“Alex Pelbath, the Air Force pilot who flew the last U.S. aircraft out of Kabul when America ended its 20-year war in Afghanistan, is now running for Congress in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, calling himself a ‘Trump conservative’ and pledging to be the political reinforcement the president needs,” the Charleston Post & Courier reports.

Said Pelbath: “Combat leaders understand that mission is everything. My mission is clear. Provide President Trump the reinforcements he needs, deliver common sense leadership that will make the Lowcountry proud and bring an outsider’s perspective to Washington. I was the last one out. But the mission’s not over.”

Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), a longtime member of the House representing South Carolina, endorsed the primary challenger to Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) on Tuesday, The Hill reports.

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) endorsed Rep. Nancy Mace’s (R-SC) Republican primary challenger, saying in a statement that Catherine Templeton (R) is someone who has “actually done something,” the Charleston Post & Courier reports.

Said Mace: “Newt doesn’t know anything about me. He’s just doing what Kevin McCarthy tells him to do. The Swamp good ole’ boys always have each other’s back.”

“Catherine Templeton (R) next week will announce her plans to run for Congress against Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), setting up what is expected to be a crowded, contentious and dramatic clash in the GOP primary for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District,” the Charleston Post & Courier reports.

“The dynamic unfolding in the primary contest lays bare what had been rumored for months: That Mace would face political consequences — and challengers for her seat — after joining a GOP-led revolt to oust Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House.”

“Before McCarthy left Congress, he unloaded on Mace — one of eight House Republicans to reject him as speaker — in an interview with CNN, saying she had not ‘earned the right’ to be reelected.”

Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) “wants to work with someone else in South Carolina’s 1st congressional district,” The State reports.

“The longtime South Carolina lawmaker on Thursday endorsed Katie Arrington in her GOP primary race against Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), taking the unusual step of intervening in a contentious party primary that’s playing out in his home state.”

David Drucker: “Well, this ought to make for an interesting weekly delegation lunch.”

The day after Donald Trump endorsed her Republican primary challenger, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) released a bizarre video standing in front of Trump Tower in New York City.

That led challenger Katie Arrington (R) to respond: “Nancy — did you get lost on your way to the Fox News Studio? Or are you in NYC to fundraise with the progressives? What does NYC have to do with the Lowcountry?”

Former President Donald Trump on endorsed former South Carolina lawmaker Katie Arrington (R) over first-term Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) in a GOP primary that tests his heft in the state, the AP reports.

“Eight hours after Katie Arrington (R) lost her South Carolina congressional race, she blamed her shocking defeat on Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC), the outgoing Republican congressman she bested in the primary,” the Charleston Post and Courier reports.

Said Arrington: “We lost because Mark Sanford could not understand that this race was about the conservative movement — and not about him.”

Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC) will not endorse his Republican primary rival Katie Arrington (R) in her bid for his 1st District seat, the Charleston Post and Courier reports.

Said Sanford: “Part of leadership, at times, means knowing when it’s best to keep quiet. To me, this is probably one of those times.”

Despite a terrible car accident and nine hours of surgery, Katie Arrington (R) is not giving up on her congressional bid, the Charleston Post & Courier reports.

“Doctors told the campaign that Arrington will have no neurological deficits or limitations moving forward… She is now expected to stay at the hospital for at least two weeks.”

Katie Arrington (R), who defeated Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC) in a primary last week, was in a car accident late Friday and taken to the hospital, the Charleston Post & Courier reports.

“She sustained a fracture in her back and several broken ribs. Other injuries will require major surgery, including the removal of her small intestine.”

Politico: “In the end, it wasn’t the Appalachian Trail that brought down Mark Sanford. It was President Trump. The South Carolina congressman’s stunning defeat in Tuesday’s Republican primary effectively ended the turbulent two-decade career of a political icon who once harbored presidential aspirations.”

“His defeat is bound to raise fears among Republicans about the political perils of crossing a president who remains deeply popular with GOP voters. In recent days, Sanford himself had expressed concern that a loss in the primary would discourage what dwindling GOP dissent among against the White House remains.”