Republican Tom Rice who voted to impeach Donald Trump defeated in South Carolina

A Republican who voted to impeach former US president Donald Trump following the January 6 insurrection in the Capitol has lost his seat in the primary election.

Tom Rice, a five-term South Carolina incumbent congressman, lost his seat to Trump-backed challenger Russell Fry.

Mr Rice, who had continually been a reliable supporter of Trump up until the Capitol riots, was one of ten Republicans who voted to impeach the president.

Following the move, Trump pledged revenge against Rice and the nine other House Republicans who crossed party lines to impeach him.

South Carolina Rep. Russell Fry celebrates his win over U.S. Rep. Tom Rice for his congressional seat in the Republican primary, at the 8th Avenue Tiki Bar in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Tuesday, June 14, 2022.(Jason Lee/The Sun News via AP)

Mr Rice, who at the time acknowledged his impeachment vote could end his political career, received death threats following the move, but maintained he was following his conscience.

However, he lost the primary election on Tuesday night by more than 25 points after Trump endorsed his opponent.

Following his victory, Mr Fry, a state legislation hailed the former president in his speech in the strongly Republican district he is now expected to win in the November general election, saying: “The voters have spoken and Tom Rice is coming home.

“Today, Donald Trump won.”

Prior to his Midterm primary defeat, Mr Rice addressed Trump’s so called 'revenge campaign’ against his perceived enemies saying: “He’s purging.

"He’s trying to set the Republican Party up as a bunch of yes-men loyalists.

“Think about that. That’s scary.”

In his campaign, Mr Rice had reminded constituents he voted with Trump more than 90 per cent of the time.

There was another pro-Trump victory in Nevada with endorsed Republican Adam Laxalt winning the state’s Republican primary for Senate.

Jim Marchant, who claimed the 2020 election was rigged, also won the Republican nomination for secretary of state for Nevada.

While Trump’s influence was seen across numerous votes across the country, another Republican who criticised the former president and was not endorsed won in the 1st Congressional District Republican in the South Carolina primary over Trump-backed opposition.

Nancy Mace, who did not vote to impeach Trump, but did condemn him for the Capitol riot and voted to certify President Joe Biden's win in the 2020 White House election, was victorious over Katie Arrington and will be the Republican nominee.

Ms Mace has since appeared to make peace with Trump, even filming one of her campaign videos outside Trump Tower. However, it is not clear if she will have the former president’s backing when she faces Annie Andrews, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Voters cast ballots in Nevada, Maine and North Dakota to choose party nominees to compete in the November general elections for the US Senate and House of Representatives.

Republicans are expected to win control of the House of Representatives and could possibly take the Senate amid a slump for Mr Biden in the polls, which could bring the legislative agenda of the president to a halt. A recent opinion poll from Reuters/Ipsos showed Mr Biden’s public approval rating at 39 per cent with 56 per cent of Americans disapproving of the president.

The ten Republicans who voted to impeach Trump have faced varying outcomes.

Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, who also voted against Trump, are now vocal Trump critics on the US House of Representatives committee that is investigating the Capitol riot.