Two years ago, South Carolina's most recognized Medal of Honor recipient, Maj. Gen. James Livingston, endorsed Nancy Mace as the region's next member of Congress.
This week he switched sides, endorsing her Republican primary challenger, Katie Arrington.
In a media announcement March 9, Livingston said he's backing Arrington in the state's June 14 Republican primary, calling the former Statehouse lawmaker from Summerville an advocate for the 1st Congressional District.
“As we face unprecedented times under Joe Biden’s weak leadership that has led to rising crime, attacks on our communities and unprecedented crises across the board, it is imperative we send a fighter to Washington, D.C. that will stand up for the needs of the Lowcountry," Livingston said in a media statement.
Republican candidate Katie Arrington, running for South Carolina's 1st Congressional District seat, at the Charleston Leaders Quarterly Meeting on Monday, Nov. 5, 2018, in Mount Pleasant. Arrington is again running for the the Charleston region’s seat in Congress. File/Grace Beahm Alford/Staff
"Time and time again, Katie has demonstrated a strong commitment to advocating for those in the 1st Congressional District," he went on to say. "Her business background, alongside her time at the Department of Defense, serves as further proof that she has the necessary experience to represent us in Congress. I look forward to supporting her on June 14th.”
His statement did not mention Mace by name, but it is a twist from his support two years ago when he endorsed Mace for Congress when she was challenging incumbent Democrat Joe Cunningham.
He even cut a TV ad for Mace at the time, noting her accomplishment as the first female graduate of The Citadel’s Corps of Cadets.
“My fellow Americans, I recognize leadership and integrity,” Livingston said in that 2020 dialogue. “And that is why I am endorsing Nancy Mace. ... She did not break the glass ceiling at The Citadel. She smashed it.”
Livingston, a Georgia native but longtime Mount Pleasant resident, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in a bloody three-day battle in 1968 during the Vietnam War. He survived being severely wounded multiple times, came back to the United States and was presented the Medal of Honor by President Richard Nixon.
Since then, Livingston has become a visible protector of the Medal of Honor's significance in the state and also a much sought-after political supporter. During the 2016 presidential campaign, he initially backed former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush before later siding with Donald Trump.
Arrington thanked the retired Marine for his endorsement.
"I am honored to have his support and look forward to working alongside him throughout this campaign,” she said of Livingston.
The race so far has focused on rollouts of candidate endorsements, with Mace getting backing from former Trump administration U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and former Trump Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, and Arrington showcasing her endorsement from Trump himself, who will be doing a rally that includes her March 12 in Florence.