Tom Rice gains new primary challenger over impeachment vote

Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.) on Saturday drew another primary challenger over his vote earlier this year to impeach then-President Trump over his role in inciting the Jan. 6 riot on Capitol Hill.

Graham Allen, an Army combat veteran, announced in a statement that he would challenge Rice, allying himself closely with Trump and accusing the incumbent of being a “turncoat.”

“Tom Rice abandoned his duty to represent the conscience of the voters of his district when he sided with Nancy Pelosi to support the sham impeachment of President Donald J. Trump. South Carolina’s 7th Congressional District voters overwhelmingly endorsed President Trump’s America First agenda twice at the ballot box,” Allen said in a statement.

“But Congressman Rice betrayed their confidence when he caved to the far-left mob and their enablers in Big-Tech and the mainstream media,” he continued. “The fact is we can no longer count on Congressman Rice.”

In his announcement Allen, touted a slate of red meat issues for the GOP base, including vowing to “restore the integrity of our elections” and “securing our borders.”

“[V]oters can count on me to unapologetically stand by President Trump and his America First agenda because it restored the future of America, the greatest country the world has ever known,” he said.

Allen served two tours in Iraq before launching social media-based radio and television programs to promote conservatism. He is also a contributor to Turning Point U.S.A.

Rice was one of 10 House Republicans to vote to impeach Trump over allegations he incited followers to ransack the Capitol on Jan. 6. His vote was particularly surprising given that Trump won his district by nearly 20 points in 2020.

Allen joins a growing field of challengers to Rice, including Ken Richardson, who was elected to lead Horry County Schools in 2018, Marine Corps veteran Steve Reichert, businessman Tom Dunn and more. 

Rice earlier this year swatted away concerns over a primary challenge, telling Myrtle Beach Online that “I’ve had opposition in every race, it’s nothing new. I look forward to the contest.”