MAGA ally Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) made a significant career announcement on Monday that is likely to disrupt President Donald Trump’s support base
Mace declared her candidacy for the South Carolina gubernatorial race, which already features an increasing roster of candidates.
In her announcement, Mace expressed her frustration with politicians who “smile for the cameras, lie to your face, and then disappear when it’s time to lead.”
“I’m not one of them,” she stated. “I’m running for governor because South Carolina deserves more than just an empty suit. It requires a governor who will advocate for you and your values.”
She presented a platform that includes freezing the state’s general fund spending at around $11.6 billion, mandating a budget reduction of 3% to 4% annually for each state agency, enhancing access to vocational and trade schools, and defunding any office or agency that fails to comply with state or federal law, according to CNN.
Mace is currently in her third term in Congress. Initially a vocal critic of Donald Trump, she has since closely aligned with the former president. Her campaign launch video highlighted her pro-Trump credentials, featuring a clip of Trump lauding her as a “fighter.”
She is anticipated to compete against a former prosecutor in the Republican primary, whom she has accused of mishandling an investigation involving her ex-fiancé, whom she alleged earlier this year had abused her.
Other GOP contenders in the race include South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Rep. Ralph Norman, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, CNN added.
Mace, 47, made history in 1999 as the first female cadet to graduate from The Citadel, South Carolina’s military college. She began her political career in 2018 with a seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives and was elected to Congress in 2020 after flipping a Democratic-held district.
