She couldn’t keep it under wraps.
Councilman Nancy Mace seems to have prematurely hinted at her governor campaign kick-off, which is slated for next week. She’s been promoting a series of town halls across the Palmetto State.
An announcement for the first stop of the “All Town Hall Mother Tour” in Myrtle Beach was tagged as hosted by “Nancy Mace for Governor.” Quite the reveal, right?
Yet, grab screenshots quickly circulated on social media—was it a mistake or a clever strategy? Either way, we’re awaiting Mace’s (R-SC) “special announcement” next Monday.
When queried about the screenshots, a spokesperson for Mace responded, “We’ll check on it Monday!”
First elected in 2020, Mace has been dropping hints about her ambitions to challenge term-limited Governor Henry McMaster (R).
“President Trump needs America’s first governor. South Carolina needs fighter jets,” she proclaimed on social media Wednesday.
She recently posted a video building hype for the August 4 announcement at Citadel military college, where she graduated in 1999 as the first woman from the Cadet Program.
Mace has carved out a reputation as a congressional lightning rod, particularly regarding cultural issues. Recently, she made headlines with her efforts to prevent transgender individuals from using women’s restrooms in light of Rep. Sarah McBride’s election as the first openly transgender person in Delaware’s legislature.
In fact, GOP leadership shifted its policy to require people to use facilities aligning with their biological sex after her advocacy.
In January, Mace, along with fellow representative Lauren Boebert (R-Col.), entered a women’s restroom out of concern about a potential male intrusion, although they later learned it was a false alarm.
But it doesn’t stop there. Mace had a heated exchange with a man in a store one night before Easter, resulting in a viral altercation where both traded expletives. Mace later shared video of the incident online.
In May, she even controversially showcased a “nude photo” during a Congress hearing, which raised eyebrows.
Recent polling suggests that Mace could be a frontrunner in the South Carolina Governor’s race.
If she formally declares her candidacy on Monday, Mace will face a number of other Republicans, including Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), Sen. Josh Kinbrdell (R), Lt. Col. Pamela Evett (R), and South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson (R).
In February, Mace publicly accused Wilson of dismissing her claims of sexual abuse by her ex-fiance and others. Wilson firmly denied the allegations, calling them “categorically false.”
Mace currently faces a defamation lawsuit related to these accusations, although she made the statements during her speech in the House, which offers some constitutional protections under the speech or debate clause.
