In a surprising twist in the South Carolina gubernatorial campaign, Rep. Nancy Mace’s top consultant, Austin McCubbin, announced his resignation on Monday. McCubbin, a seasoned Republican operative, declared that Mace has abandoned the MAGA movement, marking a significant split within her campaign team.

In a detailed post on X, McCubbin criticized Mace for aligning herself with what he described as the "political cactus" of the Rand Paul and Thomas Massie wing of the Republican Party. He accused her of indirectly supporting Rand Paul’s potential 2028 presidential ambitions by directing a substantial financial contribution to the Protect Freedom PAC, a political action committee associated with Paul. McCubbin expressed his disillusionment, stating that this was the decisive factor prompting his departure from the campaign.

The public fallout continued as McCubbin claimed that Mace had misused his name and failed to compensate him adequately, leveraging his connections to the Trump administration for her political gain. He emphatically declared his departure from Mace's campaign as a gesture of his unwavering loyalty to former President Donald Trump.

Responding to these allegations, a spokesperson for Mace dismissed McCubbin's contributions to the campaign, accusing him of failing to fulfill his fundraising duties and demanding excessive payment. The spokesperson’s sharp rebuke underscored the contentious nature of the split, suggesting that McCubbin's expectations were unreasonable.

The political stakes are high in the race for the South Carolina governorship, with candidates vying for Trump’s coveted endorsement. Mace’s campaign had previously highlighted McCubbin's role as a lead consultant, citing his instrumental role in Trump's 2024 campaign success in South Carolina.

McCubbin’s departure and his public denouncement of Mace have stirred the political waters, urging Trump and his allies to reconsider their support for her candidacy. He praised the loyalty of current Governor Henry McMaster to Trump, suggesting that South Carolina should elect someone similarly steadfast.

This resignation throws a spotlight on the intense loyalty dynamics within the Republican Party and could influence the trajectory of the gubernatorial race, as candidates align themselves with or distance from Trump's enduring political influence.