentage points.
Poll: Harriet Hageman ‘Overwhelming Favorite’ to Oust Liz Cheney, Up 28 Points: @Fabrizio_Lee
WY At-large GOP Primary
Hageman 56% (+22)
Cheney 26% (-2)
Bouchard 8% (-5)+- vs December 2021
Favorable/Unfavorable
Cheney: 26/73
Hageman: 58/29https://t.co/FkVBOG0xfa— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) June 9, 2022
Fellow Never Trump Republican Kinzinger announced months ago that he was leaving Congress in part due to Democrats in Illinois rewarding his fealty by unveiling a new congressional map that significantly impacted his chances of winning in 2022. After all he has done for them!
Kinzinger leaving Congress to focus on being a bitch full time https://t.co/vfZqLNEzWn
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) October 29, 2021
Representatives Anthony Gonzalez (OH), Fred Upton (MI), and John Katko (NY) have also decided to flee Congress after voting to impeach Trump.
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