State Representative Mark Smith holds a commanding lead in the June 9 Republican primary for South Carolina’s open 1st Congressional District, driven by his established name recognition from five years in the state House, top-tier fundraising of nearly $727,000 with $548,000 cash on hand, and a 34 percent straw-poll victory at an April GOP forum. Alex Pelbath follows as the clearest alternative, leveraging his record as a retired Air Force colonel who commanded the final U.S. air mission out of Afghanistan and solid second-place fundraising. The remaining candidates trail with limited visibility and resources, reflecting a field that has yet to consolidate behind any challenger in the weeks before voters decide the nominee to replace Nancy Mace.