“We made our disappointment clear the night of the impeachment vote. Trying to impeach a president, with a week left in his term, is never legitimate and is nothing more than a political kick on the way out the door,” South Carolina GOP Chairman Drew McKissick said in a statement Saturday afternoon.

“Congressman Rice’s vote unfortunately played right into the Democrats’ game, and the people in his district, and ultimately our State Executive Committee, wanted him to know they wholeheartedly disagree with his decision.”

Rice was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump earlier this month after the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, charging him with “incitement of insurrection.” That small minority of the GOP conference has faced a wave of anger at home, with Republican officials, donors and voters condemning their votes and primary challengers launching their campaigns early ahead of 2022.