Firebrand Gop Rep. Nancy Mace Launches Bid For South Carolina Governor

Rep. Nancy Mace, who has astatine times surgery pinch her ain GOP leaders and often courted controversy, launched a long-expected bid for politician of South Carolina connected Monday, shaking up a crowded superior title that already includes large names successful nan Palmetto State.

"I didn’t travel to subordinate nan club. I came to clasp nan line. They said enactment quiet; I said up. They said beryllium down; I stood up. They said play nice; I fought back," Mace will opportunity successful a reside successful Charleston, wherever she made history 26 years agone arsenic nan first female to postgraduate from nan Citadel subject college. "South Carolina is tired of politicians who grin for nan cameras, dishonesty to your face, past vanish erstwhile it’s clip to lead. I’m not 1 of them. ...

"This isn’t astir playing defense. It’s astir going connected discourtesy — for your family, your state and your future," she will say. "Because I wasn’t built to buss nan ring. I don’t reply to nan establishment. I don’t beryllium those successful nan backmost room a azygous thing. I reply to nan group — and nan group are fed up."

Donald Trump hasn't endorsed a campaigner successful nan race, but her first campaign video includes a clip of nan president saying: "Nancy Mace, she’s a fighter. I cognize astir that, she’s a fighter." And her run level calls for a "zero-tolerance attack to crime," cutting nan authorities income taxation to zero and stopping "the extremist gender agenda" and "woke ideology" successful South Carolina schools.

The 2026 GOP superior will beryllium a family matter wrong South Carolina’s mini legislature delegation. The boy of GOP Rep. Joe Wilson, authorities Attorney General Alan Wilson, launched his run successful June, while Rep. Ralph Norman, 1 of nan leaders of nan far-right Freedom Caucus and a thorn successful leadership’s broadside for illustration Mace, jumped into nan race conscionable past week.

Other Republican candidates see Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and authorities Sen. Josh Kimbrell.

The sitting Republican governor, Henry McMaster, cannot tally for re-election owed to word limits. Whoever wins nan GOP superior is expected to win McMaster successful nan ruby-red state.

Mace, 47, a erstwhile authorities lawmaker who is serving her 3rd word successful Congress, would beryllium nan astir well-known campaigner nationally. She has many times voted against large spending bills and was 1 of 8 House Republicans who voted to oust then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., successful nan mediate of his word successful 2023 — a move that sparked backlash from constitution Republicans.

In a building afloat of attraction seekers, Mace has managed to drawback headlines done immoderate of her unexpected positions and actions. Despite declaring during her first run she “strongly support[s] LGBTQ authorities and equality,” Mace has made being anti-transgender a large portion of her governmental personality much recently.

Last year, soon earlier Democrat Sarah McBride of Delaware was group to go the first retired transgender personnel of Congress, Mace rolled retired a measure to prohibition transgender women from utilizing female-designated bathrooms successful nan U.S. Capitol. She later said nan measure was “absolutely” aimed astatine McBride, now a chap congresswoman whom Mace has many times misgendered.

In December, Mace accused a man of battle for “aggressively” shaking her manus astatine nan U.S. Capitol, wearing a sling for days aft nan alleged incident. Federal prosecutors decided not to prosecute an battle charge.

And successful February, Mace gave an unprecedented 50-minute level speech wherever she accused 4 men — including her ex-fiancé — of rape, activity trafficking and different activity crimes against her and different female victims, which she called “some of nan astir heinous crimes against women imaginable.”

During her speech, Mace besides accused Alan Wilson, her early rival for governor, of failing to prosecute nan men after, according to Mace, she presented his agency pinch evidence.

All 4 men whom Mace accused of activity crimes person vehemently denied nan allegations successful statements to NBC News. In consequence to nan February speech, Wilson’s agency called Mace’s accusations that it had grounded to enactment “categorically false,” adding that nan 2 politicians cognize each different good but that she had ne'er discussed nan alleged crimes pinch Wilson aliases his agency earlier taking to nan House floor.

Mace has stood by her claims.

A spokesperson for nan South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, known arsenic SLED, said successful a connection successful February that it had opened an investigation into Mace’s allegations of assault, harassment and voyeurism successful December 2023 aft being contacted by U.S. Capitol Police.

Wilson’s agency said successful February that it had not received immoderate reports aliases requests for assistance from immoderate rule enforcement aliases prosecution agencies regarding these circumstantial allegations.

Asked for an update connected Friday, Wilson spokesperson Robert Kittle said: “Our agency has not received thing pertaining to her case. If SLED does move complete nan case, it would beryllium sent to nan 9th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.”

Born astatine Fort Bragg, Mace hails from a subject family. Her father, retired Brig. Gen. James Emory Mace, had served arsenic commandant of cadets astatine nan Citadel, nan prestigious subject assemblage located successful Charleston.

In 1999, during his tenure there, Nancy Mace made history arsenic nan first female to postgraduate from nan Citadel Corps of Cadets. She concisely served successful nan South Carolina statehouse earlier defeating Democratic Rep. Joe Cunningham successful nan 2020 title for nan coastal 1st Congressional District.

Mace is hosting a bid of municipality hallway events crossed nan authorities successful August, calling it nan “Mother of ALL Town Halls.” The first will beryllium successful Myrtle Beach connected Wednesday.